Yes I know it doesn't sound like much but it was a big deal for me. I hadn't driven a car for more than 5 years - ever since I had a stroke in late 2004. At first, I wasn't allowed to drive but later, after I got my licence back, I just wasn't confident enough in my ability to concentrate and be aware of all that was going on around me. So Alison has been driving me everywhere for more than 5 years.

The spur that finally gave me the incentive to get over this was the relocation of my job from Wilton to Andover. There was no suitable public transport to get to Andover from where we live in Salisbury so I decided that I was going to drive. I started off with some tentative test runs around the block and gradually built up to longer journeys. I now drive 25 minutes each way to work and back 3 times a week - I work from home or get lifts on other days. Proof that stroke recovery can carry on for years and that you can still achieve new things if you put your mind to it.