NRMA / STORIES OF HELP / LOUISE PLEMING & BRIAN TURTON

United by a love of tennis and a friendship sparked at a soup kitchen three years ago, Louise Pleming and Brian Turton take to the court every week to help anyone struggling with homelessness, isolation or mental health issues thrive via physical exercise.

As part of Rally4Ever, the foundation founded by expert tennis commentator and former international player Louise in 2020, the pair are part coaching team offering free on-court coaching to disadvantaged people missing the benefits of social contact and access to sports activity.

It’s a venture that only exists due to a chance meeting at Canice’s Kitchen in King Cross where Louise was volunteering and Brian, who was homeless at the time, had come for a meal.

“She just appeared one day at the church I’d been haunting for 40 years,” he says. “I thought, ‘Hello, is this a set-up or what?’.”

Brian, a promising tennis player in his youth, had struggled with mental health issues for many years. But his passion and knowledge of tennis inspired him to start talking with Louise. He suggest playing tennis the next morning and she agreed.

From that day on Louise and Brian’s friendship changed each other’s lives. They played tennis regularly and Louise saw firsthand the impact homelessness, isolation and mental illness has on a human being. Louise’s friendship and support allowed Brian to trust someone again and reaffirm his value as a human.

After seeing the positive effect human connection and exercise had on Brian, Louise was inspired to create Rally4Ever, which now operates a free coaching service in locations across NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

“Brian has been the one that's led me on this journey,” she says. “To see the way his life just changed, how he started to feel a lot more self-confident, happier and calmer. I wanted to help others feel that too.”

Rally4Ever participants range widely in age, income and social status. Some are wealthy, some are homeless. Many are elderly, living on their own after losing their spouse. One man, who attends coaching at Rally4Ever’s Rushcutters Bay base, recently lost his wife to suicide. Some stay all day simply because they want to feel part of something.

Brian, who now has his coaching licence, says many are excited about receiving the same teaching as a professional player.

“But, really, they love getting treated like human beings, not dummies,” he says. “There's so many people that are depressed and lonely. Getting them out of the house is half the battle.”

Rally4Ever, he says, will be around forever. And his hero will always be Louise.

“If I’d met her 30 years ago, I’d be married to her,” he says.

Louise wants to expand the foundation, geographically and by helping others re-establish their coaching career.

“When you start something like this, you don't really know what the endgame is,” she says. “But when you see tears in their eyes after they've had a really nice session, or they've let go of some of their woes, it’s just really special.”