Pride of Table Tennis nominees

Bounce Club of the Year

Kelham Island Table Tennis Club
Nominated by Lauren Evans

Kelham Island Table Tennis Club is blazing a trail for inclusivity as it builds bridges across the community in Sheffield. The club provides opportunities to play for the refugee community, children and young people with additional needs, and LGBTQ+ groups, among others.

Founders Simon Athey and Liam Bardell launched the club in January 2023 from a room at the café owned by Liam at Kelham Island Museum. They reached out to some of the most marginalised and vulnerable groups within their community and now have a thriving and diverse club.

Kelham Island Table Tennis Club is dedicated to enhancing the lives of its members by fostering a vibrant community where people of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels can come together to enjoy the sport. Through regular practice and supportive coaching, the club not only helps to promote healthy active lifestyles but also promotes mental wellbeing, social connections and a sense of belonging.

This year has also been the first year of Kelham Island TTC competing in the local league, entering two teams in Division 2 and 4.

They ran a community TTKidz programme with up to 11 young players attending – it was free and allowed young people from deprived areas to access the sport with no cost. Some participants were also siblings of disabled children who attended other sessions. The sessions were a big success and led to the start of a dedicated weekly Kelham Island junior session.

Kelham Island’s table tennis sessions for refugees have become a beacon of inclusivity and support in a challenging year for many marginalised communities across the UK. These sessions offer more than just a game—they provide a safe and welcoming space where individuals who have faced discrimination and hardship can connect, relax, and rebuild their sense of belonging. By fostering camaraderie and understanding, the initiative helps participants regain confidence and feel valued, showcasing the power of community-led efforts to create positive change and inclusivity.

Stilton TTC
Nominated by Rosalind Roden

Stilton TTC has grown considerably during the past year, with record attendances. It has continually engaged with members not only with table tennis activities but also social activities and providing support for more vulnerable members.

The club provides the opportunity to play socially in the daytime Bat & Chat group which is ideal for building confidence and playing a variety of players at different levels and styles of play. It also caters for elderly and less mobile players, giving them the opportunity to continue playing a sport, which is beneficial to society as a whole.

There is also an evening session for junior players where coaching is provided, and young players transition into the adult evening session that follows this.
The adult evening session provides a slightly more competitive environment where coaching is available. The club also provides competition opportunities in local leagues for players of this standard.

The club also provides many social opportunities. There have been coffee mornings, award ceremony evenings, and a Christmas get-together. In 2024 there was a trip organised by the club to France to play a tournament against the village twinned with Stilton. This was open to all club members, including juniors. Junior parents and non-playing spouses were also welcome, making this a hugely inclusive and social trip, with a return visit planned for 2025.
Other achievements this year:

• Hosted free PCR/defibrillator training and including representatives from other village organisations.
• More women attending our club night sessions
• A programme of internal competitions with more than 65 trophies/medals awarded
• Donated a table to a local school
• Six juniors entered the Cambridgeshire Schools Championship
• Entered a team into the Senior British Clubs League
• A member represented Peterborough in the Wilmott Cup
• Public ‘Have A Go At TT’ session at our annual village meeting
• Monitoring and encouraging the public to use the outdoor table part-funded with the
• village youth group
• Awarded a grant from village charitable organisation recognising our community efforts
• Local Member of Parliament visited Bat & Chat
• Record attendances at our senior’s Bat & Chat session, with more than 40 members making it the largest in the area.

Graham Spicer TTC
Nominated by Patrick Caunt

Graham Spicer Table Tennis Club has been a Premier Club since the programme started. The membership is buoyant with more than 200 members, ranging in age from six to over 80.

This year GSTTC focussed on three key equality areas so its membership better reflects the local community with regards to junior participation, gender and nationality.

The club set up a very effective Cadet and Junior coaching scheme which boosted membership. The numbers attending its women and girls sessions were previously about 8-10 per week but promotions in the local community resulted in 23 signed up for the sessions, including 10 Juniors. Weekly attendance is now regularly 17-20 each week.

Three girls progressed and joined the Junior coaching programme and played in their first Open 1* event held at the club. They also represented Surrey Cadets and their local borough at the London Youth Games. The club has increased the number of female representative teams to 2 x Youth British Clubs League teams and 2 x Women’s British Clubs League teams.

The focus on nationality saw the club run two come-and-try sessions, which were overwhelmingly successful with over more than players attending the sessions.

The club discovered that resettlers wanted to play table tennis but didn’t feel comfortable to step into an open mixed environment to join a club, therefore weekly sessions were initiated, initially focusing on Hong Kong resettlers and then including players from Japan, Russia, Poland, Ukraine and Hong Kong. There are now 30 signed up with at least 24 attending each week. Seven went on to join the club and/or junior coaching programme and played various league teams.

Graham Spicer also successfully ran its first Table Tennis England 1* tournaments for Cadets and Veterans and further tournaments are planned for this season.

It also ran and hosted voluntary activities within the community, including Kingston Community Active Fayre and Kingston Primary School Festival.
The club also offered new initiatives to members, including sports psychologist sessions and specialist coaching sessions around serving.

Graham Spicer increased the number of junior teams in local league to three and also increased the number of teams across most categories of British Clubs Leagues. Junior teams enjoyed a number of successes including Divisions 2 and 3 of Thames Valley League, two divisions of National Cadet League, two divisions of National Junior League and one in Junior British League.

A large number of club members represented Surrey in all age groups of the County Championships, and there were two silver medallists at the Butterfly National Schools Individual Finals, both going on to represent England Schools.

