Help support my new Wheelchair Pickleball career
Donation protected
I am a 69 year old bilateral amputee from Milford on Sea, Lymington. Losing my right leg on May 29th 2019 was life changing but the loss of my remaining left leg on Jan 13th 2022 was tough and only the support of my family, Pauline and Charlotte, and friends and having a purpose in life has kept me mentally sane.
My goals in 2023 was to continue to be Great Britain’s No 2 in my Class, get selected by Great Britain for the European Para Table Tennis Championships in Sheffield in September and to Medal in the World AbilitySport Games in Thailand in December.
Well I achieved my aim of continuing to be GB’s second highest ranked player in my Class, and I won Bronze Medal at the World AbilitySport Games and only lost to the World Ranked 2 and 14 players and was so pleased with my Bronze Medal, especially as I travelled on my own with no Coach or practise partners from Great Britain.
However unbeknown to me I was not selected by Great Britain at the European Championships on home soil despite being Europes 10th highest ranked player !! No reason was given and has still not, maybe my age has something to do with it !!!
With Para Table Tennis costs rising significantly in 2025 and still no support from British Para Table Tennis I have decided to participate in a new sport, Wheelchair Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the UK, where I am hoping to be appreciated for the effort and determination that I put in. I will continue to compete in Wheelchair Table Tennis but not Internationally.
I have given myself 12 months to Medal at the British Pickleball Championships in 2026 when I will be 70, going on 71.
Unfortunately to compete I need a specialist wheelchair ( basically a Tennis Wheelchair ) and these are very expensive approx £5500 and need to be bespoke, built to order .
I need all the help I can get with Donations and welcome any sponsors that wa t to be involved with me on this new journey ?
My target is set at £30,000 but a lot of that has already been raised for my Great Britain TT career, I just need to raise the balance of about £5000 to get that specialist Wheelchair, without this I cannot compete on a level playing field .
My personal details are: Simon Heaps DOB: 17/08/55
tel: 07710 354640
My goals in 2023 was to continue to be Great Britain’s No 2 in my Class, get selected by Great Britain for the European Para Table Tennis Championships in Sheffield in September and to Medal in the World AbilitySport Games in Thailand in December.
Well I achieved my aim of continuing to be GB’s second highest ranked player in my Class, and I won Bronze Medal at the World AbilitySport Games and only lost to the World Ranked 2 and 14 players and was so pleased with my Bronze Medal, especially as I travelled on my own with no Coach or practise partners from Great Britain.
However unbeknown to me I was not selected by Great Britain at the European Championships on home soil despite being Europes 10th highest ranked player !! No reason was given and has still not, maybe my age has something to do with it !!!
With Para Table Tennis costs rising significantly in 2025 and still no support from British Para Table Tennis I have decided to participate in a new sport, Wheelchair Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the UK, where I am hoping to be appreciated for the effort and determination that I put in. I will continue to compete in Wheelchair Table Tennis but not Internationally.
I have given myself 12 months to Medal at the British Pickleball Championships in 2026 when I will be 70, going on 71.
Unfortunately to compete I need a specialist wheelchair ( basically a Tennis Wheelchair ) and these are very expensive approx £5500 and need to be bespoke, built to order .
I need all the help I can get with Donations and welcome any sponsors that wa t to be involved with me on this new journey ?
My target is set at £30,000 but a lot of that has already been raised for my Great Britain TT career, I just need to raise the balance of about £5000 to get that specialist Wheelchair, without this I cannot compete on a level playing field .
My personal details are: Simon Heaps DOB: 17/08/55
tel: 07710 354640
Organizer
Simon Heaps
Organizer