Table tennis helps stroke survivor Andy bounce back

When Andy Johns suffered a stroke and lost part of his sight, everyday tasks – like crossing the road safely suddenly became daunting.  

But turning to a sport he had loved as a boy - and a club in a small Monmouthshire village - Andy has rebuilt his confidence, regained vision and hand-eye coordination and discovered a sense of belonging along the way.  

With every hit growing stronger

In the months that followed his haemorrhage, Andy’s vision started to come back. But it was his Occupational Therapist that suggested Table Tennis to further improve his hand-eye coordination and widen his field of vision.  

So, he returned to a sport he knew from childhood, and even better Gilwern Table Tennis Club was on his doorstep. When Andy first started going along, driving was still out of the question but club member Kevin Phillips, an old friend, happily picked him up and dropped him home each week.  

Of course, the stroke had affected his skills, especially covering the backhand, and to this day, he has blind spots in his vision causing him to miss some shots. But, with three years of persistence and determination, he has bounced back and is once again a bit of a dab hand at the tables. 

While he may be a little slower at reading, Andy can now do almost everything he was doing before the stroke. And, of course, he puts this remarkable progress in vision down to Gilwern Table Tennis Club. 

Smash of support from National Lottery 

The club offers opportunities in rural Monmouthsire, and thanks to National Lottery funding from Sport Wales it has bought: 

• New tables. 
• Equipment. 
• Cost of hiring a larger venue to meet demand. 

A big hit with the community

The impact has been huge. The number of people coming to play table tennis has quadrupled and the club now boasts a thriving junior section as well as a loyal base of older players, some with mobility issues, who are not just finding health benefits but community and friendship too. 

From memories of playing on a table in his front room as an eight-year-old boy, Andy has come full circle. Now, at 75, he has rediscovered a sense of belonging in the sport – welcomed through the door by a friendly group of people, some with their own health challenges, cheering on each other’s successes and sharing in the simple joy of the game. 
Do you have a project that can make a difference, too? The Be Active Wales Fund could help you make that difference.

Do you have a project that can make a difference, too? The Be Active Wales Fund could help you make that difference.