Council’s clock tower turns purple for World Stroke Day

The council has lit its clock tower purple to show support for those affected by strokes and help to raise awareness of the condition. Purple is one of the official colours used for stroke awareness campaigns.

Around 100,000 people in the UK have strokes each year, and there are 1.4 million stroke survivors. Strokes occur when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, damaging brain cells. Although they can happen to anyone, the risk can increase depending on age, ethnic background, lifestyle and other factors, including conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Research has shown that the number of younger adults having strokes is increasing.

The FAST test can help you recognise common signs of a stroke:

• Face weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms fully and keep them there?
• Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
• Time to call 999 if you see any one of these signs.

FAST stresses the importance of getting treatment as soon as possible so that the person having a stroke has the best chance of survival and recovery.

The Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Cllr Lynn Chesterman OBE, and her husband, Cllr Alan Chesterman, have been personally affected by the condition. The Mayor said: 

“I’m really pleased the council is helping to raise awareness of World Stroke Day by lighting the clock tower purple. It’s such an important cause that’s very close to my heart.

“Strokes can affect anyone, at any age, and the symptoms and reasons behind them can be different for each person. Yet many people still believe that strokes only affect older or elderly individuals. I lost my mother to a stroke, so it’s something that has always been in the back of my mind.

“More recently, my husband Alan suffered a stroke. Although he wasn’t showing the main symptoms, he was complaining of pain in his leg, and I knew something wasn’t right. We called an ambulance which arrived quickly - the staff were brilliant and got him the help he needed straight away. It turned out Alan had a blood clot, which can often lead to a stroke.

“Thankfully, he’s doing really well now, continuing his therapy and is even back to driving. I hope by turning the clock tower purple, we can encourage more people to recognise the signs and act fast if it ever affects them or someone they love.”

For more information about strokes, visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stroke/ and https://www.stroke.org.uk/