Among other successes, one Junior played in the World School Games, one Senior represented England in the World Hard Bat Tournament in Mexico, one Veteran represented Wales in the Home International Vets, one Veteran reached the quarter-finals of the World Vets Tournament in Oman and three entered the European Vets in Rome. 

Tees Sport Coach of the Year

Jan Johns (Crewe Central TTC)
Nominated by Christopher Anderton

Jan is the driving force behind this club, which is in use seven days a week. She runs multiple sessions including junior coaching, advanced coaching, ladies-only coaching, GCSE assessments as well as sessions for people suffering with dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

She even promotes a weekly Bat & Chat session where people who may be lonely can drop in for a coffee and learn how to play table tennis.

Jan’s greatest achievements in the last 12 months is establishing and successfully delivering the Dementia and Parkinson’s sessions. They are going from strength to strength and really making a difference in people’s lives. Also, helping people of all ages and abilities get active and develop new skills.

Jan helps people who wouldn’t normally play sport by taking table tennis into care homes and also runs sessions for children who may feel intimidated by team sports.

Jan also works with NHS social prescribers to offer table tennis as a therapy.

Hussein Juma (Kenton TTC)
Nominated by Steve Leven

Hussein Juma is a coach. But he doesn’t just coach. Hussein is an uncle to his brother’s children, but he is also known as ‘Uncle’ to the kids he coaches and nurtures, and to their parents. Hussein is an organiser and a promoter of table tennis, a team captain and he also plays for a team himself.
He runs Saturday morning beginners’ coaching sessions at the Stanmore Jaffrey club, and Friday night coaching for aspiring League players at the Kenton club, which plays in the Wembley & Harrow League.

On Saturday morning there are up to 12 tables and Hussein marshals a team of volunteers to help coach the kids, aged from 8 to 16. The session is impressive for its organisation and routine, to which the 40 or so kids who come every week are accustomed and enjoy.

On Fridays, Hussein invites the kids who have progressed from the beginners’ stage to come and hone their skills in a club environment, with a view to their progression to League play. He leads the coaching on this, too, and he teaches not just the shots but the psychology too.

Later, Hussein does coaching for adults and the boys who have stayed on, and the evening merges into the club’s ‘social night’, giving the kids the opportunity to play with and against some of the adult members in an informal environment.

He always acts selflessly when someone asks for coaching and will go out of his way to make himself available. With Hussein’s mentoring, they have been able to reach a much higher standard. He is a fantastic role model and his students look up to him.

Aside from the many hours Hussein spends each week contributing to the skills and personalities of his table tennis charges, his star achievement has been the progress of one team of schoolboys from enthusiastic beginners to successful league players in just a few years.

He first started with this group, now known as Kenton H, once the pandemic had passed. Most of the boys were still in the last year at primary school. Hussein nurtured them and their table tennis abilities, exposed them to practice sessions with adults and worked on their game play until they were ready, at the start of the 2023-24 season, to play in Division 7 of the Wembley & Harrow League. Kenton H finished in second place, which was enough to earn them promotion, and each of the boys attained an average of between 60% and 70%.

They went on to win the W&H 2024 Summer League, winning 10 of their 12 matches. At the end of the season, Kenton H were presented with the club award for ‘Team of the Year’ out of ten contenders.

Hussein has been the driving force in building up and establishing the club’s social group. New members are invited to a tester session, assessed as to their ability and encouraged to join. They are then allocated to one of the Beginners, Intermediate or Advanced groups and separate sessions are run every Friday for each of these groups. With a team of helpers Hussein runs these sessions, coaching and supporting everyone to learn and improve their game. Membership has increased from 11 to 38 in the last 12 months, consists of players aged from 10 to 77 and such is their popularity there is now a waiting list to join.

In 2024-25, Hussein has continued where he left off. Saturday night is spent coaching his Kenton H team which is now close to top of Division 6. He will accompany the boys to every one of their matches and coach them in between games so that they will have the best preparation and advice for taking on their opponents.

Nick Davidson (Bristol TTA)
Nominated by Amanda Leonard

Nick Davidson is a full-time coach working with all levels of players. He is an inspiring and talented coach who works across many settings in Gloucestershire and Avon.

Last year Nick created the Bristol Table Tennis Academy which builds on the now ended community provision at SGS. This gives talented players from across the area regular high-quality coaching. He works closely with club and county coaches to create a collaborative and supportive environment. This was set up using money from the Sport England Movements Fund.

Additionally, as part of Cheltenham TTC, Nick ran a programme to develop Paralympians of the future which culminated in a trip to the British Para Table Tennis training base in Sheffield for one player.

Nick has been proactive in the South West, being Head Coach of the U19 Training Days, which saw 26 players attend the first session after being nominated by the counties, with great feedback from players and parents. Three more camps are already planned.

Nick is a coach tutor, running a Level 2 session this year, and also assisted in the organisation of a Sports Psychology Workshop which 32 coaches attended. Nick is extremely generous when working with other coaches, offering mentored opportunities.

Nick has had success with his players, with his son Jake making the Futures Squad and reaching the top 10 in the rankings, and building success with his teams.

He also gained a Tournament Organiser qualification and has run a 2* VETTS event and has already planned further competitions.

His can-do attitude, knowledge of the sport and engaging manner means that everything he is involved in is well thought through and embraced by the wider table tennis community.

Contribution to Table Tennis

David Arnold
Nominated by David Brown

David has been the secretary for both Lincoln and Lincolnshire TTAs and has also been the technical officer, creating and managing both Associations’ websites and the Lincoln TT League site.

Even after his retirement as both Association secretaries he has kept close links with both and remains webmaster for Lincoln’s website and TT Leagues site. David has also been responsible for archiving the Lincoln TTA history since its creation in 1935.

