By Mencap
Following a Royal Mencap Society/Lawn Tennis Association Open Court equipment grant, Bexley Mencap are now proud winners of the Kent LTA’s award for Best Tennis Disability Programme 2021.
Bexley Mencap have been delivering tennis sessions every week since October 2020 right throughout the pandemic; firstly on Zoom, then outdoors at a local tennis club and currently indoors at a sports centre.
This is a huge achievement, especially since most of the group’s members had never played the sport before and there were many challenges to overcome due to lockdown, so we asked a few members for their thoughts.
Josh
Josh told us it’s "something new I like doing and playing tennis with my Mencap group." and Emanuele said “I like running and chasing the ball. Backhand is my favourite shot. Nice to be with friends.”
Emanuele
Robert on the other hand feels tennis is "Fun and physical. Helps get your weight down. Feel I’ve playing better now. Doubles is more fun – it’s fast and the ball flies everywhere!"
Robert
Whereas Liam, another member of the group, said “I like tennis because you get active, fit and healthy at the same time” because “It’s fun doing it with friends. I like serves and smashes best. I play Wimbledon theme music on my phone; it gets everyone in the mood, and they laugh!”
Liam
Matt, who has featured in a Bexley Mencap tennis video to demonstrate several serving exercises (as part of RMS/Special Olympics virtual sports challenge), especially likes the camaraderie saying, "Tennis is good with friends.”
Chris
Chris whole heartedly agrees with Matt saying, ”I look forward to playing every week. I like doubles: it’s quick and fun. Backhands and volleys are my favourite shots. Everyone has got better since we started, and we’ve got new members. We know all the shots!"
Stephen
Stephen talked about the health benefits of getting regular exercise, telling us that tennis is a; “Good sports activity. Keeps you fit.” and that he finds it “Good indoors/outdoors - depends on the weather. I’ve got better since I started. I like the people I play with.”
Matthew
Tennis for many, is also about meeting other people and sharing a joint experience as Matthew explained; ‘I like to meet Nick, our leader, and my friends. I help by counting how many friends are playing.’
These sessions have obviously been a huge hit (no pun intended!) and since winning their award, Bexley Mencap have received some lovely feedback and congratulations from the National LTA (Wimbledon).
The group are now focusing their sights on the dizzy heights of the regional awards in April 2022, and we wish them all the very best.
Well done Bexley!
The award and certificate from Kent LTA for Best Tennis Disability Programme 2021
What is the Mencap Network?
In addition to Mencap, there are over 340 organisations working with us in communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to respond to the local needs of people with a learning disability and their families.
Many of these Network Partners share our name as a local Mencap group and also may share our Mencap brand. All Network Partners share values while operating as independent charities with their own governance and strategy.
A diverse network of like-minded groups and organisations - both national and local - from large-scale service providers, to small social groups who organise sport activities over the weekends.
All share the same aim - to improve the lives of people with a learning disability and to increase the opportunities available to them in their local areas.
Visit our dedicated webpage to find out how to become a Network Partner.