Stroke survivor donates artwork after learning how to paint again 27 May 2022 A keen painter, Billy Moore, 80, had to give up his hobby after suffering two strokes. But after learning to paint again with his left hand, Billy is now donating some of his work to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Bothwell boutique to raise vital funds for the charity. As a boy, Billy Moore indulged his love of art by taking pieces of coal from the fire and drawing on the brown paper his mother had saved from parcels. A busy life running a business and raising a family meant Billy had little time for his hobby until he returned to painting in his late 40s. But when Billy suffered two strokes at the age of 62, he was unable to use his right hand and had to stop painting altogether. Then, bored one day, he decided to learn to paint with his left hand. Now 80 years old and having created dozens of small landscape paintings, Billy is donating some of his work to his local Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland shop in Bothwell to raise crucial funds to help those recovering from conditions like his. Learning to paint again Billy lives in Bothwell with his wife Susan. A father of two daughters and a son and grandad to five, he ran a cleaning business until he suffered the strokes a couple of days apart. Susan says: “Billy had been planning to retire, then the strokes happened. He was left with weakness on his right side and little vision in his right eye. He had to learn to walk again, and he can’t use his right hand. “That’s why he didn’t think he’d ever get back to painting. But I think he was just bored one day and decided to have a go with his left. He still doesn’t think he’s good, but even though he’s no Picasso, we love his pictures.” He had to learn to walk again, and he can’t use his right hand. “He just loves painting. His routine is to have breakfast, then he says ‘I’ll go upstairs for a wee doodle’ and he paints in the morning and in the afternoon. When we go on holiday, he takes a sketch pad. “He went to a community art class in Hamilton with our daughter, who is also quite arty. But he does his own thing. She’s listening to the teacher, but Billy doesn’t bother with instructions – he knows what he likes. He does watercolour landscapes and that suits him.” Giving back Susan says a family friend had suggested Billy could donate some of his paintings to the Bothwell boutique of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland after a similar donation had sold well last year. She says: “I think the walls in here might fall down with all the pictures on them, we have so many! “Billy can’t believe anyone would want to buy his work, but it’s so lovely that the shop wants to showcase what he’s created. “We will be delighted with whatever is raised because it’s such a good cause.” Gillian Hetherton is the manager of the Bothwell boutique. She adds: “It was such a delight to showcase Billy’s paintings. I’m thrilled that Billy and his wife, Susan, chose Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in Bothwell to share Billy’s story – what an inspiration he is to so many!” Visit our Bothwell shop at 73-75 Main Street, G71 8ER to see Billy’s paintings, or find your local store here: chss.org.uk/yourstore