He has been associated with table tennis for many years in Manchester, Devon and finally Lincoln.

Steve Bessant
Nominated by Mike Smith

When KPTTC moved from its long-standing four-table venue to a refurbished listed venue with 10 tables in 2012 as a result of a grant from Sport England via Table Tennis England, it became very clear that there was a real need for a lead on Premises so that the building could be looked after, maintained and developed.

Steve was and remains a player but took on the lead in this crucial area and over the past dozen years, he has worked with determination and foresight to ensure that this wonderful facility is fit for purpose from a premises aspect.

He has undertaken all the required regular work – such as checks on safety and emergency process and equipment, electrical and plumbing contracting etc – and ensures all notices are clear and relevant.

However, more than that he has suggested and implemented changes in facility provision including CCTV, car park control process and gates, LED lighting, flooring replacement, kitchen refurbishment, decorating, roofing, plumbing and electrical improvements. He works with others well and consults so that the best options are achieved. He is always on call in an emergency, as leaks for example have been a regrettable hazard.

The result of his work – and that of colleagues who work with him – is a facility much admired locally and by visitors from away, such as at county and schools matches.

His efforts have led him being named Club Volunteer of the Year in 2020, but not just for the above work as he has also helped with communications, been a team captain, been an umpire and of course a Committee member who has contributed widely and proactively for 12 years.

He is a fine example of someone who may not take the limelight but who by simply getting on with his role ensures that the 200-plus players in our club have the best possible facility.

Norman Philbey
Nominated by Peter Leahy

Norman Philbey is 88 years of age and started Dallam Table Tennis Club in 1997. Whilst Norman was an active player in the Kendal League until 2018, it is in the area of support and growth of junior table tennis that Norman has made his most significant contributions. Even at the age of 88 he is coaching Year 5 and 6 children for four sessions a week!

Norman has been a great champion of school table tennis. He established a link with the local Milnthorpe Primary School and over 20 years has provided hundreds of 8-to-11-year-old children with their first table tennis experience.

He also recognised the importance of competition for young children and has been a great supporter of England Schools competitions. Even though support in Cumbria has been declining, Norman has worked hard to enter teams and has been prepared, even in his late 80s, to travel long distances to be able to coach his teams at tournaments.

Norman won our League “Outstanding Contribution” award 10 years ago and won it again last year at the age of 87. His commitment and stamina have been inspirational so that others have now taken their coaching qualifications to be able to maintain the momentum of junior development that Norman has championed.

From its start in 1997, Norman built Dallam Table Tennis Club so that by 2013 it was entering six teams in the adult league and four teams in the junior league. From 2011-2015 Norman organised the two KDTTL junior divisions.

Following the pandemic, Norman was instrumental in rekindling junior table tennis in the South Lake District. When we restarted, 40% of the junior players in the Kendal League were being or had been coached by Norman.

Norman was General Secretary of Kendal and District League for 10 years. During that time, in addition to the normal secretary’s duties, he organised the annual tournament, the two handicap knockout competitions and the trophy presentation evening.

Norman has maintained a link with Milnthorpe Primary School over many years and has successfully persuaded new head teachers to continue their support for the sport and has maintained parental support for what he is doing.

Dallam TTC operates from a council-leased junior football club. It is Norman who has been doing the decorating and keeping the place clean and fighting hard to get necessary maintenance repairs done. Over the last couple of years, the aches and pains of old age have made things harder for Norman . . . but he has just kept going!

Norman has been giving a grassroots sport contribution, volunteered over many years without condition, in support of his commitment to table tennis.

Great Northern Warehouse Inspirational Story of the Year

Andrew Cassy
Nominated by Martin Tomes

Andy was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease in 2010 (he was 44). He was a regular table tennis player in the local Ipswich league, and he continued to play and work.

After the initial covid restrictions were relaxed, Andy started a session at Britannia TTC for People with Parkinson’s (PwP), using table tennis to combat the onset of the disease – Parkinson’s affects motor skills, but regular exercise helps slow this down.

Andy also not only played in the second Parkinson World Championships in Berlin October 2021, he led the UK squad, which won a spread of medals.

The PwP sessions at Britannia are now fortnightly, averaging about 15 players from a 20-mile radius but some tournament players come from London, Norwich and Newmarket when they are able, such is the success of the group.

Andy is a Level 1 coach now, he has volunteers who help but he organises the sessions and teams to national and international tournaments for Parkinson’s players. The sessions now give focus to many players whether trying to improve their play or Bat & Chat with people who understand their predicament. Andy has been the main driver behind this all, with his energy inspiring not just PwP but those without, by his calm and dignified actions.

Andy remains player/manager for UK PwP squads. He has met many others who have gone on to set up similar sessions in other parts of the country and help others themselves. These, like his Ipswich sessions, provide therapy, purpose and support.

Treatment for Parkinson’s has not progressed much since the 1980s and 90s, but there are new initiatives aimed at learning more and improving treatment for the disease. Andy volunteered back in 2012 for research, being assessed every six months, but things have accelerated for him having been accepted on a Swedish brain-stem programme in Autumn 2024, working towards better treatment of the disease in future.

Adam Sharp
Nominated by Muz Janoowalla

Adam was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of four and underwent four surgeries and two years of chemotherapy as a child and has had more treatment since. He is keen on sports and always pushes himself despite physical limitations due to the tumour.

Adam did a GCSE and an A-Level in sport and went on to obtain a Sports Coaching HND qualification at college. Once qualified, Adam started coaching table tennis at two local clubs.

