Rob Dawson, PETT Treasurer, and one of our founder members has kindly shared a televised interview. This was done for Radio Stoke and Midlands Today news programme and was aired in 2024 just after they started their Branch:
‘The people you meet are just amazing.’
Some more information…
During October 2023 the City Council at Stoke on Trent were approached by a local voluntary exercise group for people with Parkinson’s asking if they knew anywhere where they could start up a new group for people with Parkinson’s to come and learn to play the Game. Fortunately MESC Chair worked for the Stoke on Trent City Council for a number of years and was heavily involved with the local table tennis scene. He was contacted and immediately remembered that one of his players, Rob Dawson, had returned to the Club after a 38 year break and has been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. A meeting was quickly set up between MESC TTC and the Living With Parkinson’s (LWP) Group to set up sessions on every 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays of every month between 10 and 12pm. The response was encouraging with at times up to 12 people playing the Game.
In order to publicise the sessions Rob contacted their local BBS Radio station, Radio Stoke who were more than happy to come down to one of our sessions to find out what we were up to. A few days later a team from BBC West Midlands turned up and carried out some filming of both the Players and the coaching staff, the results can be seen here It raised the profile of the Group and we received a lot of enquires for people to join the Group.
Author: Rob Dawson