After a 10-week mental health and wellbeing programme, which involved table tennis classes and fitness workshops, a number of residents at Trellick Tower in North Kensington got the opportunity to show off their new skills to Great Britain Paralympic table tennis gold medalist, Will Bayley MBE.
The Think Active initiative was delivered in partnership with London Sports Trust to support residents’ mental and physical wellbeing as part of major refurbishment works being undertaken at the tower block, by Wates Living Space.
The programme culminated in a visit from Great Britain Paralympic table tennis gold medalist, Will Bayley MBE, who Wates Living Space is supporting in the lead up to the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. Will joined residents to see their new table tennis skills in action and talk to them about his experience in overcoming adversity.
Will Bayley MBE commented: “I’m passionate about my sport and love sharing my story to help others overcome challenges they may be facing. Think Active was such a rewarding and fun experience and I’m very grateful to Wates Living Space for getting me involved and for their continued support of my career.”
Throughout the programme, Wates Living Space also connected residents to local mental health services, including London Sports Trust’s charity partner, Mind.
Think Active forms part of Wates Living Space’s work at Trellick Tower on behalf of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to undertake essential external repairs and decorations. This includes concrete repairs to the fabric of the building, restoration to all windows and sliding doors and the replacement of all communal Crittall windows. Redecoration to timber panelling and coverings on all balcony areas will also be undertaken as part of the project.
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Deputy Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council and Lead Member for Grenfell & Housing, said: “Think Active is a first class initiative and it’s great to see our residents benefitting from it.”
The Think Active programme at Trellick Tower closely follows Wates’ 100% score for its tenant engagement under the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) 2018 accreditation.
David Morgan, Managing Director of Wates Living Space, commented: “Our teams work tirelessly to find new and innovative ways to support the communities in which we work, be it offering a simple support service for residents or providing training opportunities for local people.
“TPAS sets very high standards for our industry to ensure that residents have confidence in the services we provide. Our Think Active programme at Trellick Tower really raises the bar for how we support tenants and to see our team helping those who may be vulnerable or isolated in such a meaningful way makes me extremely proud.”
Sam Bodmer, Programme Manager at London Sports Trust, commented: “Over the course of the programme we saw a number of residents really start to come out of themselves. It has been a great way to create positive engagement through the power of sport and I hope the residents not only continue to play but also build on the new relationships they have made with neighbours.”