He then offered to come and help run and coach, in a completely voluntary capacity, the monthly Parkinson’s table tennis session at Barnet Table Tennis Centre. He does this without receiving any payment as he has genuine care and passion for what he does.

He enjoyed that so much that he decided he wanted to coach people in care homes as he found working with older people very rewarding, so he invested his inheritance from his grandmothers into buying a Rise St Albans franchise, which he runs alongside his mother, Jos. This enables him to deliver adapted sports sessions to countless older people. He is an absolute inspiration and brings out the best in everyone he meets.

Adam has coached at almost every Parkinson’s table tennis session at Barnet Table Tennis Centre over the past 12 months. He has been able to coach every player from the novice to the expert and is also working with players who are in a wheelchair. He has introduced new coaching methods to help improve the sessions such as bringing a larger ball along to make it easier for novice players.

As well as this he plays competitively and won a silver medal in this year’s National Para Junior TT Championship.

Bly Twomey
Nominated by Brighton Table Tennis Club

Bly won two bronze medals at the Paralympic Games in Paris. It was incredible to be in the crowd watching how well she performed against adults twice her age. At 14 years of age, she became youngest table tennis medallist in the world.

She has also won multiple medals in tournaments all over the world.

Everyone at Brighton Table Tennis Club is so proud of her passion for the sport with a disability, showing it doesn’t hold her back from her dreams.

Bly also coaches at our club and travels up and down the country providing exhibitions and coaching. Many players now join our club who are inspired by Bly herself.

Bounce League of the Year

Brighton TTL
Nominated by Matthew Porter

This year the league has taken huge steps in trying to grow the league. Having identified a local trend of players playing in younger years before stopping and later returning, the league started with some free return of the table sessions, set up to allow people to come and just play some table tennis and get the bug for the sport back. They had a young local coach in attendance to offer some tips. To promote these sessions the league identified three different summer events where the club took flyers to distribute.

Alongside a few returning players, these sessions got a few new people playing table tennis and so the league then set up some beginners’ coaching sessions. Not happy with just that progress, the league has now set up some intermediate coaching sessions, moving those players who have advanced into the new session while also looking to help players in the second division improve.

While a lot of focus has been on the number of people playing, the people behind the scenes have also had to learn many new skills, learning how to use Canva to design a range of new flyers and to think about how to market and promote the new sessions.

The league is also very community focused; the league is a big family and as such they really support each other in events, such events include the yearly quiz, which raised more than £2,500 for Motor Neurone disease, and the yearly food bank drive raising more than £1,000.

The league has committed to supporting the local coaches and volunteers, making funding available to support in their development.

These sessions have seen the Brighton League increase from two divisions to three divisions and is continuing to grow.

Stroud & District TTL
Nominated by Amanda Leonard

Gloucestershire is a thriving vibrant and successful county, with a keen understanding of the player pathway. Stroud & District Table Tennis League is a proactive and productive contributor to the county’s table tennis community, with a particular focus on school links.

Stroud & District Table Tennis League works closely with Gloucestershire Table Tennis Association, having a long and successful history of collaboration between clubs and coaches to develop the sport within their catchment area and beyond. They have had particular success in developing school-club links and retaining Juniors in satellite after-school clubs and in member clubs. The school links are continually evolving.

The impact of the SDTTL Schools’ programme contributes to Gloucestershire’s successes and ongoing growth as Gloucestershire rose to first in the country in the number of U11 Club Play members per 100,000 population in 2024/25 – second in direct comparison, where the leading county has double the population.

This commitment to developing Juniors translates to being ninth of all counties in table tennis memberships across all ages and types, where those above have a much larger population.

This demonstrates that the tasters, satellite clubs, junior clubs and county coaching enable the recruitment and retention of young players, providing a clear pathway with high-quality coaching.

The League has an elected Development and Coaching Officer, Jim Hurford, supported by Cliff Jordan who play a crucial role in co-ordinating, delivering, coaching, developing coaches, promoting, fundraising and networking.

New in the last 12 months SDTTL:

• Organised a coaches’ networking forum (two events so far identifying more collaborative working including reviewing activities, coach CPD, coach recruitment, talent development, pathway development, supporting each other in practical ways and planning).
• Held a Level 1 course at Nailsworth Phoenix, where 6 Gloucestershire Coaches passed. One new Level 2 Coach also qualified through the league’s support.
• Was awarded £1,800 towards the schools programme by Stroud DC for improving the mental health and well-being of children and young people.
• Ran taster sessions in Cirencester Deer Park School and Sir William Romney’s.
• Ran four TT Kidz sessions in Thomas Keble, Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School, Nailsworth Phoenix & Cirencester Deer Park School. This involved a lot of footwork in terms of promotion, visiting many primary schools to deliver fliers and talk to staff. The League is signed up to run the new TT Kidz Pilots.
• Ran after-school clubs in three secondary schools with pathways in to four clubs with junior sessions.
• Supported Marie-Claire Davis and the newly formed Malmesbury TTC (over the border in Wiltshire), to set up a junior session by integrating the area into the development plans as well as being a critical friend.

Looking to the future the SDTTL is constantly reviewing and refocusing, as well as identify opportunities. In the pipeline:

• Four new TT Kidz sessions, two in new locations.
• Developing a table tennis offer at the newly developed school site in Tetbury, potentially a 12-table venue.
• Setting up a Stroud Junior & Cadet League following the Bristol League’s model.

Southport TTL
Nominated by Martin Ireland

The Southport two-a-side league has been a trailblazer, which a few other NW leagues have followed over recent seasons, helping to stem the decline in local league play.

The two-a-side league established by Ben Aitken has gone from strength to strength, with 30 new players to the Southport League having now played in teams during their eight-week competition.

