Bristol After Stroke’s latest recruit will be a very familiar face to many people reading this… because, fully 16 years after retiring as our Manager, Sally Lockwood has returned to volunteer with us at our Avonmouth Group.

Sally led the charity from 1996 to 2010 when it was significantly smaller than today… but still doing a huge job supporting local stroke-affected people.

“We were running on a shoestring,” she recalls, “and we had just four coordinators to cover the whole of Bristol and South Gloucestershire. 

“We had a very small office at The Gatehouse Centre with just myself and our office manager. We were all multifunctional… I was providing counselling and managing the fundraising too.

“It was pretty manic at times!

“Then, like now, we relied heavily on our volunteers.

“I’m so thrilled to see how much it has developed since then, but it has retained its feel as a close-knit, supportive family.”

One of the big changes that Sally brought to the organisation was increasing the psychological and emotional support available for stroke-affected people.

“In my previous role as a social worker, and then in my new one, I’d seen how stroke was treated within the health service purely as a medical condition… there was little there to deal with the other impacts it had - especially on people’s mental wellbeing and their relationships. 

“There was also very little support available for families and carers – especially younger people.”

Sally’s response was to go back to University in her spare time and earn a Masters Degree in Counselling – specifically working with stroke survivors, then providing that service herself.

“I’m delighted that so much of the charity’s work is now focussed on counselling,” she adds.

After Sally retired in 2010, she remained hugely active in the charitable sector - first as a member of the Adoption Panel at CCS Adoption) before moving on to become Chair of the Trustees.

She finally stood down from that at the end of 2025… and looked around for a voluntary role.

“I’d heard that Bristol After Stroke was looking for volunteers, but was a bit nervous about applying,” she confides. “You always worry a bit about ‘going back’ to somewhere you’ve left. But I needn’t have worried. I got a lovely, warm welcome!”

Sally soon found herself helping to run the Avonmouth group… which has taken over from the Portway group that had been running in her time. “It was so nice to meet up again with Pam, who was in the original group!” she says.

She has also volunteered for the charity walk in September, so that will be another chance to meet up with old volunteers and group members.

“Avonmouth is such a great centre and the community spirit there is wonderful,” Sally says. “I’m there making lots of tea, calling bingo and generally getting involved.

“Bristol After Stroke was, and still is, unique and it’s meeting such an important need. I’m just delighted to be back!”