GB Rowing Team’s Anna Watkins launches this year’s Stroke for Stroke campaign
The GB Rowing Team’s Olympic and world medallist, Anna Watkins, yesterday helped Siemens plc and The Stroke Association’s get their third annual Stroke for Stroke week underway by rowing the first 1km of this year’s campaign at Siemens’ Headquarters in Frimley, Surrrey.
Stroke for Stroke, supported by Siemens, encourages members of the public to take up the challenge to row 10km (or more) between 25th and 31st January, helping to raise vital funds. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of stroke and to highlight the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise in its prevention.
The campaign, a joint initiative by The Stroke Association and Siemens, the High Performance Partner of the GB Rowing Team, is now in its third year and has raised over £70,000 to date by encouraging members of the public to complete a sponsored 10km row. In addition to raising funds, the campaign aims to highlight that anybody, irrespective of age, can suffer from a stroke and that a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet and regular exercise such as rowing, can help to significantly reduce the risks.
Access to a rowing machine this year has been made easier as the Stroke for Stroke campaign has teamed up with Nuffield Health to offer a free five day pass to their nationwide network of Fitness & Wellbeing Centres for everyone taking part in Stroke for Stroke. The campaign is open to everyone across the UK by visiting www.strokeforstroke.co.uk or calling 020 7566 1503 and people keen to take part can sign up throughout the week.
Even those who can’t take part directly can still do their bit by visiting www.strokeforstroke.co.uk and sponsoring their colleagues, friends and family.
Olympic gold medalist, Zac Purchase, is backing the campaign, “Regular exercise is a key factor in staying healthy and reducing the risk of stroke, and rowing is an ideal, all-round, low-impact workout. It’s great to be involved in the Stroke for Stroke campaign and we hope to help raise plenty of money and awareness.”
Andreas J. Goss, chief executive, Siemens in the UK, said: “Stroke is the UK’s third biggest killer and contrary to popular belief it can affect people of any age. Siemens is delighted to be able to use our partnership with GB Rowing to help build awareness, raise much-needed funds for The Stroke Association and to encourage people to take up regular exercise as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. I’ll be doing my bit, and encouraging our employees to do the same so please visit the website and have some fun taking part in Stroke for Stroke 2010.”
Head of Corporate Fundraising at The Stroke Association, James Beeby said: “Each year an estimated 150,000 people in the UK will suffer a stroke. Stroke for Stroke is now in its third year and a campaign like this is integral to raising awareness of how regular exercise and lifestyle choices can help prevent a stroke. This year we are anticipating an even greater number of people to get involved and support The Stroke Association’s vital research into stroke prevention and treatment.”