Four clubs host adult and junior teams who play from 5.30pm to 7pm on home nights and have seen 25% participation from women & girls, and it’s great to see each club has practice sessions in place to help players develop. Players can join practice sessions and teams in the league at any time.

Feedback from players has been great, who appreciate the earlier start time and shorter format, making it ideal for juniors and women & girls to enter and play on a weekly basis.

A few other Local Leagues have followed suit with two new 2-a-side leagues taking place in Liverpool and Blackpool in 2024.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dave Graham
Nominated by Julie Whitehead

Dave Graham has for many years contributed his time, experience and expertise to lots of children and adults. He is a truly remarkable person, who is very passionate about table tennis.

Nothing is ever too much trouble for Dave from beginner to professional players. He is a very talented coach with a great personality, and he shows such enthusiasm and offers encouragement to all players. He is a truly great advocate of table tennis.

Dave has achieved many things, his greatest achievement in his words is seeing the young ones take up table tennis. Dave has helped hundreds of players to achieve their goals. He’s won leagues in low divisions and high divisions and has 15-plus national titles as a coach.

When I think of a lifetime achievement award to table tennis, there is nobody better equipped and deserving of this than Dave Graham. The man lives and breathes table tennis, and “on duty” six days a week, coaching in school hours at local schools, opening the clubs on any night a player enquires about, never turning a single player away from the opportunity to play table tennis, for example he is open on a Saturday from 10am until 5pm, and from 5pm weekdays he opens the club and stays through until gone midnight some evenings, providing coaching for players from beginner right the way up to England internationals.

He simultaneously runs weekly club fixtures for two local leagues, having five teams alone in the Liverpool first division, just showing the strength of the players who all practise at his club.

Dave’s team has won the Southport league for the last 5+ years, and in Liverpool have won both the league and cup for the last five years.

Amongst this, Dave also sits on the committee for the Liverpool & District League, which at times has been one of the strongest in the country, and Dave is instrumental in the progression of junior table tennis in this league, having started the junior league and also introduced junior teams allowing them to play their matches at home every week to encourage junior participation.

He sits on the Lancashire county committee and also is the head coach of the Lancashire Junior and Cadet teams, which have won several premier titles.

Peter Baldwin
Nominated by Sally Hughes

Peter has been the Sussex County Cadet and Junior Team selector, organiser and manager for over 35 years. He has been pivotal in the playing careers of countless young people and a role model to so many coaches, volunteers and parents who support the game.

His dedication, loyalty and drive is unrivalled and he deserves to be celebrated for his commitment to supporting the table tennis pathway for so many young players.

Peter Baldwin has dedicated his life to the Sussex Junior and Cadet county teams. Sussex runs three Cadet and three Junior teams in the County Championships and the players are selected through a systematic review based on ranking, ability, dedication and ambition.

Peter has developed excellent knowledge of clubs all over Sussex over the many years he has contributed to the role and works closely with coaches and volunteers to stay up to date with young players showing keen interest and progress in their table tennis, often travelling to training sessions to watch and observe in order to put together competitive, friendly and respectable teams.

He is incredibly dedicated to ensuring so many young players have the opportunity to play for the county and provides excellent communication, transport and planning to enable and support the teams. He helps the parents to better understand the competition landscape for their child and how they can achieve their personal goals.

At the beginning of the pandemic sadly the county committee voted to reduce the number of teams and Peter championed their return, running local coaching sessions for juniors and encouraging other clubs in Sussex to do the same so that this season the return of a full complement of teams was achieved.

Harmesh (Harry) Jutle
Nominated by Tim Allen

Since he moved with his family to Hereford in 1990 Harry has had a huge impact on table tennis in Herefordshire through his work as chief organiser at his local club, an ever-present committee member at the club, league and county levels and through his coaching work at clubs and schools.

Through his role as an umpire he has had a significant impact on table tennis on a county, national and international level.

At the local level, Harry has ensured that Hereford Table Tennis Club has continued to exist and thrive by selflessly giving up large amounts of his time to run the club. He has overseen relocations of the club and in its current village hall home he has helped to forge and maintain links with a pensioner group who now enjoy twice-a-week table tennis sessions.

He voluntarily runs a weekly junior coaching session at the club to ensure the next generation of players enjoy the sport he loves. At the county level, Harry has run both junior and senior teams and set up and run a league website.

Harry does all this work with a quiet dignity and is the person people look to for providing advice on rules and procedures and settling player disputes.
Through his work as an umpire Harry has had a big impact on the sport by enabling players to pursue their dreams on the county, national and international stage. In recent years he has given even more back to table tennis by tutoring and mentoring the next generation of young umpires.

Soon after he joined Hereford Table Tennis Club in 1992 Harry enrolled for the ETTA Level 2 coaching course and qualified as an assistant coach in February 1993. He then set up regular coaching at a local primary school involving some of his fellow coaches. They worked to a Dunlop Skills Award Scheme which has five levels from beginner to aspiring champions. He then operated a similar system at a local senior school as well as helping fellow coaches at other schools and venues. In June 1994 he enrolled for the ETTA Level 3 course at Lilleshall and passed the assessment in November 1994.

He has taken a number of National Foundation courses. He has also been involved with the local council to run the Championship Coaching Scheme and the XL Scheme as head coach. Harry has also run various table tennis taster sessions and been involved with coaching workshops at local, regional and international levels.

In 2010 Harry decided to get involved in umpiring and, having gained his initial qualification, umpired events from Under-10s to Senior and Veterans for our top players, and qualified as an International Umpire by 2014. He was selected to umpire at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

A couple of years later he qualified as a Blue Badge Umpire and has umpired all over the world. In 2018 he umpired at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia and umpired at the Games in Birmingham in 2022.

