We have received a ’standard’ letter from The Stroke Association – asking, simply, for £20. I wonder whether everybody is asked for £20, or whether the fundraisers have a clever system whereby they think £20 is fair for people of our means – perhaps £10 for others, with those known to be well-off being asked for £100, £500, or whatever. I don’t know what percentage of donors give more than the figure for which they are asked.

Anyway, the letter and accompanying leaflet made the point very well. In a box, some stark facts were quoted – such as: ‘Every five minutes somebody in the UK has a stroke.’ ‘Stroke accounts for 11 per cent of deaths in the UK’. ‘Almost one in four men and one in five women aged 45 can expect to have a stroke if they live to 85.’

Those are straightforward facts. They should result in a good response, I would think. Although I am always sad when people give generously to help animals in different ways, and virtually ignore the needs of we humans. I agree that some medical research will help our children and grandchildren rather than ourselves. But that is fine; and think how the research efforts of the past are helping all of us, today, to live healthier lives.

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