Kyren Wilson says good luck to five Northampton men travelling to Wales for disability snooker tournament

Five Northampton men will travel to Wales this week for a disability snooker tournament.

The Welsh Open 2022, organised by the World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) organisation, is taking place from August 12 to 14.

The five men - Stephen Dunne, 32, Ricky Watts, 31, David Stockwell, 30, Gabriel Coyle, 22, and Aaron Dunsford, 33 - are clients of JH Community Support and Oarpel, a Northampton-based care company.

Josh Hendrickson senior community support worker for JH Community Support said: “We are absolutely ecstatic that our clients are getting the opportunity to take part in this tournament.

“The level of sportsmanship they show is amazing. It isn’t about winning or losing, it’s taking part that matters to them.”

The five competing are among many who attend the weekly snooker club for disabled individuals at Barratts Club, run by JH Community Support and Oarpel.

Josh says many had never played before coming along to the sessions, which began six months ago, and their “ability has improved”.

“They attend every week to practise, without fail, but the social side and making friends is more important to them,” said Josh.

This will be the first time some of the five going to Wales will be travelling without their families, which would not have been possible without funding from The Goed Life - an organisation which enhances the lives of people with learning disabilities.

Josh said: “We want to say a massive thank you for funding this trip, which is a once in a lifetime experience for the lads.”

Players will be travelling from all over the world to compete in the Welsh Open, and excitement is building - especially after receiving a good luck video from Kyren Wilson.

The snooker player and four-time ranking event winner also practises at Barratts, where the snooker sessions for disabled people are held.

Josh said: “Our clients were so happy to receive the video as he is their favourite player.”

JH Community Support is now accredited by the governing body for disabled snooker, WDBS, which was founded in 2015 to give more disabled people the opportunity to play cue sports around the world.