A CLUB for stroke survivors is appealing for help to buy a new minibus so its members get the support they need.

The Stroke Club UK is trying to raise £40,000 for the minibus to help its members who cannot drive or do not have transport get to its meetings in Abingdon and Didcot.

Charity chairman Brendan Kehoe said that a lot of the members are in wheelchairs or do not have their own transport.

He added: “One of the things people wanted to do was meet up and talk to people who have also had strokes. The trouble is there are lots of people unfortunately in wheelchairs or who just cannot make it because they don’t have their own cars, so we thought we need a minibus so we can pick them up and take them to our meet-ups.”

The club was set up in Abingdon in 2012 and meets up on alternate Tuesdays in the Prince of Wales pub in Didcot and the College Oak in Abingdon.

The meetings give people who have suffered strokes the chance to come together and speak to others who have gone through the same experiences.

The club also organises a fishing trip in Weymouth for its members, and Mr Kehoe said the minibus would be used to take people on that.

He added: “It’s so important, the people we look after are so happy to be with us because stroke is a really awful thing to happen to you. But when there are other people in the same position you can talk to, and have a drink with and enjoy themselves with.”

Mr Kehoe said that the minibus will be named Bob’s Bus after charity member Bob Smith who died last year, and his family asked that legacy donations be made to the charity.

He added: “It’s massive to us, Bob was such a lovely person and his family are just incredible.

“We just want something to remember Bob by so that everyone realises we are not here for any other reason than to look after people who need looking after.”

Patrons of the two pubs where the charity have raised cash and developer Taylor Wimpey, which is building new homes in Didcot, donated £1,000 to the appeal.