Excellence Award for Local Stroke Rehabilitation Programme
Hospital trust teams up with Chelsea and Watford football clubs
The stroke team with people who have benefited from the scheme. Picture: LNWH
June 18, 2026
A pioneering stroke rehabilitation project delivered in community sports venues across west London has been named a regional winner in this year’s NHS Excellence Awards.
The LNWH Stroke Rehabilitation Programme — run by the stroke and neuro rehabilitation team at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), based at Ealing Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital — has been recognised for its innovative partnership model, which brings post-stroke therapy out of clinical settings and into trusted community spaces.
Working with Chelsea FC Foundation and Watford FC Foundation, the team has been offering supervised physical activity, health coaching and peer support sessions using the clubs’ facilities. The initiative, funded by LNWH Charity, aims to help stroke survivors rebuild confidence, mobility and independence in an environment that feels motivating rather than medical.
Early results have been striking with figures showing that 95% of participants felt more confident exercising independently, 85% were still exercising three months after completing the programme and weekly physical activity averaged four hours, far above typical post-stroke engagement levels. For many, the programme has been transformative.
Sophie Kempsford, Clinical Lead for Stroke, Neuro and Early Supported Discharge at LNWH, said the success reflects the power of genuine collaboration.
“This programme shows what working in partnership can achieve with a programme co-designed with stroke survivors and co-delivered with community organisations. Many of the participants have described the programme as a ‘lifeline’.”
The NHS Excellence Awards celebrate teams and projects that are improving outcomes for patients and communities in line with the NHS Long Term Plan. The LNWH programme stood out for its ability to reach people where they live, reduce barriers to physical activity and support long-term recovery.
By moving rehabilitation into community venues — including football club training centres and local sports hubs — the team has created a model that feels accessible. Participants say the environment helps them feel less like patients and more like active members of a community.
Following the award win, LNWH has confirmed plans to expand the programme across London, working with additional community partners and sports organisations.
The team is also developing an integrated cardiac, renal and metabolic rehabilitation model, using the same community-based approach to support people living with long-term conditions.
If successful, the model could become a blueprint for how NHS trusts deliver rehabilitation in the future — shifting care closer to home, strengthening community partnerships and helping more people rebuild their lives after major illness.
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust provides hospital and community services to around one million people across Harrow, Brent and Ealing, with major sites including Northwick Park, St Mark’s, Ealing and Central Middlesex hospitals.
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