Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I hope that you can spare some change to help me raise funds for Stroke Association in memory of my Nanna, Barbara.

My Nanna was a very independent woman who even though she was in her 80s, would still travel abroad every year, on her own, to visit her daughter at her home in Dubai. She’d also travel solo to see her brother and sister back home in Sailsbury and her friends across Leeds. She was a big sports fan - in particular she was a huge Rugby League fan and was a season ticket holder of Castleford Tigers, introducing me to the game when I was a teenager. She loved watching Wimbledon each year on the TV and she made sure that she kept up with the ‘goings on’ at Elland Road so that she could speak to Alex about Leeds United, which she’d spent her early married life following after marrying a lad from Middleton who spoke highly about John Charles.

On returning from a holiday in 2012 my Nan suffered a stroke and suddenly, this very independent woman found herself in the need of constant care as she lost mobility in her legs and one arm. She also lost her speech which was a massive blow to us all. Although she had to live in a care home she maintained an interest in the things she loved by watching Wimbledon and Strictly on TV with her visitors. She even had a party in her room with family when Castleford made it to the Challenge Cup Final in 2014, watching it on the TV while her room was decorated in black and orange bunting! 

I miss her very much and know that strokes can affect anybody at any age with varying levels of impact. Some people recover fully from their strokes while others, like my Nanna, find themselves in need of constant care. Anything that you can afford will help Stroke Association to help other stroke sufferers and their families while also raising awareness to this terrible illness.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.