Dartmouth Rotary Club are taking on high blood pressure as they offer free blood pressure tests at the Community Corner in the Market.

High blood pressure causes over half of all strokes and over seven million people across the UK don’t even know that they have the condition.

Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland and the Stroke Association are joining forces again to invite residents in Dartmouth to have a free blood pressure test, one of the biggest modifiable risk factors for stroke.

Representatives will be at hand to offer advice and support on Saturday, April 22, between 10am and 2pm at Community Corner in the Market.

Keith Barker, Rotary Club of Dartmouth, said: “Rotary is proud to work with the Stroke Association delivering blood pressure checking events throughout April and the rest of the year. Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK, but with events like these, we hope to change this.

“A blood pressure test is quick and painless, and it could save your life.”

A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year; that is around one stroke every five minutes. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.

Alexis Wieroniey, deputy director of policy at the Stroke Association, said: “There are over nine and a half million people in the UK with high blood pressure and seven million remain undiagnosed.

“It only takes a moment to check your blood pressure and maintaining a healthy blood pressure is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of a stroke.”

In addition to the events taking place on April 22 there will be blood pressure checks at community events throughout the year. To find your nearest blood pressure event, you can visit the website: www.stroke.org.uk/kybp.