Every Tuesday morning, St John’s Hall in Boorowa fills with the pop of table tennis balls and the chatter of old friends.

Derrick Mason, who has been running the sessions for about five years, says the group usually draws six of seven regulars, and the turnout when I was there was no exception.

Derrick is the oldest amongst them, turning 92 in August; the youngest, Gary, is in his early 70s and hadn’t picked up a bat since school.

None of it costs the group a cent. Every table, bat and ball has been donated – including a table Mike from the Top Pub no longer needed.

“We haven’t spent a thing on equipment,” Derrick says, and a couple of keener players bring their own bats.

Tuesday morning regular Dennis Rowley face lit up when I asked about his bat, saying his grandson brought it for him, because his grandson knew he played “competition” table tennis.

"It's good for your hand-eye coordination, and all the repetitive stuff, and reflexes, and it keeps your mind active," Derrick puts the appeal simply.

That instinct holds up well against the research. Studies on older adults have linked regular table tennis to improved bone density, muscle mass and balance, alongside stronger brain connectivity in areas tied to attention and memory — plus reviews suggesting it may help delay cognitive decline. As a low-impact sport, it's also easier on ageing joints than many alternatives.

But for Derrick, the sport is only half the story.

"It's not just the sporting part of it, it's a social element too," he said.

"You can sit down and have conversations, have a bit of a discussion about various things... solve the world's problems."

Morning tea is central to that — scones, sponge cake, biscuits, whatever someone feels like bringing that week — and the weekly catch-up doubles as an informal welfare check.

As Derrick notes, it's a chance to see "how everyone's going," much like the town's community lunches do for those who don't often get out.

There's also a practical toll the group takes seriously: one founding player had to give up playing early on after standing for too long, left him struggling to walk afterwards — a reminder that turning up and staying connected matters just as much as competing.

For a town like Boorowa, a church hall, some donated tables and one dedicated organiser have quietly built something that's doing genuine good — for hearts, minds, and community alike.