He has been on the Technical Officials Committee since August 2017 and is the International Competitions Secretary, handling the Invitations for events abroad. At the Table Tennis England AGM in July 2022 Harry was given the honour of a Vice-Presidency.

During the last few years he has tutored and mentored many new umpires.

Harry has provided continuity in Hereford and Herefordshire table tennis by being an ever-present committee member at club, league and county levels since 1992.

Level The Table Award

Andrew Cassy
Nominated by Aad Kwakkelstein

Andy’s dedication, passion, and tireless efforts in promoting inclusivity within the table tennis community make him a truly deserving candidate for this prestigious recognition.

Andy has made a significant impact through his work with under-represented groups, particularly individuals with Parkinson’s disease. He runs the Ping Pong Parkinson sessions at Britannia Table Tennis Club (TTC), providing a supportive and engaging environment for players with Parkinson’s to enjoy the sport and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. His sessions have become a beacon of hope and positivity for many participants.

Andy’s exceptional contributions have already been recognised with the Active Suffolk Award for Inclusivity Champion. This accolade highlights his commitment to making table tennis accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities or background.

In addition to his work at Britannia TTC, Andy has played a crucial role in the UK Ping Pong Parkinson set-up. His involvement in this initiative has helped raise awareness about the benefits of table tennis for individuals with Parkinson’s and has inspired many to take up the sport.

Andy’s dedication to the cause goes beyond coaching and organising sessions. He has volunteered to undergo experimental treatment for Parkinson’s, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to finding solutions and improving the lives of those affected by the disease.

Andy’s efforts have not only provided a platform for individuals with Parkinson’s to engage in physical activity but have also fostered a sense of community and belonging. His sessions have become a place where participants can connect, share experiences, and support each other.

In conclusion, Andy Cassy’s outstanding volunteering with under-represented groups, his recognition as an Inclusivity Champion, and his involvement in pioneering initiatives make him an exemplary candidate for the Level the Table award. His contributions have made a lasting impact on the table tennis community, and he continues to inspire and uplift those around him.

Jan Johns
Nominated by Christopher Anderton

See Coach of the Year nomination

Craig Mehew
Nominated by Amanda Leonard

Craig Mehew, Allan Brooks and Tim Bowler of St Austell Table Tennis Club set out on a mission to create One Big Community, an inclusive club which caters for people who walk through the door as beginners, up to county players and recognises the benefits of the sport for physical and mental wellbeing.

Over the past 12 months, this has been achieved beyond the clubs expectations, with membership growing from 22 in January 2024 to 102 in December.

As the Development Officer and a coach, Craig led a programme of outreach. Working closely with Table Tennis England, Craig has built lasting partnerships.

Working with partners such as MENCAP, Wild, Wonder & Wisdom (a women’s empowerment project), schools and St Austell Leisure Centre, 700 people took part in a series of pop-ups, tasters and coached activities.

Craig had particular success developing activities for people with a learning disability. He delivered nine coached sessions in three Day Centres, involving 39 people and catering for players of differing abilities including wheelchair users and non-verbal. Craig is the king of improvisation, using round tables, washing up bowls and coffee machines in less than ideal spaces.

Craig left equipment which the centres are regularly making use of them and Craig is investigating training options for staff. One member of the LD community has become a club member, never missing a session and now volunteering weekly at the club.

Craig organised training from Access Cornwall for coaches across the county to learn more about developing activities for people with a disability.
The club has grown from three female members to 32 in 12 months and 342 women and girls took part in the outreach programme including 20 through a women’s empowerment project.

St Austell is a coastal town where wealth and poverty are found side by side. By running activities in schools and in the town centre, the club was able to reach families on lower income. One change the club has made is to create a family-friendly pricing policy as well as subsidising those who cannot afford bats or subs.

All of the feedback is that Craig is engaging, tremendous fun, inclusive and persuasive. His positivity takes everyone with him.

Craig has sparked enthusiasm in other volunteers and has taken people with him, showing people what is possible. His reach is wider than the club, it’s the Cornwall TT Community and St Austell.

There are many inspiring stories of people who are loving being part of the St Austell Table Tennis Community. It’s hard to put into words the success that Craig has had. Here are some key achievements:

• Growing the club from 22 people to 102 and still growing.
• Recruiting over 30% female members against the national average of 13%.
• Running nine Town Centre Days, reaching 500 people
• Setting up a new Junior Club
• Introducing table tennis to the learning disability community across St Austell through coached sessions, providing equipment to day centres and setting up and Ultra League with the Leisure Centre.
• Promoting table tennis as an inclusive sport on BBC Radio and TV
• 90 children from a primary school attend the club for a taster
• Raised £7,800 in funding applications for developing the club as well as working in Partnership with Table Tennis England on developing and implementing the £10,050 TT4Good project.
• Two taster sessions set up with Wild, Wonder and Wisdom, a Women’s empowerment project.

The work will keep going with big plans for the coming 12 months, mostly focussed on growing and training the workforce, creating more satellite sites with partners and delivering the Ultra League for people with a learning disability.

Cornilleau Partner of the Year

MENCAP – Our Active Community project
Nominated by Amanda Leonard

Sport England has funded MENCAP’s Our Active Community project, which partners with local people who want to make their community a better place for people with a learning disability to be physically active, happy and healthy.

Working across nine communities, including St Austell, the goal is to create a nationwide network of groups and individuals who are committed to enhancing opportunities for people with a learning disability to be active and healthy in their communities.

