October marks World Blindness Month, and the Ability Tennis Club have been running visually impaired tennis lessons throughout the month.
The club runs the lessons as part of their successful Ability Tennis sessions, which also includes wheelchair tennis and autism tennis.
David Anker, 58, said: “I have been for about 12 months. I got interested last summer from one of my friends who asked me to play and I thought why not.
“Theres about half a dozen of us who come regularly during the week all of a similar standard so you’re competing against people of a similar sight category. It’s great to just get out here and socialise and have some fun.”
These lessons run mostly out of Hallamshire Tennis and Squash club and Brentwood Tennis club as well as out of community centres and other tennis clubs.
Ben Howarth, 41, founder and coach of Ability Tennis club, said: “I want people to enjoy the sport that I love and there’s so many things about just being involved in sport whether its being active or being included in a group or the social aspect, its really important”
The sessions run all year and Mr Howarth started the project because, he said: “Teaching the sport is secondary to people coming together and feeling part of something and the social benefits are huge especially people who were lonely and isolated in COVID times.
“Once you break down those barriers then they are really open to be here.”
Blind tennis, sometimes called Soundball tennis, works by using a junior tennis racket, lower nets and adapted tennis balls that make sounds when they move.
Visually impaired tennis player, Fatima Mumtaz, 44 started attending the sessions recently and immediately recognised the benefits.
Mrs Mumtaz said: “I was never able to do any kind of sport and I definitely was not expecting to enjoy it at all, the first session was scary and I thought I would leave but I ended up staying till the end I really enjoyed it, that hour of exercise is so important.”