Commonwealth Games 2022 Equipment Legacy

I often here the words ‘there has been no legacy’ after England hosts a major sporting event.

The Birmingham Commonwealth Games being one of these examples. I would like to dispel that myth a little. Post games time I have had the pleasure of working with the used Games equipment and helping to find some of it a new home. The main item left overs were approximately 700 table tennis court barriers and a lot of square meters of sports flooring. The tables sadly were hired in and went back to their supplier. There has also been a few other items like towel boxes and a small quantity of balls delivered to local clubs and leagues.

Let me explain what has happened to the table tennis barriers used in Birmingham. They have been used now by two different groups of people. For reference and to give you an idea of the volume of equipment left over I think I counted ten pallets worth of flat packed barriers and around 30 pallets worth of flooring with a combined weight of 4tonnes.

The first group of new users have used both the flooring and barriers to run more major competitions. They have been used for nearly another thirty days and counting  at the following events:-

• Senior National Championships in Nottingham
• European Para Championships in Sheffield
• Various items are currently on their way to Paris for pre Olympic training camp.

The second group to benefit, which was a lot quite personal to me and the West Area, mainly because they have been transported around in my car in most cases are the local users in and around Birmingham.

First to benefit was Cheslyn Hay TTC in Walsall who received around sixty barriers to help the club move into in a new facility and to expand their Bat and Chat sessions.

Second was Stratford Upon Avon League and Club.  They took a good quantity of barriers to expand into their new home at Meon Vale. The barriers have been used for local competitions and have been used recently for the leagues finals night a week or so ago.

Last week I took a trip down to Walsall to deliver another quantity of barriers, that literally filled the back of my estate car to help start a new club at Manor Farm that is being run by two existing league players.

Finally, and soon to empty the store room the last quantity will be going to a Ping Pong Parlour that will be opening soon in Sutton Coldfield.

So that’s close to 200 barriers gone out there, valued at £40 each, so the Games Legacy this time gave a good little local benefit these groups.