Chris has supported the development of a programme of table tennis for people with a learning disability across the St Austell area. This involved people with a learning disability taking part in the town centre launch of the TT4Good project and seven coached table tennis sessions across three Day Centres. This involved 39 people with a learning disability and 12 support staff.

At the end of last year, MENCAP’s panel of people with a learning disability agreed to award St Austell Table Tennis Club £4,000 of seed funding to start a monthly Ultra League in the Leisure Centre satellite site, which is due to start in April.

St Austell has recruited one member with a learning disability who is so into table tennis and loves the club that she has started volunteering. There are additional plans to link with further organisations including special schools.

The support that Chris has provided is invaluable and has opened up many doors. The best thing has been problem-solving and using Chris’ experience and advice to break down barriers for people with a learning disability.

Our Active Community has been working along a similar timescale to the ST Austell TT4Good project. Other key achievements of the partnership to date:

• Two Our Community networking events which table tennis representatives attended.
• Partnership established with St Austell Leisure Centre Community Team.
• Table Tennis coaches from the area attended Access Cornwall training.
• St Austell Table Tennis Club understands and has implemented the practical actions needed to be a welcoming club for people with a learning disability.

Highfield Community Centre
Nominated by Hitesh Jethwa

Highfield Community Centre (HCC) is nominated for its exceptional and ongoing support to Highfield Table Tennis Club and the wider table tennis community. Their partnership has been instrumental in both the growth of the club and the promotion of the sport in the local area.

HCC has shown unwavering support for table tennis by hosting NJL and NCL tournaments at subsidised rates. This generosity has allowed the club to host prestigious events that would otherwise be financially challenging, providing players with more opportunities to compete at high levels. The club’s ability to offer these events without the burden of excessive venue costs has been a game-changer, helping to promote the sport’s accessibility and growth.

Beyond tournaments, HCC has also played a key role in supporting school regional and zonal table tennis tournaments, further enhancing the development of young talent in the area. These events offer local schoolchildren the chance to compete and improve their skills, reinforcing the club’s commitment to nurturing future table tennis stars.

A standout feature of HCC’s support has been their provision of a venue at subsidised hire rates, which has allowed Highfield Table Tennis Club to keep membership costs affordable. This has been crucial in encouraging greater participation across all age groups and demographics. By making it more affordable to join and train, HCC has helped create a welcoming environment where everyone, regardless of financial background, can take part in the sport.

HCC has been a champion of inclusivity, working with Highfield to make table tennis accessible to a wider section of the community. Their support ensures that the club remains a place where people of all ages, genders and ethnicities are encouraged to participate, promoting diversity within the local sporting landscape.

The association has been committed to improving the venue facilities, including the installation of new flooring. These upgrades enhance the training experience for players and ensure that the venue can host a variety of sporting events, benefiting not only table tennis but also other local activities. This proactive approach to improving facilities makes the venue one of the best in the region and supports the community’s growing sporting needs.

HCC’s partnership with Highfield Table Tennis Club is built on flexibility and collaboration. Whether it’s adjusting to changes in the club’s schedule or sourcing an alternative venue when the main facility is unavailable, HCC has shown a constant willingness to adapt, ensuring that training and events can run smoothly with minimal disruption.

Their support has had a positive impact on the table tennis community, not just locally but also on a national scale. By providing essential resources, promoting inclusivity and ensuring the sustainability of the club, HCC has played a pivotal role in advancing the sport within the community and beyond.

For their continued support, commitment to inclusivity, and the invaluable contribution to table tennis in the region, Wellingborough District Hindu Association is a deserving recipient of the Partner of the Year Award.

Tees Sport School of the Year

St Just Primary
Nominated by David May

St Just Primary School is situated seven miles from Land’s End and is the only school in Cornwall providing regular planned table tennis for its pupils. All 60 Year 5 and 6 pupils have coaching every Thursday morning on six tables in four groups of 15. The children love their sessions and look forward to it every week. The school also has tables in the playground.

About 20 children, selected by ability, special circumstances and attitude, then practise in After-School Club on Friday. The special circumstances include helping Ukrainian children and social deprivation.

There is still another level as the most talented then graduate to training with Cape Cornwall Table Tennis Club on Monday evenings.

The Under-11 girls team played in the South West Area Schools Team event in Plymouth in January. All of these girls have played in West Cornwall League events. The school expects to enter a dozen children in the County Closed Championships.

Former pupils now play for the club. Three 15-year-olds, two boys and a girl, started at the bottom of the bottom division of the above league and have just been promoted to the Premier League. Two of these play for the Cornwall Junior Team and in a recent event in South Wales, helped the County to finish second out of seven teams. Three 13-year-old girls, also former pupils, play in the league too. Four children are likely to play in the National Schools singles finals.

The school totally supports table tennis, allowing free use of the hall, supporting with all communication with parents and funding travel. Demonstrations are planned for all 220 children in the school to watch. Younger children regularly ask to play.

With no opposition anywhere in the County, the school is a lonely beacon for the sport of table tennis. Every child manages to play the game to a level where there is real enjoyment. Even more noticeable is the number of girls playing regular table tennis, often competitively, and to a good standard. The school staff are totally supportive.

Robert Mellors Primary School
Nominated by Chris Turner

Robert Mellors Primary School in Nottingham initially purchased a TT Kidz package two years ago. Since then the table tennis programme in the school has simply gone strength to strength.

Table tennis coaching is provided in PE time throughout the academic year to all Key Stage Two pupils from Years 3-6 with the support of coaches from Nottingham Table Tennis Club. Following the success and enjoyment of the PE lessons, a lunchtime club is now held every day where all age groups can access the sport.

