Step out for Stroke Revisited

Enthusiastic readers of this blog will remember that almost a year ago, Hamish and I undertook a sponsored walk – Step Out for Stroke – at Glamis Castle.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Glamis, though at the time, Hamish complained loudly about several aspects of the day: the long journey, the chilly breeze and the colour of the t-shirt he was forced to wear being just some of them. Perhaps he was feeling his age, as this proved to be his last major outing before his sad passing the following month. Thanks to  the generosity of many friends, we raised almost £300 for the Stroke Association on that day. These are funds that go directly to supporting research into stroke and providing help for stroke survivors.

This year there will be a similar family day out here on Deeside, because on the afternoon of 18 May a Step Out for Stroke event is being held on Aboyne green. The funds raised will be shared equally between the Stroke Association and the Deeside Stroke Group, which holds a weekly exercise class for local stroke survivors  in the Auld Kirk Hall, Aboyne.

Step Out for Stroke is a sponsored walk open to all ages and abilities, including wheelchair users. You can choose to walk ten steps or a couple of miles. You can just turn up on the day – there’s a £5 registration fee – but even better, if you register in advance, you may be able to persuade friends and family to sponsor you to take part in the event. You can register on-line at www.stroke.org.uk/stepout , or if on-line is not your thing, you can register by post, by printing out and sending off this form.

I’ll be taking part with Archie in tow – a whippet now in the full flush of adolescence. If you are in the area will you join us for an afternoon of fresh Deeside air?