Stroke Association Scotland has been chosen as the Glasgow Airport Chaplain’s Charity for 2020.
Chaplain Chris Connelly and his team will be supported by staff from across the Glasgow Airport campus in raising vital funds throughout this year for Scotland’s national stroke charity.
Chris Connelly, who took over as Glasgow Airport’s chaplain following the retirement of Keith Banks last year, said: “This year’s chosen charity Stroke Association Scotland has a special significance for me personally.
“I suffered two Trans Ischemic Attacks and a mini stroke 10 years ago. It was due to the diligence of the doctors and nursing staff, as well as being educated on the causes of why this happened to me, and what I could do to prevent it from happening again, that I can say without hesitation that Stroke Association Scotland is a worthy choice as the Chaplain’s Charity for 2020.
“There are over 15,000 cases of individuals suffering from strokes every year in Scotland that could be prevented by a campaign of education and health awareness. The aim of the Chaplain’s Charity 2020 is to raise as much money as possible to support the ongoing work of Stroke Association Scotland to help achieve this goal.”
Andrea Cail, Director of Stroke Association Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as Glasgow Airport’s Chaplain’s Charity for 2020 and we are really looking forward to working with staff at the airport.
“Strokes kill around 4000 people every year in Scotland. There are currently over 128,000 people in Scotland living with the effects of their stroke, with about 27,000 of these people live in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area.
“Our partnership with Glasgow Airport will allow us to support more people to rebuild their lives after a stroke and we are very thankful to have been chosen.”
Last year the airport’s chaplaincy raised a record £8,476.47 for Children 1st. Stroke Association Scotland together with Chris and his chaplaincy team are hopeful the total can top £10,000 this year.
Introduced in 2010, the Chaplain’s Charity has raised almost £77,000 in total for a number of national and local good causes. Previous beneficiaries of the Chaplain’s Charity programme include The Teddy Bear Foundation, CHAS, Robin House Children’s Hospice, Teenage Cancer Trust, The Salvation Army, Wish upon a Star, Make a Wish, the British Heart Foundation, Funding Neuro and ROAR.
This year’s fundraising got off to a flying start with a launch day donation of £1,000, which was raised through an annual staff survey with Glasgow Airport donating £1 for every person who took part.
To find out more about Stroke Association Scotland visit: www.stroke.org.uk. If you’d like to support the Glasgow Airport Chaplain’s Charity in 2019 contact chaplaincy@glasgowairport.com