Jenny’s story shows how support can come full circle - from receiving help at the hardest time, to giving it back and helping others find strength, confidence and connection.

My name is Jenny, and I’m one of the volunteers who helps run the Hull Talk the Stroke support group in East Riding of Yorkshire. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined saying that. Back then, I was on the other side of the room. 

My mum Sue had a major stroke in 2015. She survived, and we were incredibly grateful, but survival was just the beginning.

Life changed overnight, not just for her, but for my dad Steve, too. He often said those early days felt lost and overwhelming.

Feeling less alone

There was medical support, but what was missing was help with everything else – the emotional impact, the uncertainty, the day-to-day reality of adjusting to a new life. 

They tried a local support group, but it didn’t feel right. So, together with others, they created something different. 

That’s how Hull Talk the Stroke began – a safe, welcoming space where people could connect, share honestly and feel less alone. 

We meet every Thursday morning. There’s always tea, coffee and cake, but it’s not really about that. It’s about the atmosphere. It’s about people supporting each other through the ups and downs of recovery – the emotional side that often goes unseen. 

You see it in the small moments. Someone who says, ‘I can’t’ one week comes back and says, ‘I can’t yet’… and then, eventually, ‘I can now.’ 

Family

My dad was at the heart of it all. When he passed away in 2025, it felt like the ground shifted. I stepped in to help for a few weeks – but here I am, almost a year later. 

Somewhere along the way, the group became something I needed too. 

In what was a really difficult year, those Thursday mornings became a light. I love seeing people walk through the door and the smiles that follow.

I love the honesty, the laughter, and the feeling that no one is facing things alone. 

Connection

That’s what volunteering does. It creates connection. It helps people rebuild confidence. It reminds stroke survivors – and their families – that recovery isn’t just physical, it’s emotional too. And it’s not just about what you give. It’s what you get back. 

As my dad used to say: all you have to do is take that first step into the room, and we’ll do the rest. 

Now I find myself saying the same thing – because I’ve seen what happens when people do. 

And I’m incredibly proud to be part of something that helps turn ‘I can’t’ into ‘I can now.’