The benefits of walking tennis
We were recently approached by Tennis Scotland to identify member groups who might be interested in exploring the benefits of Walking Tennis. In return, they would provide a small grant to help cover participation costs for the groups involved.
Our member group, Southside Faith Care, operates across a number of venues in Edinburgh providing activity-based meetings or specific support like accessing IT help. We approached Dan Taylor, Activity Coordinator at SSFC, to consider introducing the concept of Walking Tennis to the group and to gauge if there might be support for it.
Helpfully, Priestfield Tennis Club is based just around the corner from the church and SSFC were delighted to explore this and develop a relationship with the tennis club. The new initiative was launched on Saturday 19th July, with regular walking tennis sessions taking place on Thursday afternoons under the watchful eyes of a local tennis coach.
There are now between 8 and 12 older people attending regularly. Some participants played tennis when they were younger, while others are using the activity as a form of gentle exercise (and more than a little competitiveness!) Players have a gentle knockabout, and the ball is allowed to bounce twice within the court – however if the ball goes off court before a second bounce the point goes against the attacker - so smash shots will not get you points!
SSFC are delighted with their new activity, and to be working in partnership with another local organisation.
Development Lead, Su, kindly shared a success story of one of the group’s members. She said:
“Jane, who is now in her 80s, started playing tennis much earlier in life. At the first session she came along to, she sat and watched people play. Jane just loved being in that tennis atmosphere, which is so lovely at Priestfield Tennis Club - very welcoming and inclusive.
“We had a great chat about tennis and about so many other things and had a really good laugh too. She has great stories to tell. Jane is so amazing - she has survived three major health events in her latter years and had really missed being able to play again. Well, here's the thing, she's playing again now! She is so inspiring and so very modest with it. Walking tennis is the way to play! There are so many benefits to enjoy, including improving your health and enhancing your sense of wellbeing. It's very sociable, and you don't have to have played it before either.”
For more information, please visit www.southsidefaithcare.org.
If you are interested in exploring Walking Tennis with your own group, please get in touch with us at members@agescotland.org.uk.
