Table tennis and wellbeing.
To mark World Mental Health Day and continue Black History Month, Be Active Bedford's Graham Simpson blogs about the impact of the Over 50s Black Men Forum in his area.
What happens when you create a space where older Black men can be active, build friendships and feel that they genuinely belong?
The Over 50s Black Men Forum (O5BM) is giving us a powerful answer.
What began in Essex as a community-led table tennis initiative has grown into something much bigger - it’s now a movement around physical activity, connection and healthy ageing that is expanding nationally.
And here in Luton, we are seeing first-hand why it works.
This World Mental Health Day, it is worth thinking about what good mental health can look like in everyday life.
It is not only about what happens when someone is struggling. It is also about the things that help us stay well: being active, having people around us and feeling connected.
That is where O5BM comes in. The original idea was simple: bring older Black men together around an activity they enjoy, make it accessible, create a welcoming environment and build meaningful relationships.
Table tennis was the starting point. Once described as 'hidden health clubs', O5BM centres are places where people come for the sport but discover much more. They provide opportunities to be active, compete, build confidence and connect with others.
That approach is now gaining national momentum.
What began in Essex as a community-led table tennis initiative has grown into something much bigger - it’s now a movement around physical activity, connection and healthy ageing that is expanding nationally.
For Luton, this is more than an interesting national development. We are proud to be part of the O5BM story as our experience shows what can happen when the model takes root locally.
O5BM has established regular sessions for older Black men in both north and south Luton.
They offer a place to play sport and be active without the pressure of a traditional exercise programme, while creating opportunities to meet people and build connections.
Men come to play, but the relationships help keep them coming back.
At weekly sessions, we are seeing friendship, competition, laughter and routine develop around a simple physical activity. That combination matters.
Creating impact away from the table.
We know that being physically active can support mental wellbeing, while regular social connection can help people feel part of a community.
The evidence emerging from O5BM is encouraging. In 2026 participant feedback, 92% reported being physically active and engaged, 97% said they felt connected to others and motivated to remain active, and 85% said their O5BM centre had made them a lot more physically active.
For World Mental Health Day, that 97% is particularly significant as it highlights the connection between staying active and feeling connected to others – two important elements of maintaining wellbeing.
These are more than participation figures. They demonstrate the potential for community sport to play a role in supporting healthier ageing, both physically and mentally. That is particularly important for Luton.
Our ambition as a Sport England place partnership is to improve health and wellbeing across town and reduce inequalities through getting people active.
We know this requires trusted community organisations, residents and partners working together around solutions that people actually want to engage with, and O5BM is a great example of that approach.
As the programme expands nationally, Luton has an opportunity to share what we have learned and to learn from the communities joining the movement, because O5BM shows what can happen when sport and physical activity are made accessible, enjoyable and relevant.
Table tennis provides the activity and the motivation to keep coming back.
Around it, confidence can grow, friendships can develop, and people can feel more connected.
In Luton, we are proud to be part of that story. This World Mental Health Day, that feels worth celebrating.
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