As part of Dementia Action Week, Middlesex Tennis is proud to spotlight a unique weekly tennis session held at Uxbridge Lawn Tennis Club for residents living with early-onset dementia.
Running for over three years and funded by the Hillingdon Council, the session takes place every Tuesday from 1:30pm to 2:30pm and is led by Stuart Wilkinson—one of Middlesex Tennis’s four Inclusion Mentors—supported by three dedicated club volunteers. The session has consistently welcomed around 15 participants each year, offering much more than just tennis—it’s a space for movement, laughter, and connection.
Currently, seven individuals attend weekly, ranging in age from their 50s to an incredible 90+. The session begins with a fun warm-up using bouncing and balancing drills to gauge co-ordination and balance ahead of each session, followed by movement-based exercises and hitting forehands and backhands across the net. While players rotate through the drills, carers and partners enjoy a moment of respite, using the courtside benches as a place to relax, chat, and share experiences with others.
This simple yet powerful initiative offers physical activity, social engagement, and an invaluable sense of normalcy for those affected by dementia and their families.
We are incredibly grateful to Hillingdon Council for supporting this programme, which is part of a wider network of free dementia-friendly activities across the borough—from swimming and boccia to art and walking football. These initiatives are a reminder that inclusion in sport can—and should—be for everyone.
To mark Dementia Action Week, we celebrate all those making a difference through sport and community care.
