“Being linked to the O5BM group through Sport England has been really beneficial for us to link with such a proactive community of advocates.

We are always looking for ways to support ethnically diverse communities and recognise the importance for trusted individuals to lead on this work.

That is where the O5BM group has been a fantastic connection with our team at Herts Sport and Physical Activity Partnership.”

“Glad to have participated back again yesterday, really appreciate how the group is growing and meeting some great men in the local community. I have lived in Luton for 15 years but not really made any meaningful connections locally, so I find this group a real treasure to behold especially with the focus of health and wellbeing.”

“This creation of a safe space cannot be created in an NHS practice environment.”

I joined the O50BM table tennis sessions with the primary purpose to keep physically fit and stay healthy unfortunately late 2023 I suffered a stroke my medical consultant is of the opinion I was fortunate to survive the stroke as he believed I was relatively fit and healthy. Being a stroke survivor has resulted in certain physical limitations in my body as a result thus changing my goals for being part of the O50BM activities.

As I go through my recovery process asides from the camaraderie, support and encouragement through conversations which ultimately helps to keep my mental health in a good place I’m still able to play TT with the gentlemen my physiotherapist is of the opinion it will be beneficial with helping improve my hand eye coordination, I personally believe it will help build my confidence levels as I’m starting to socialise whilst adapting to my new world with the improvements in my general movement, overall balance and seeing increasing levels in fitness as I spend more time moving around the table to hit the ping pong ball thus helping me combat the dreaded debilitating post stroke fatigue.

Additionally attending gives me the opportunity to get out of the house and socialise with the gentlemen of similar backgrounds with whom I can share my post stroke experiences with.

Furthermore being away from home for a few hours also presents an opportunity for my primary carer (my dear wife) at home to take a break and recharge for her own self-care. She really appreciates that I have somewhere safe I can hang out without her being worried about my welfare.

The icing on the cake is the health talks sessions that’s organised every so often which enables us to discuss our concerns with health professionals

“I was hesitant to join at first because I hadn’t played table tennis in years. But the welcoming atmosphere and encouragement from everyone made it easy to get back into it. Now, I can’t imagine my Tuesday evening without our sessions. It’s helped me stay fit and connected with the community.”

It has made it relatively easy for me to get some physical activity each week (when I am able to make it). Conversing with other black men has helped with maintaining my mental well-being. Connecting with other black men over 50 has made it easier for me to start addressing loneliness and isolation.

The group was also very easy to settle into upon my first visit. As I feel community understands me & vice versa the above points feel easy to achieve.

“Very positively both physically and mentally. It has become a valuable part of my weekly fitness. I am to continue to utilise the very beneficial Table Tennis resource and engaging time together with peers in improving physically and mentally wellbeing. I hope it continues to allow men to exercise and get-together to talk and encourage positive wellbeing

“The benefits of participating in the TT weekly cannot be over exaggerated. To me personally, it is more of a fellowship, in which,

– My state of mental wellbeing has greatly improved.
– ⁠It has helped my physical wellbeing immensely
⁠– The concept is here to stay and with time, bigger space would be required”

“The physical activity of Table Tennis (TT) has had a positive impact on me. It has been a great way to stay active while also enjoying the competitive aspect of the game. It’s also been a good way to relieve stress and stay mentally sharp.

It would be great if we could organise more group activities or challenges that encourage consistent participation and offer a mix of physical activities beyond TT, to ensure a well-rounded fitness routine.

“Personally, the weekly Table Tennis sessions with like-minded O5BM folks has been a positive mental health boost for me. Not only does it give me the opportunity to engage in more routine physical exercises which otherwise would have been monotonous and therefore challenging for me to keep up with, I have also embraced the social impact of togetherness in making what I hope will be life-long friendships that brighten the future. Also, I have been able to use the platform to better my skills in the game of table tennis, a sport that I have always loved, but lacked the courage and time to commit to.

I think the organisers of the O5BM collective groups have through their selfless commitments to the vision, and with their forward-thinking continuous improvement initiative, made it easy for members to keep up with the weekly attendance.

A bit of assorted African snacks and salads seem welcome and popular amongst members and continues to be a crowd puller whilst the health and fitness purpose and mindset is not lost. Perhaps this aspect can be moderately scoped further to encourage a wider societal reach and further promote a culture where members open up about their mental health situations by speaking up during the organised health seminars. A problem shared is a problem solved as the saying goes.

In conclusion, the O5BM forum has been a great source of encouragement and social upliftment to many in my view. However, in Chelmsford where I reside, I think we have outgrown the space or location currently used. Secondly, given the recent turnouts, it is apparent that a couple more tables will help ensure that each member play enough rounds and therefore exercise adequately. As a suggestion, having taken all security and needful protocols into cognisance, it will be great to see all members do a quarterly 5-10 mile walk in their respective town/city centres – I feel this will create for some socialising and fun while exercising at the same time. This also creates a good representation, boosts awareness and promote better co-existence of black men in the community.”