Wakefield Aphasia charity secures £275K funding to support Yorkshire stroke survivors

The funding, which comes from the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, Live Well Wakefield and Harrogate’s Two Ridings Community Foundation, will enable Aphasia Support to continue to operate across Yorkshire, delivering one-to-one speech and language therapy, communication projects and Aphasia Cafes.

Aphasia affects over 350,000 people in the UK and usually occurs after a stroke, impacting a person’s ability to speak, write, read, and understand language.

A third of the UK’s 1.2 million stroke survivors acquire the condition, yet it is believed that almost 85% of the public have never heard of the condition.

Speech and language therapy can improve communication outcomes and patient wellbeing, but research conducted by Aphasia Support found that wait times between early supported discharge and community speech and language therapy can be significant, which can have an impact on a stroke survivor’s recovery.

The Live Well Wakefield funding will support the Wakefield App Club, which offers 12 weeks of speech, language and communication therapy, bridging the gap between a stroke survivor’s discharge from hospital and finding speech and language support.

The Wakefield App Club will start in October 2023 and will be held at Balne Lane Community Centre.

James Major, CEO of Aphasia Support, said: “As referrals into our service continue to rise sharply, this funding boost couldn’t have come at a better time. Not only does it enable us to launch new services in Wakefield and Harrogate, but it also safeguards our operations for the next three years, ensuring those living with aphasia across the region get the support they so desperately need.

“As a charity, we rely on the backing of our funders so we would like to say a big thank you to the National Lottery, Two Ridings Community Foundation and Live Well Wakefield for their continued support.

"Their donations will have an incredibly positive impact on the community, significantly improving the outcomes of those living with complex communication conditions.”