Raising stroke awareness of council employees
Warwickshire County Council employees were given an insight into the causes and effects of strokes on Thursday 5 October as part of a series of disability equality events organised by the council.
Expert in the field, Sheila Davies from stroke charity The Stroke Association delivered the Stroke Awareness session, which was held at Shire Hall in Warwick.
The session proved extremely popular and was fully booked, with staff attending from departments across the council including Adult, Health & Community Services, Environment & Economy and Community Protection.
One exercise, designed to help staff appreciate the sometimes debilitating effects of a stroke, asked them to wear special glasses that restricted their vision, flippers on their feet or padded gloves to restrict their movements, and then discover how everyday actions such as drinking a cup of tea or walking could be affected.
Sarah Boyce, Workstep Support Worker for Warwickshire County Council, said: “The aim of the session was to raise awareness amongst our staff of the causes and effects of strokes, particularly as they may be working with or providing services to people who have had strokes.
“Every year, over 130,000 people in the UK have a stroke - that’s one person every five minutes. Most people affected are over 65, but anyone can have a stroke.
“The session also provided information on how strokes can be treated and prevented. The Stroke Association are a well know organisation within the UK and are experts in the field, so we were very pleased that they were able to come and speak to our staff.”
More awareness raising events are to be held for staff as part of the council’s commitment to disability equality.