Different Strokes Named Round Table President’s National Charity of the Year
- Mez Khan
Different Strokes is proud to announce that we have been selected as the Round Table President’s National Charity of the Year for 2026–2027.
Our CEO, Austin Willett, and Fundraising Manager, Jo Caesar, were delighted to attend the Round Table Great Britain & Ireland AGM on Saturday 9 May, where the partnership was officially launched as Sheraz Shahid began his presidential year.
Founded in 1927, Round Table Great Britain & Ireland is a national organisation for men aged 18–45, bringing together more than 275 local Tables across the UK and Ireland. Through friendship, personal development and community service, members support their local communities while building lifelong connections and creating positive change.
Every year, Round Table members collectively raise more than £4 million for charitable causes and contribute over 160,000 volunteer hours – living their motto to “Do More. Be More.”
Speaking about why he chose Different Strokes as his President’s Charity, Sheraz Shahid said:
“As someone whose father had a stroke last year, I know how suddenly a family’s life can be overturned. That personal experience set me searching for a charity to support during my year as President.
Witnessing fellow Round Table member Mike Jewell suffer a stroke at just 43, and seeing how hard he fought to rebuild his life alongside the impact it had on his family, brought it home in a way statistics never could.
Since then, I have discovered friends who have also had strokes, including one very recently, which only underlines how close to home this issue is for so many people.
We want Different Strokes to be visible to younger stroke survivors so they know they are not alone, and so we can champion their stories as they rebuild their lives.”
The partnership aims to raise vital funds and increase awareness that stroke can happen at any age, particularly among younger adults and families who are often overlooked.
Round Table groups across the UK and Ireland will be supporting Different Strokes through fundraising events and community initiatives throughout the year ahead.
One of the key fundraising highlights of the year will be the President’s Challenge at the Ultra Challenge Peak District on 4th–5th July, where Round Tablers will take on 25km, 50km or 100km routes to raise vital funds for Different Strokes. Alongside this, excitement is building for the Raz Royale National Ball in October, a spectacular evening inspired by the glamour and magic of Bollywood, bringing together members from across the UK and Ireland. Both events will play a major role in raising awareness and vital funds for younger stroke survivors through this landmark partnership.
Jo Caesar, Fundraising Manager, Different Strokes said:
“We are incredibly proud to have been chosen as Round Table’s President’s National Charity of the Year and are excited about what this partnership can achieve together.
Sheraz’s story reflects the experience of so many people whose lives have been touched by stroke. There is still a huge lack of awareness that stroke can happen to younger people, and every week we support survivors and families trying to navigate life after stroke.
The work Round Table members do in communities across the UK and Ireland is truly inspiring, and their commitment to ‘Do More. Be More.’ mirrors the determination we see in younger stroke survivors every day.
Different Strokes receives no government funding, so partnerships like this are absolutely vital. The funds and awareness raised throughout the year will help us continue providing life-changing support and services to younger stroke survivors and their families across the UK.
We are hugely excited for the year ahead and the difference we can make together.”
