On a beautiful autumn day, older service users from Age UK Sutton have come to Sutton Tennis & Squash Club. They regularly come here on a Monday, to play a walking version of the much-loved sport, followed by a chance to socialise with a cuppa and a sandwich in the clubhouse. Today’s session, however, is a little different.
Age UK’s partnership with the LTA Tennis Foundation serves to encourage older people to get more active through the Age UK Walking Tennis programme in communities across the country. Funding from the LTA Tennis Foundation is enabling eight local Age UKs to deliver these walking tennis groups, with the goal of reaching more than 160 older people over two years. Many of these people are here today, alongside none other than tennis star Katie Boulter.
Katie is, of course, the British women’s No. 1 tennis player. The 28-year-old is preparing to head off to Malaga, to take part in the Billie Jean King Cup, but has dropped in on today’s session – where, after a two-minute silence for Remembrance Day, the group heads out to the courts. There they do some warm-up stretches and practice ball control with their racquets, before breaking into groups to play some matches.
“Getting involved is something I’m very passionate about,” says Katie as she joins in the action. “It was nice to be able to reach out to Age UK and be able to give back to older people who do so much for us.”
Several people here today have told me the impact coming here has had on their lives.
Katie’s inspiration
Katie captured the nation’s heart following a second-round win at Wimbledon in 2022, when she paid emotional tribute to her grandmother, Jill, who had died two days earlier. Jill had been county captain for 20 years at Leicestershire Lawn Tennis Club, where Katie first picked up a racquet, aged five. “I’m going to get emotional,” Katie told the Wimbledon crowd at the time. “I’d like to dedicate [my win] to her.”
During the pandemic, when Katie was unable to see her grandparents, she volunteered for Age UK so she could support older people in her community. Katie is similarly full of praise for her grandparents today, including her grandfather, Bill, who remains incredibly dedicated to his granddaughter's career.
“They’re one of the major reasons I play,” explains Katie. “Going to the club and seeing my grandparents play together got me into tennis. It was such a nice place to start. My grandpa used to pick me up from school pretty much every single day to take me to tennis and watch me play. They’ve been my biggest inspirations in life. I’ve got a lot to thank them for.”
Katie is therefore thankful for the opportunity to attend today and see the positive effect the sport she loves is having on the lives of older people. “Several people here today have told me the impact coming here has had on their lives,” says Katie. “Even people who have only been playing for a few weeks have told me how much they’re already loving playing tennis – and have inspired their families to play as well. It’s such a good thing to do – to keep active, for the mind, and the social side too, as interactions can be really important when you’re older.”
Unless you’re a particularly outgoing person, your world becomes very narrow, so anything like this is terrific.
Being active and socialising - a winning doubles pairing
Carol, 69, was diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s 18 months ago. When one of the organisers from Age UK Sutton came to do a talk where Carol lives, she didn’t hesitate to get involved, despite not playing tennis since her school days. “My hand-eye coordination isn’t great, but it never has been,” admits Carol. “I have thoroughly enjoyed it mentally and physically. Afterwards, I actually feel I’ve done something, which is great for an older person.”
According to Carol, as the sessions have progressed, the groups involved have gelled together more, leading to lasting friendships on and off the court. “Socialising is a big part of it,” explains Carol. “When you begin to get older, whether you’re living with dementia or not, which nowadays is sadly too common, you do tend to become introverted and your world shrinks – your family contact can shrink, and you lose friends. Unless you’re a particularly outgoing person, your world becomes very narrow, so anything like this is terrific. That integration is so important, for the carers as well as the people who are caring for them.”
Attending has not only had physical and mental benefits for Carol – it’s inspired her to be more proactive in her local community, as she plans to do some volunteering. She’s also been discussing the possibility of there being a dementia cafe in the local area. “There are millions of older people who are isolated, so that’s how things like this help,” says Carol. “It’s reaching out to people and getting them out of the house, involving them, and making them feel they’re still worth something.”
It gives us the chance to offer physical activity where you don’t have to rush off afterwards – you can sit and enjoy being around others.
Focus on what you can do
For Jemma Thornton, Head of Wellbeing Services at Age UK Sutton, this joined-up approach, which encourages others to get involved, is one of several goals. “It gives us the opportunity to work even more effectively in the community,” explains Jemma. “We’re here at a local tennis club, working in partnership with them, and it gives us the chance to offer physical activity where you don’t have to rush off afterwards – you can sit and enjoy being around others, having lunch in the clubhouse. And it’s a chance for us to see the impact it’s having on our members. We have people attending who are living with long-term health conditions such as COPD, who come here and do what they can. It’s about focusing on what you can do.”
Jemma is encouraged by the fact that several of the attendees began their involvement with Age UK through their Virtual Friday sessions, weekly online group chats that started during the pandemic, and have progressed to a new stage. “That step from being with us virtually to coming along in person is lovely.”
“It’s a great step,” says Katie, as she joins today’s participants for a sit down after the session. “Everyone is so warm and friendly that it’s a nice place to take that first step. It’s so nice to see such great sessions being run and so many people getting so much from them!”
Age UK Walking Tennis programme
Walking tennis open to everyone, whether or not you've played before and regardless of age. It's great for the mind as well as the body and it’s a great opportunity to make new friends and enjoy being part of a team.
