Delivering Health to Royal Mail

22 July 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

The Stroke Association has reached what it believes is a milestone in its charity partnership with the Royal Mail, making health and wellbeing checks to Royal Mail staff throughout Northern Ireland during the last year.

Recently the charity took the 2,000th blood pressure check at Royal Mail’s Northern Ireland Lisburn delivery office.The initiative is part of Royal Mail’s charity partnership with the Stroke Association which supports postal staff to reduce their risk of stroke and raise £2 million to provide Life After Stroke grants.

Last year more than £31,500 worth of grants were given to stroke survivors and their families in Northern Ireland to help rebuild their lives after stroke.

Stroke incidence

Every year more than 4,000 strokes occur in Northern Ireland and 25% of all strokes are fatal within a year.

There are 35,000 stroke survivors in Northern Ireland and the Stroke Association is said to be Northern Ireland’s only charity solely dedicated to stroke and provides support, information speech and language therapy and grants for local stroke survivors.

“We’re delighted to reach this important milestone with the Stroke Association and through the Know Your Blood Pressure programme, Royal Mail has become more aware of the risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure, obesity and smoking and have been supported to take steps to reduce their reduce their risk,” explained Paul Sweeney, General Manager, Royal Mail, Northern Ireland. “Our staff are also on course to raise £2 million to provide grants to stroke survivors throughout the UK. Both Royal Mail and the Stroke Association play an important role at the heart of local communities and it’s great to see that together we can make a huge difference to so many lives.”

Aibhlin Neeson, Health & Wellbeing Coordinator, Stroke Association elaborated by stating that uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke by up to six times but too often people do not realise they have high blood pressure. “That’s why our blood pressure checks are so important so we’re really grateful to our partners in Royal Mail for making this initiative such a success,” he concluded.

Picture: The Stroke Association delivered 2,000 blood pressure checks with Royal Mail staff throughout Northern Ireland reaching that figure at the Lisburn delivery office

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 22 July 2016