Spoke for Stroke took place over four days from Tuesday 27th – Friday 30th September as a relay event passing through many of the Siemens sites in the UK.
The route started in Newcastle and continued through Durham, Stockton and York, before heading through Manchester, Congleton and Nottingham, Ashby and Northampton. The final stage of the cycle ride was from Oxford to Siemens head office in Frimley. The total relay distance was 346 miles. Employees from a number of Siemens businesses across the UK joined the cycle ride for different stages of the relay.
Every five minutes, someone in the UK will suffer from a stroke. Strokes can cause loss of mobility, speech, hearing, sight and memory as well as putting huge strains on relationships. The Stroke Association offers support to stroke survivors and their families through their Life After Stroke Support services including providing financial services, advice on rehabilitation and prevention and guidance on how to cope with their new lives.
Participant, Donna Kirk, of Siemens Industrial Turbo Machinery ltd, said: “Recently a friend of mine at the age of 34 had a major stroke and she now needs to re-learn to do all the basic things you and I take for granted, walking, writing etc. She has been really brave throughout and is the inspiration for me taking part in this event.”
“Supporting Siemens Spoke for Stroke has given me the incentive to get back to fitness myself. I suffer from Arthritis in my hip and I have not been as active as I should have been. Seeing the outcome of a stroke to someone who is the same age as me has made me realise how important charities like the Stroke Association are. The support they give and the research that they do is so valuable. I can only urge people who are not taking part to part with a few quid of their hard earned cash to a well deserved charity,” said John Palmer, marine manager for Siemens Energy sector.
Head of Corporate Fundraising at The Stroke Association, James Beeby said: “I’d like to thank all the participants from Siemens who were amazing in taking on this cycle relay challenge. The funds they have raised through sponsorship will make a real contribution to helping The Stroke Association sustain its work for all of those affected by stroke.”
The current total raised by the Siemens employees so far is £14,278 including Gift Aid.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
About Siemens in the UK
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 168 years ago and now employs around 16,000 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £4.1 billion. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
For more information, contact:
Laura Bennett
PR Manager
Siemens plc
Tel. +44 (0)1276 696374
Laura.bennett@siemens.com
Siemens Spoke for Stroke is supported by The Stroke Association.
For more information, contact:
The Stroke Association
Tel: +44 (0) 207 566 1500
Email: press@stroke.org.uk
About The Stroke Association
The Stroke Association is the only UK charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. The charity funds research into prevention, treatment, better methods of rehabilitation and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community services which include communications support, family and carer support, information services, welfare grants, publications and leaflets. The Stroke Association also campaigns, educates and informs to increase knowledge of stroke at all levels of society acting as a voice for everyone affected by stroke. The Stroke Association Helpline provides information on stroke to the general public and is open between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0303 3033 100 and more information on The Stroke Association can be found at www.stroke.org.uk
