The ILD Support Group was very sad to learn of the death of Les Gresswell on Tuesday 9 October 2018 at Kingston Hospital.

As a founding member of our ILD Support Group, Les will always occupy a special place within our group. From the very first meeting on Monday 19 September 2016, 3 years following his diagnosis of IPF, Les has always been an enthusiastic, positive, welcoming and engaged member of the group.

All of us will have our own personal memories of Les, but what we may not know is just how much Les achieved in other areas of his life. We knew for example that he was very much involved with Table Tennis, but did you know that he was a key member of the production team for a number of films on Table tennis, No!? Well here are just a few I’ve managed to find at the British Film Institute (BFI):

Filmography – Les Gresswell

Year:	Film title:	Role:
1974	Table Tennis	Script & cast member
1973	The Loop Drive	Technical Adviser
1973	Top-spin and back-spin Strokes	Technical Adviser
1973	Perfecting Your Game	Technical Adviser
1973	Basic Skills	Technical Adviser

Les also features in many national and international table tennis tournaments throughout his early life and there are numerous publications, which I have uncovered, where Les has been mentioned. However, the following article written in the official journal of the English Table Tennis Association (E.T.T.A),  ‘Table Tennis News’ dated April 1969, says so much about the youthful Les and which also echoes the Les we all know from the support group. I would encourage you to have a read and be prepared to be impressed with what you will find.

Table Tennis News – April 1969 (Go to page 4)
https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/etta_website/magazine-archive/1968-69/tt_issue222.pdf

Les loved literature and was a voracious reader, but he was also a skilled word smith in his own right. He also had a passion for poetry and you can read some of his poetry in the ‘Your Voice‘ section of this website. Les used his poetry to help spread awareness and understanding of ILD, and IPF in particular, to as wide an audience as possible. He was a relentless advocate for all people living with ILD and their carers. As a group we will continue to support and advocate for all living with ILD and their carers. To educate and to just chat with each other and share our experiences. We will miss you Les. Thank you for all you have done.

Farewell and be at peace.