Town's table tennis league bounces back

Kevin Taylor (right), of Stratford-upon-Avon Table Tennis Club, said there had been a "big impetus" to bring in new players

A table tennis league that faced potential closure three years ago has seen its membership grow.

Stratford-upon-Avon Table Tennis Club embarked on a mission to boost interest and membership after the number of teams in the district league fell to 12 in 2021.

Post-Covid there had been a "huge concern, like many sports, for the future of the league or whether it would survive," said chair Kevin Taylor, so there was "a big impetus to bring people to the game."

There are now 19 teams in the league.

The club, which meets on Monday and Friday evenings at Meon Vale Leisure Centre, has run a number of outreach projects, got children at schools playing the game, and been involved in having 10 outdoor tables installed locally for free use.

"I've always said if you get a huge amount of participation, it will filter into clubs and leagues for people to want to play more competitively," said Mr Taylor, who described their campaign as "very successful."

The club's competitors now range in age from seven or eight to people in their 80s.

The club meets on a Monday and Friday evening

Leigh Ganterton started playing table tennis again after a 30 year break.

He used to play in school, but work and life meant that stopped until his son became interested in the sport.

"Then we found Stratford-upon-Avon Table Tennis Club, and absolutely love coming all the time."

Mr Ganterton said his son, who has a heart condition and cannot play contact sport, had "absolutely fallen in love with table tennis."

What the club had done for the family was "unbelievable", he added.

Chair Kevin Taylor said table tennis connects people.

"We've got 50 people here who would never have met each other, if it wasn't for the sport."