A NEW community rehabilitation scheme supporting stroke survivors is being launched at a Bromsgrove gym.

Bromsgrove stroke survivor Pete Rumbold has joining forces with Altered Images, in Worcester Road, to launch the new pilot helping survivors on their road to recovery.

Pete, who had his stroke in 2011, recently completed his Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury (ARNI) instructor training, which enables him to help stroke survivors with partial paralysis make as full recovery as possible.

The ARNI Institute - where Pete received his training - is a charity originally founded in 2001 for UK stroke survivors in the rehabilitation stages of stroke.

The institute trains specialist instructors who teach stroke survivors ARNI functional retraining strategies, that helps them take charge of their own recovery.

The Stroke Association has its national headquarters, the Life After Stroke Centre, in the town and has partnered with the gym and Pete to help launch the Community Exercise Pilot, based on the ARNI approach.

The pilot is to run for 12 weeks, in hour long sessions.

The gym has launched its own ARNI Rehabilitation Centre, and exercise sessions for the pilot will take place at the gym through the centre.

All the pre and post assessment activities for the pilot are being held at the Stroke Association's Church Road-based centre.

Paul Costello, Altered Images owner, said: “We’re really excited to be part of the launch of this new pilot in Bromsgrove, and we’re especially proud to have it here at our gym.

"We’ve always been keen to help local stroke survivors in the area, and think the Stroke Association do an amazing job for survivors and their families in the community.

"The benefits of exercise on the physical and mental well-being of stroke survivors are well documented, and exercise can be a significant contributory factor to enabling independent living, so we’re looking forward to the success of this pilot.”

Pete added: “After my stroke I soon realised that the stroke care pathway was sadly lacking with NHS cutbacks and the obligatory six weeks after care was not enough.

"I decided I would like to give stroke survivors an option to carry on their rehabilitation.

"The Stroke Association’s Life After Stroke Centre has been great in weekly exercise classes, but I wanted to teach others to help in their recovery.

"I know how important exercise is for a stroke survivor, and I also know how often the thought of going to a gym or other training sessions can be daunting.”

For more details on the pilot scheme, or on the gym's ARNI Rehabilitation Centre, call Jo Hughes at the Life After Stroke Centre on 01527 903718 or Pete at the gym on 01527 874395.