Every year 100,000 people have a stroke and a 1/4 of these people are under the age of 65. That's 25,000 younger people whose lives are changed in an instant.

Stroke is also the single biggest cause of disability in the UK, but it's not always the visible disabilities that stroke survivors have to contend with, debilitating fatigue, cognitive problems and personality changes can also be a lifelong challenge.

Alicia suffered an ischaemic stroke at just 22 in the summer of 2022 while on holiday in Portugal. Countless scans and appointments and even surgery on her heart have followed this experience. Whilst Alicia has always kept her wicked sense of humour and a personality everyone wants to be around, her recovery has been full of peaks and troughs accompanied by largely unseen challenges.

Different Strokes empowers younger survivors to reclaim their lives and it has been incredible watching the impact Alicia's story has had on those who have gone through similar experiences.

Thus, the least buoyant man in the South West of London is going for a Ironman 70.3 in May this year to raise funds for this unique charity. I welcome ridicule and roasting as I lumber round this course, if in return you can give a few pennies x