InterAct Stroke Support

27/07/2026

20/07/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 Short Story Competition Winner…

At the end of June, InterAct proudly celebrated the 10th Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition — our biennial short story competition raising vital funds for InterAct readings across the UK.

The evening featured animated performances by InterAct actors Sophie Morris-Sheppard and Charlotte Pyke, InterAct ambassador Rula Lenska with the final judging by Dame Margaret Drabble, our Head Judge. 

Congratulations to Deborah Mantle, winner of the 2026 competition, for her story Sandra Smartens Up!

A huge well done also to shortlisted writers Sue Turbett and Katie John for their stories Sweet Peas and Teamwork.

Our biennial short story competition invites the public to submit an original story of up to 1,000 words, suitable for reading in a hospital setting. Every £15 entry helps fund interactive storytelling sessions, delivered by a professional actor to stroke survivors during their recovery, bringing moments of connection, comfort and imagination when they are needed most.

Interested in entering our next competition? Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media for the latest news and competition updates.

14/05/2026

The Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition Finalists, 2026.

Thank you for all the brilliant short story submissions. With such a high standard of writing, whittling it down to a shortlist was incredibly difficult.

We are proud to announce the first of our three shortlisted stories:
Sweet Peas, by Sue Turbett.

"Pigtails flying and scabby-knee’d, I cycled country lanes bordered by tangled hedgerows of hawthorn and brambles, draped in creamy soft honeysuckle and shot through with purple foxglove spikes."

The three shortlisted stories will be performed as part of an awards ceremony later this year. The winning writer, announced at the awards night, will also be commissioned to write a further four stories for InterAct Stroke Support and recieve £1,000 in payment.

Huge congratulations to Sue and the other finalists who will be revealed over the coming week.

09/05/2026

Meet our InterActors

"As an actor I have always believed in the power of telling stories and having personal experience of stroke in my
family, I felt particularly
connected to the work." - Kirsty

At the centre of InterAct you can find our brilliant actors putting their heart and soul into delivering live, stimulating readings on the stroke ward, in stroke clubs and via our remote service. We are proud of every talented actor we work with and would love to show you who could be reading to you or your loved one.

Actor: Kirsty Cox

03/05/2026

May is National Walking Month and we would love your walking (or running!) support to reach more stroke survivors!

Whether you’re an avid runner and already signed up for the race, or ready to try your first 10k - we’d love to hear from you.
To run the Vitality 10K for InterAct, with individual fundraising goals of only £150, please email [email protected] and we we will explain the next steps!

InterAct Stroke Support is one of the UK's key charities dedicated to those who have survived stroke. We receive no statutory funding and the demand for InterAct's service, and its benefits, currently far outweighs our financial capacity to deliver.

29/04/2026

Meet our InterActors

“Age is truly riches – I can learn so much and have such fun in just a few short minutes of connection and getting to know each of them. It’s a privilege to do this, and hopefully make their day a little brighter!” - Daniel

At the centre of InterAct you can find our brilliant actors putting their heart and soul into delivering live, stimulating readings on the stroke ward, in stroke clubs and via our remote service. We are proud of every talented actor we work with and would love to show you who could be reading to you or your loved one.

Actor: Daniel Iliadis

23/04/2026

We are delighted to share that Arsenal FC have kindly funded InterAct to support our hospital visits at Homerton and St Pancras Hospitals.
 
We are grateful to be featured on their community homepage and in the Arsenal Women’s match day programme.
 
They spoke to Helen Stern about her experience with InterAct. 
You can find the full story here (link in bio):
 
https://www.arsenal.com/community/stories/interact-stroke-support

14/04/2026

Meet our InterActors

“ I appreciate the range of expression through spoken and written word, gaining confidence in erasure poetry; ... InterAct is an invaluable way of sharing, with compassion, that love of expression. ” - Janina

At the centre of InterAct you can find our brilliant actors putting their heart and soul into delivering live, stimulating readings on the stroke ward, in stroke clubs and via our remote service. We are proud of every talented actor we work with and would love to show you who could be reading to you or your loved one.

Actor: Janina

08/04/2026

InterAct and Moseley Hall Hospital, Birmingham , were delighted to be visited by Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal MBE , who supported us with a £2,000 grant.

InterAct has been running in Birmingham for 21 years. Nirjay Mahindru (CEO), Madeleine Woodley (Fundraiser), Ziona Smith (Admin Leader for Birmingham team), and the Lord Mayor Zafar Iqbal MBE, spent time with staff and patients in the hospital’s specialist stroke rehabilitation ward. It was special to share the charities impact first-hand and how it benefits the patients who are recovering from a stroke.

05/04/2026

🐣 Happy Easter from all of us at InterAct! 🐣