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Highland Life / News / NHS Highland / Challenge Hamish Step by Step

Challenge Hamish Step by Step

Issued: 8 Oct 2025

Members of staff from NHS Highland will be taking part in Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland's (CHSS) campaign 'Challenge Hamish Step by Step', which has been launched to coincide with Stroke Awareness Week, which begins on the 5th October.

The campaign is to encourage everyone to get active and was inspired by the charity's initials and its mascot, Hamish McBear. The message being that if you take steps to make your heart beat faster you'll live to be glad you did!

As part of the campaign staff from NHS Highland's Stroke Unit, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland will be manning an information stall on stroke offering advice, carrying out blood pressure checks and answering any questions people may have about stroke and stroke prevention.

Stroke is a medical emergency. A recent study highlights that 51% of the general public were unable to recognise the signs of a stroke. Remember FAST...

  • Face - Can they smile? Does one side droop?
  • Arm - Can they lift both arms? Is one weak?
  • Speech - Is there speech slurred or muddle? Is there no speech?
  • Test - Check for all 3 symptoms

The FAST campaign is aimed at improving awareness, recognising the symptoms and seeking emergency treatment. Would you know what to do?

The information stall will also have a selection of books, leaflets and fliers on stroke illness, stroke prevention, falls prevention, exercise, stopping smoking and healthy eating.

Come along and Challenge Hamish Step by Step as part of CHSS Stroke Awareness week. The stall will be in Falcon Square, Inverness on Friday 10th October, 12noon - 3.30pm.

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Project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the INTERREG IIIB Northern Periphery Programme