A MOBILITY scooter user from Chard is to ride to Lyme Regis to raise awareness and funds for charity.

Chris Blatcher, 46, from Millfield, will be riding from his home to the seaside town for the Stroke Association on Sunday, June 12.

Since suffering his stroke three years ago, Chris has been able to access a team of a medical doctor, an emotional support worker and a stroke co-ordinator and is now keen to give back to the charity which helped him out.

Chris is hoping to help other stroke victims gain access to all the help and support he had.

Chris said: “I am doing this 50% to raise awareness of the Stroke Association and their work and 50% to raise funds.”

Strokes are brain attacks, which happen due to a clot or bleed in the brain, which cut off the blood supply causing brain cells to die.

Each year an estimated 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke, a third of whom die in the first ten days, a third make a recovery within a month and a third are likely to be left disabled and require rehabilitation.

Chris added: “I have been training by going up to South Chard through Perry Street – they say the scooter battery will do 38 miles so I should have enough to get to Lyme Regis.

“My son, Stuart will be following me with a trailer and picking me up for the route back.”

TO find out more about the Stroke Association or to sponsor Chris on his scooter ride follow the links below.