How walking hockey is transforming players' lives

The walking hockey team has enjoyed fixtures against other clubs and now has 44 regular members

A walking hockey team in Wolverhampton started to combat isolation after Covid has transformed participants' lives, its founder has said.

Tim Lorimer, secretary of Wolverhampton and Tettenhall Hockey Club, targeted the play and chat sessions towards people struggling to get out after the pandemic.

"As we got more people they opened up to me and others to say, 'this has really changed my life,'" Mr Lorrimer said.

"I feel very humbled really because that wasn't the purpose of doing it."

A former Scotland international, Mr Lorimer started the lower impact, slower-paced sessions to "give something back to the community".

He noticed a number of walking clubs setting up elsewhere and decided to go one step further and combine practice sessions with social interaction.

Tim Lorimer wanted to give something back to the community after playing club, county and international hockey

"What I noticed was that a lot of people were, because of lockdown, still struggling to get out, not venturing very far," Mr Lorrimer said.

Wolverhampton Council marketed his plan to social prescribers, who encouraged patients signed off sick or who have depression to come along.

"As a result we've got at least one person who's now back in employment... and a couple of others who were in remission from cancer," Mr Lorimer said.

He described a number of club players continuing to play hockey into their 70s and 80s.

"It's just a social sport really. You make a lot of friends on the road," he said.

Walking sessions comprise of an hour on the pitch and then a coffee and chat afterwards at WV Active Aldersley, with "both parts equally important".

There are now 44 regular members, who just need a pair of trainers and £3 for the session to take part.

"Some have played hockey before and want to get back into it, some have never played hockey, but they all wanted to get involved," he said.

"The only criteria is to be available between 11 and half past 12 on a Wednesday."