The Time for Life Community Mentoring Service has set up Wii Sport classes for Polish people at the Ilford Park Polish Home in Stover near Newton Abbot. A group of over twenty residents  started the sessions in November 2008 and have been having fun ever since. They enjoy weekly energetic sessions of Wii Sports including ten pin bowling, tennis, darts, golf and snooker.  The sessions help residents to try new modern technology, to improve their overall fitness and encourage them to spend time with other residents.  

Bowling from a wheelchair

With the help of Polish mentor Marta Dudek they held a ten pin bowling and darts tournament recently where the ladies completed against the men winning 137 to 58.  The winning team were presented with a trophy and a box of chocolates.

Wii sport competition winners

Time for Life Project Manager, Sue Howell-Richardson said, “The Wii Sports classes have been a super success and really great fun.  As well as being good exercise they reduce social isolation by bringing the residents together in a community setting and help improve health and activity together with improved hand eye coordination.  The group really do have such great fun together; it is wonderful to see them having such a good time.”

Clare Thomas, Manager at Ilford Park Polish Home explained how much the residents look forward to and enjoy the sessions. “The residents have so much fun playing the games but they are also very competitive and like winning the games that they take part in.  The games that seem to be the most popular seem to be tennis and ten pin bowling followed closely by darts.”

Playing darts

Resident Alex Russell, who is an avid member of the Wii Sport classes said, “I was not very keen in the beginning but once Marta introduced herself I thought that I would give it a go and now I really enjoy it, it makes a really lovely change and is much better than sitting in my room on my own.”

Wii sport classes

Anna Jablonska, had not joined the class before said, “Today was the first time that I played and I have enjoyed it so much that I will be coming back to play next week. It was so much fun.”  

Sue added, “We are thrilled that the sessions have been such a success.  We are now planning a further Wii Sports tournament complete with a strawberries & cream tea which we hope will encourage even more of the residents to take part.”