The pleasure of ping pong

Table tennis sessions in the gym help the men to release their pent-up energy 

As a retired university lecturer of 68, I had never had any dealings with HMP. In fact, the only reference to Lewes prison I’d heard was the odd celebrity like Mick Jagger having spent a night there. Travelling past the prison, I often pondered what it was like ‘inside’. The only people I’d met who had ventured behind the walls were of a religious persuasion, and as an atheist I didn’t expect to be called upon to assist with inmates’ spiritual welfare. 

However, it has transpired that I do possess a love of – and a little skill at – something else to preach to the inmates… table tennis. I have been a club-level player for years, with retirement increasing my playing. My club, Brighton Table Tennis Club, are fully into promoting their sport in myriad ways to provide a healthy, accessible activity for as many marginalised groups as possible. 

Consequently, since February, I and two other members of the club don our BTTC shirts every Tuesday morning to visit HMP Lewes. Of the three of us, one is a qualified coach; I’m just a ‘fairly useful’ player; and there’s another useful player who competes in international tournaments for people with Parkinson’s. Bet-ween us we hold a 90-minute session in the gym, with seven full-size tables. It is usually full, often with a few more than can be playing at once.

The sessions are open to any level, and since Lewes is a remand prison with a changing clientele, we adapt and try to accommodate all needs. 

The standard response is ‘I played years ago in a youth club but not since’. Some are very good, some are absolute beginners. We cater for all. Some want intensive sessions and coaching, others just want to play with their mates. Some need coaxing and encouragement. All, so far, have been very polite, and given the circumstances, surprisingly cheerful. The sheer release of pent-up energy is clearly evident, and hence it’s rarely a quiet session. Table tennis may not appear to be the most demanding of sports, but as with any physical activity, after an hour or so you can be knackered.

The club has been involved in providing sessions for prisoners since 2017 in Ford open, High Down men’s, and Downview women’s prisons. Some of these initiatives have centred on enabling inmates to qualify as coaches, and there has even been a work placement provided. The rapid turnover of lads at Lewes sometimes makes such progression difficult, although the pathway to coaching is still present. The scheme is funded by the Prison Service through its dynamic procurement system.

Rarely do players fail to enjoy the sessions; whether they are bellowing at each other in bravado after a win, or laughing at a mistake by mates. Furthermore, most improve, as not only do we give coaching but we make sure they play by the rules, and revolve who plays who.

A particularly enjoyable aspect that encapsulates the fun and utility of the sessions is playing doubles. Each coach pairs with a prisoner, a complete mix of abilities and personalities, allowing a breaking-down of barriers and no little competitiveness. Epitomised recently when a dour-faced inmate, barely uttering a word (English not his first language), was paired with my colleague who occasionally resorts to the f-word when she makes an error. This caused him to break into laughter, and he has not stopped smiling since!