Vote for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in the Scottish Charity Awards 13 August 2021 We’re delighted to announce that our amazing volunteer Douglas Sewell is a finalist for Volunteer of the Year at the Scottish Charity Awards, as well as our Long Covid Care Now campaign, which is a finalist in the Campaign of the Year category. Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrate the best of Scotland’s voluntary sector. Voting closes 5pm on Friday 27 August 2021. Thanks for voting! Vote for Douglas Vote for Long Covid Care Now Douglas Sewell – Finalist, Volunteer of the Year Douglas does everything he can to help fellow stroke survivors in their recovery. Douglas is more than a volunteer for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) – he is a life-changer. He does everything he can to help fellow stroke survivors in their recovery. When the pandemic hit, Douglas was first in line to suggest creative ways for stroke survivors to be supported and immediately stepped up to become a CHSS Kindness Caller, reducing the loneliness felt by so many by providing weekly support calls. He supports his fellow volunteers and staff with their wellbeing and played a pivotal role in one of the charity’s most successful virtual fundraising events, which raised over £16,000. Vote because… Immediately after his stroke, Douglas had great difficulty walking, talking or eating. His story of how physical activity helped his stroke recovery has inspired so many survivors to rebuild their lives. He devotes his time to helping other survivors with their recovery, offering lifeline one-to-one support to build their confidence, get active again and improve their wellbeing. He helps people see beyond their stroke and live life to the full – a true inspiration. Vote for Douglas Long Covid Care Now – Finalist, Campaign of the Year The results of the campaign will help thousands of people with this life-changing condition. Long Covid Care Now continues to raise awareness and push for better care – ensuring that people with Long Covid are not the forgotten victims of the pandemic. Thanks to the campaign’s activities public awareness is high, the Scottish Government has committed funding to a new support service and work is underway to create a wraparound system of care involving the NHS and voluntary sector. The results of the campaign will help thousands of people with this life-changing condition – and is developing service innovation, which could pave the way for reshaping how care is delivered for people with other long-term conditions. Vote because… The Long Covid Care Now campaign is making sure that those living with the condition don’t become the forgotten victims of the pandemic. The campaign, which is ongoing, has significantly raised public awareness of Long Covid and secured major commitments from Scottish Government to improve care. The Long Covid Care Now campaign convinced the Scottish Government to fund a new support service and is bringing the NHS and voluntary sector together to start providing the wraparound care people with Long Covid desperately need. Vote for Long Covid Care Now