A 64-year-old St Albans man has returned to driving after having a stroke with help from a Welwyn Garden City-based driving centre.

Herts Advertiser: Terence Goode from St Albans, who learnt to drive again thanks to a Welwyn Garden City, with his wife Katsuko and baby son Bertie. Picture: Presstige PRTerence Goode from St Albans, who learnt to drive again thanks to a Welwyn Garden City, with his wife Katsuko and baby son Bertie. Picture: Presstige PR (Image: Archant)

Terence Goode, a former BT project manager, had a serious stroke in March last year and has now successfully completed an assessment to get back on the road.

Headway, a charity that helps people with life after brain injuries, referred Terence to Welwyn Garden City charity Hertfordshire Action on Disability (HAD), who run driving centres in Welwyn Garden City, Dunstable and South Oxhey.

He was assessed by staff Matt Miller and Sophie Ndikum, and received six hours of lessons from assessor Simon Edwards. He then underwent a follow-up road assessment with Simon and occupational therapist Jane Baker.

Terence said: “All the HAD team were great and really helpful. Although I am quite a confident character by nature they gave me such a boost because when you are driving you never know what’s round the corner waiting for you.”

After his stroke Terence was left with minimal movement down his right side, so used one of HAD’s specially adapted cars, a BMW 1 series, fitted with a left foot accelerator and a left-mounted mobility control called a Lodgeson’s Lollipop.

Weeks before Terence completed his assessment, his wife Katsuko gave birth to a son, Bertie.

Terence said. “I know I will probably not get another job, unless some company needs an oversized paperweight.

“But Bertie takes up a great deal of my time now, along with my grand-daughters Alice, 2 and Isla, 18 months, who both live in Welwyn Garden City.”

Terence has ordered a Toyota RAV4 to get back on the road, but is pleased he learnt how to drive again on a BMW.

He said: “I’ve been fascinated with BMWs since I was a small boy growing up in Finchley and remember the BMW badge left an impression on me from an early age.”

Terence now wants to get fit enough to drive another BMW, and is doing strengthening exercises on his right arm and leg and cycling regularly. In the near future he also wants to sign up to an intensive limb course at the National Hospital for Neurology in London.