Local Headway Charity Not Going Cold Turkey on Christmas Dinners

Hazel Davis of Worcester, cook at Headway Worcestershire charity for people with brain injury, received a benevolent contribution towards her Christmas Dinners activity in the form of ten turkeys and desserts donated by local family business and food supply chain specialist Oakland International based in Redditch. This year kind donors will be supporting the event which is in its second year, after Hazel last year delivered almost 80, free, 3-course Christmas Dinners to people affected by brain injury at the Worcester Brain Rehab Hub located in Gregory’s Mill Street, Worcester. Oakland International CEO, Dean Attwell, said: “Oakland employees are delighted to support Hazel and the Headway Worcestershire charity by donating ten turkeys to ensure every service user has an opportunity to share in and enjoy Christmas dinner. “The vital services they provide to so many people within our community are amazing, so it’s a privilege to support their Christmas meal celebrations.” Other local businesses have come to the charity’s help, with nPower donating £200’s worth of vouchers and Willersey Provisions donating the Christmas bacon and sausages! Hazel said: “I am incredibly grateful for everybody who has helped me so far. I see the people affected by brain injury every day, and for a lot of them, the meals at Headway are the only home-made, nutritious meals they have all week. “Brain injury is incredibly debilitating, and during the Christmas time is when people feel it the most. I am lucky that I am healthy, that my kids and my loved ones are well, and I want to do as much as I can to help those who are not.” Headway is still looking for generous donations towards their shopping list of fresh produce for the Christmas Dinners. If you can support this activity, please get in touch with Julia at Headway on fundraising@hwtl.org.uk or call: 01905 729 729. Headway Worcestershire is holding a Mince Pie Morning on the 9th of December, at the Worcester Brain Rehab Hub in Gregory’s Mill Street, WR3 8BA, from 10am – 11.30am. Everyone welcome! Headway Worcestershire – provides support, services and information to brain injury survivors, their families and carers, as well as to professionals in the health and legal fields. We are one of the 100+ groups and branches, affiliated to Headway UK – The brain injury association. Headway Worcestershire has been running for over 25 years, and provides support services to over 300 people affected by brain injury. Key facts • Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an umbrella term for any injury to the brain sustained since birth, excluding neurodegenerative conditions. • The most common forms of ABI are traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Other causes include brain tumour, meningitis, aneurysm, haemorrhage, encephalitis, anoxia, and other conditions. • The brain controls everything we do and brain injury can affect every aspect of who we are. The physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects of ABI can have devastating consequences for individuals and their families. • Approximately 1,000 people acquire brain injuries every year in Worcestershire • There were 348,934 UK admissions to hospital with acquired brain injury in 2013-14. That is 566 admissions per 100,000 of the population. • ABI admissions in the UK increased by 10% between 2005-6 and 2013-14. • There were approximately 956 ABI admissions per day to UK hospitals in 2013-14 – or one every 90 seconds. • In 2013-14, there were 162,544 admissions for head injury. That equates to 445 every day, or one every three minutes. • Men are 1.6 times more likely than women to be admitted for head injury. However, female head injury admissions have risen 24% since 2005-6. • In 2013-14, there were 130,551 UK admissions for stroke. That is an increase of 9% since 2005-6 and equates to one every four minutes.