Have your blood pressure checked, urges the Stroke Association during campaign

Residents in Bedford are being invited to free blood pressure testing by the Stroke Association on Monday, May 9, during the charity's annual awareness month.

The team will set up in Bedford Guildhouse from 11am to 1pm to mark Make May Purple, when the importance of checking for high blood pressure will be the message.

High blood pressure remains the single biggest risk factor for stroke, contributing to over half (54%) of strokes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sara Betsworth, regional head of operations at the Stroke Association in the East of England said: “High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because it doesn’t have any symptoms and many people have no idea their health may be at risk. Over nine million people in the UK currently have high blood pressure but estimates suggest there could be up to almost seven million people who are undiagnosed and at risk.

“Getting your blood pressure checked is easy and quick. We hope to see many people from Bedford at our event - it’s a simple way to reducing your risk of having a stroke.”

The Stroke Association runs Know your Blood Pressure events throughout the year. To find your nearest blood pressure event, visit www.stroke.org.uk/kybp.

To find out more about this year’s Make May Purple and how you can get involved, visit www.stroke.org.uk/makemaypurple