Brave Brummies wanted to walk on fire for younger stroke survivors

Birmingham and West Midlands residents are being challenged to take one brave step across a bed of glowing embers, to help stroke survivors of working age reclaim their lives.

The Different Strokes Charity Firewalk takes place on Sunday 15th November at Old Saltleians Rugby Club, Coleshill Road, Water Orton, B46 1QE. Different Strokes is the club’s Charity of the Year, and the evening will bring both communities together.

No fitness or experience is needed. Walkers receive around an hour of training from an experienced instructor before stepping onto the coals. Anyone who can take ten steps at a fair pace can take part, and stroke survivors have walked at previous events.

Jo Caesar, Fundraising Manager at Different Strokes, said: “For many stroke survivors, it’s a long road to recovery, and it takes real strength. Walking across hot coals is a way to honour that strength, whether you’ve been personally affected by stroke or you simply want to support those who have.

It is a great time for bonding, so come along as a family or as a company. It’s a brilliant team-building experience, and you’ll leave with memories that last.”

Why it matters

Stroke is often seen as an older person’s condition, but it is not. Around 1 in 4 strokes happen to people of working age, and younger stroke is on the rise. Many survivors are in the middle of careers, raising children or paying a mortgage when a stroke strikes, often with no warning.

Different Strokes is a UK charity supporting working-age stroke survivors and their families. It offers peer support, practical information on work, relationships and finances, exercise and rehabilitation resources, and support for families and carers.

The charity runs volunteer-led local groups in Birmingham, Solihull and Tipton, where survivors can meet others who understand what recovery really involves. Different Strokes receives no government funding, so events like the Firewalk are what keep this support going.