Meet Karen Glass: Volunteer Champion for the Blood Pressure Project in Market Drayton

Karen Glass is one of the passionate volunteers helping to make a real difference in the Market Drayton community through the Shropshire Community Blood Pressure Checks Project. “I volunteer because it’s a skill I can transfer, and I love the conversations that come up when you chat with people,” she explains. “It’s really rewarding — you never know what stories you’ll hear, and it’s great to help people be aware of their health.”

Karen tells us about an exciting part of the project taking place at Grove School, where students aged 18 and over are trained to be Blood Pressure Champions alongside the staff. “The students are really passionate,” Karen says. “It’s a lovely skill for young people to learn — they can add it to their CVs or university personal statements.” The school hopes to offer this training to other local schools too and will have students helping out at their summer fair.

The Blood Pressure Project runs regular drop-in sessions where anyone from the community can come for a free blood pressure check. Karen stresses how important it is for people to drop in when the service is running: “It’s a simple but crucial health check that can alert you to potential problems early. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so checking regularly can really make a difference.”

Sessions take place at:

• Market Drayton Library – 4th Wednesday of each month, 10am to 12 pm

• Raven House – 4th Tuesday of each month, 10am to 12 pm

These sessions are completely free and open to the public.

Volunteering is open to everyone — you don’t need any previous experience, just an interest in helping others. Volunteers receive full training, a blue bag with all the equipment needed, and ongoing support. Karen encourages anyone curious to get involved: “We really need more volunteers to keep the project thriving and help more people.”

Karen will be at the Market Drayton Summer Fun on Saturday, 12 July from 10am to 12 pm outside the Market Hall. Everyone is welcome to come along, have a chat, and get their blood pressure checked.

This project is a joint initiative between Shropshire NHS services, Shropshire Council, and Qube (Oswestry Community Action), who are the local delivery partner. The community has praised the service for being friendly, approachable and accessible — but also highlighted the need to raise awareness so more people know when and where sessions are happening.

If you’d like to volunteer or find out more, visit the Qube website: qube-oca.org.uk/shropshire-community-blood-pressure-checks-project/

It’s a fantastic way to give back to your community and learn a valuable, life-saving skill.