In partnership with Healthy Living, Healthy Lives, Table Tennis England is delighted to be supporting a new table tennis session at the Welcome Project in Ilford.

The Welcome Project provides many services to men and women who are homeless from its purpose built Day Centre. The project provides information, advice and guidance on a range of issues associated with homelessness; practical support; support with entering the job market; a nurse led clinic; counselling; alternative therapies and a chiropody clinic.

The Project also offers leisure activities such as yoga and boxercise, and wanted to introduce table tennis to users as a social and interactive sport that could engage them in activity. An outdoor rollaway table was obtained in addition to the services of Phil Walker, an experienced local coach, to run weekly Thursday sessions with the group from 10:30am until 1pm.

The first session had 8 homeless users involved, and already there is talk of a future tournament taking place! Please see some action from the first session below –