Table Tennis England is extremely proud of its Level the Table strategy which clearly sets out our path to ensure that everyone should be able to have access to play table tennis. While we celebrate the inclusive nature of our sport, we have work to do to address the imbalance that exists between male and female participants, which is why our business plan for the coming year is very clear in setting about achieving gender parity.

Whether it be clubs, leagues, coaching, volunteering or just picking up a bat and playing, the door to table tennis is open for all and we will ensure everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, is warmly welcomed.

ADRIAN CHRISTY, CEO OF TABLE TENNIS ENGLAND

In my role as Head of Business Development I lead the Partnership, Insight and Marcomms functions of the business and I therefore have an amazing opportunity to help champion and steer the work we are doing to create gender parity in table tennis, which is so important.

It is my responsibility to ensure my team stays focussed on this vision and to facilitate change in the way that we work. It is a journey for us all and I know that the transformation we want to see in our sport won’t happen overnight, but the more I can support my team and colleagues with this at every level, the more progress we can make!

KEELY ARMITT, HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

When I think about the future of table tennis, I see a sport in which women and girls see opportunity, feel valued and feel that they belong. The inequality that women and girls often face in the sport is unjust and must be challenged in all areas of table tennis.

To achieve our goal of Gender Parity, we need to make changes that are long lasting and remove barriers to increase the number of opportunities available to women and girls. We are all united by the love and power of table tennis and we must all work together to make it sport for all, with Gender Parity being a key part of that.

JENNY LEACH, NATIONAL PARTICIPATION MANAGER

As an organisation we are committed to achieving gender parity in the sport. In my role as Director of Development, leading our work to get people playing, coaching, officiating or volunteering we will have an unapologetic bias on finding ways to engage more women and girls in all of these areas.

We will not stop until we remove the feeling from women and girls that table tennis feels like a space designed, set up and dominated by men and boys when they turn up at a club, play a league match or attend an event or course. We will break the bias across all areas of the sport to turn this around and ensure that women and girls feel welcomed, visible and valued in the sport.

GREG YARNALL, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

From the moment I joined Table Tennis England in 2020 it was evident that the people in the organisation were driven by the aim of tackling inequalities within table tennis and making our sport accessible to all.

Through my role as Digital Marketing and Communications Executive I have the platform to elevate women and girls in our sport by making them more visible, more empowered and opportunities around women and girls in table tennis better understood.

I #BreakTheBias through actively seeking opportunities to promote women and girls across our digital platforms.

ANNIE STONE, DIGITAL MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE