Dorset Demons: an opportunity for inclusion and inspiration

Dorset Demons are a local wheelchair basketball team who are based in Poole, and train every Thursday night at Ashdown Leisure Centre every Tuesday at the Ashdown Leisure Centre.

The sessions are available to disabled and non-disabled people. Dorset Demons aims to bring people back into sport as we all recover from the COVID pandemic.

The creator of Dorset Demons, Terry Dennis, has been an advocate for disability sports since the 80s, when he became disabled. The idea behind Dorset Demons came during COVID. Terry wanted to give people with a disability in the Dorset region a chance from physical stand point, but more importantly from a mental stand point.

Coming out of lockdown, it was ever harder to get back into not only sport but social activity. People found it difficult to integrate themselves back into society, after weeks, months, and even a year of being confined to their homes for the majority of the day.

For people with disabilities, it was almost impossible to find something where they could stay active but also socialise and make new friends. Terry wanted to make the impossible, possible.

As of early 2022, Dorset Demons was created. Terry received in the region of five figures to be able to fund training sessions, equipment, location, and travel.

A venue was set, equipment was well funded for and available, and the community started to grow.

Terry Dennis. Photo credit: Cameron Donaldson

Terry has always been a man for the people, he said: " Dorset needed a Basketball team and nobody else is around doing that, so its down to me to start it.

"I feel as if I've done my part to provide an opportunity that hasn't been available since really the 90s in the Dorset area.

"I'm so proud of the community I've built, I'm now trying to adapt it to people with no disabilities, and its showing as its about a 50/50 split of people with and without a disability."

Everyone is welcome, and from the minute you step onto the court at Ashdown Leisure Centre in Poole, you are made to feel like family.

Terry's wife, Charlie Dennis, has been by his side through it all.

It hasn't all been Terry, as Charlie has shared the same goal in providing a space for disabled people to improve their physical fitness and mental well being.

Charlie told me: "I think its brilliant we can provide this kind of service to people. We've built a real community that enjoy coming every Thursday night to our training sessions.

"Terry loves coaching, and thrives when he can give everyone tips on how to better their game. He really cares for everyone."

In December 2023, Terry and Dorset Demons won the regional Southern BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 Unsung Hero award.

Charlie tells us: "I first knew of the award on the Match of the Day adverts. It was describing an award for people who care and give back to the community.

"I thought to myself, those things all describe Terry. So I applied for it thinking what's there to lose?

"We didn't here back from them, so I thought to myself, it was worth the shot, until we got contacted by the BBC that they were going to head down to one of our Thursday evening sessions to give Terry his award.

"We were told to play it cool and tell Terry that the BBC were coming down to shoot some clips for promotion of disabled sport.

"It felt so good receiving this award as it wasn't just Terry's, it was everyone apart of Dorset Demon's.

"The award represented what we were all about, giving people with or without a disability the chance at something new, a chance to meet people and say that this is apart of their life."

Charlie Dennis. Photo credit: Cameron Donaldson.

"This has completely changed my life"
Steven De'Ath