JesmondLocal reporters David Naylor and Carla Fitoiu recently spent the day with members of The North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club.

The club holds sessions every Sunday at The Northumberland Club in Jesmond and offers the chance for visually impaired people to keep fit and have fun. Adapted sound balls, smaller courts and a higher number of permitted bounces allow players to compete safely and access some of the benefits that tennis has to offer.

Club Secretary Wendy Glasper is proud of the opportunities that the club offers: “Tennis gives you a lot of mobility skills. It also gives you social skills, including the chance to make new friends.” The club attracts members from various corners of the UK, including both Leeds and Manchester.

Jesmond Residents are encouraged to support a VI Tennis tournament at The Northumberland Club in May that will be held alongside a prestigious ITF Pro Series Men’s Tournament. The ITF competition will award up to $10,000 in prize money to players ranked between 250 and 500 in the world.

Additional Reporting by Carla Fitoiu.