The head teacher, Emma Essex, personally runs all the lunchtime activity, with all sessions full to capacity with 20+ children playing across four tables. In addition, table tennis has become a major part of the school’s extra-curricular activity with the sport being used to develop positive behaviours amongst children.

Inter-school matches are arranged by the head teacher who also promotes the local club and junior league. Nottingham Table Tennis Club have close to 20 junior members from Robert Mellors, with 12 now playing in the Nottingham Junior League.

In addition, Emma Essex is now promoting the power of table tennis to other schools in the same Multi Academy Trust with a vision of a trust-wide table tennis programme.

The key achievement has been the significant increase in participation of U11s with over 20 children playing every lunchtime and encouraged to join the local club and compete in inter school matches and the Nottingham Junior League.
Robert Mellors is a shining example of how table tennis can be in primary schools. The local table tennis community has significantly been impacted positively, from the work Emma Essex has done.

Patcham High School
Nominated by Teresa Bennett

Patcham High School has seen table tennis have a massive impact on daily life and the pupils in the school and the community. This has been implemented by deputy head Mike Newman and supported by the PE department and the rest of the school.

There is daily table tennis in the hall at lunchtime, 12 tables with a free drop-in, all year-groups are welcome. There are usually between 20 and 40 present every day.

At the Wednesday after-school club, there is coaching and gameplay for all years and 20-30 students attend every week. The Friday after-school is a girls-only club with coaching provided by Brighton Table Tennis Club and all ages from Years 7 to 11 attend.

There are also year-group table tennis competitions and house competitions and evening community open sessions, with funding from the school and Brighton TTC. This brought together not only pupils in the school, but their parents, siblings and other members of the community.

Young coaches from Years 9/10 work with the feeder primary school, introducing younger students to the game before coming to High School, which has a fantastic impact on settling in new students. These leadership opportunities for the Patcham High pupils have given them so much confidence and after doing this course, many applied for prefect roles and one became Head Girl.

The Partnership with Brighton TTC has been central to this success. Many Patcham High School students play at BTTC regularly, showing the strong school-to-club links, and some players from Patcham have taken Level 1 coaching courses at Brighton TTC.

The school has made a significant impact in developing young people through table tennis, not only in massive numbers of participation but improving pupil behaviour in having positive, active lunchtimes and after-school clubs where table tennis is the main sport played in the school.

The school has provided many opportunities to compete as well. Not only do they hold in-school competitions but hosted the Brighton area Under-13 and Under-16 events and will host the East Sussex Schools Individual event this winter, as they did last year.

Over the past 12 months Patcham High School has gone from strength to strength with both participation and competitive success, including the school Under-16 girls’ team becoming county champions.

Technical Official of the Year

Nico Caltabiano
Nominated by Vladimir Shadrunov

Nico Caltabiano has reached the summit of world umpiring in 2024. He became the first English umpire to achieve Gold Badge status from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) – one of only 23 umpires around the world to hold this status.

This follows umpiring the gold medal match in the Men’s Singles at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

He has also represented England at other high-level competitions around the world in the past 12 months, including the Europe Top 16 and Saudi Smash.

Nico began his umpiring journey in Southampton, informally officiating at tournaments his son played in. He took his Level 1 in 2012 and has since risen to the top of the world. He is a fantastic mentor and trailblazer for other English umpires and an ambassador for English table tennis on a world scale.

Margaret Welch
Nominated by David Cochrane, Richard Horsfield and Dan Bullen

Margaret is the backbone of so many events such as the National Championships, International events run by Table Tennis England, British Clubs Leagues and 4* events, as a referee’s assistant or umpire manager.

Her experience is way ahead of everyone else in the UK who does these roles due to being on the circuit for 20+ years and being well trained by her late husband Steve Welch, who was an International Referee and one of the best in the country.

Margaret is a big team player and is always happy to chip in where she is needed and just gets on with the job in hand. Even under pressure she never moans or gets abrupt with people, she’s 100% professional all the time.

She is very popular with Technical Officials from umpires, referees and organisers and is always welcomed with open arms by the table tennis community at events.

Most importantly, in the last year Margaret has done more events than normal, which included the WTT Feeder Manchester, the European Para Championships, many national events, a few 4 star events, JBL and VBL (as they were called). She also assists on the 4* events to take the entries and process them into spreadsheets.

Sheila Walshe
Nominated by Connor Whitehead

Sheila brings everything that table tennis should be to the game. She gives up her time not only for major international events, but for British Clubs Leagues events, both senior and junior, National events and other tournaments. She’s the first person to put her hand up and say ‘I’ll do it’, and at the same time she supports other umpires, which I’ve witnessed first-hand. Without umpires like Sheila we wouldn’t have the game where it is at.

Sheila has umpired at the national championships including finals of all age categories, national qualifying events, several international events such as European Youth Championships, and ISF World Schools Championship. There is a reason for this, and it is because unlike many officials, she’s not afraid to step in and pull up players when need be, whilst always remaining fair and invested in the game.

Cloudathlete Volunteer of the Year

Peter Leahy
Nominated by Kelly Dennison and Daniel O’Connell

Peter Leahy has worked tirelessly to make a significant impact on the delivery of table tennis within his local area of South Cumbria.

None of Natland & Oxenholme TTC’s achievements over the past 12 months would have been possible without the work carried out by Peter on a voluntary basis.

Pretty much single-handedly Peter has sourced and funded the opening of a new venue to supplement the existing one, increasing the quantity of table tennis in the area hugely.

Peter visited numerous potential venues to find the right one. Then set up and led a Crowdfunding campaign to be able to fund it, raising £18,500.

Peter has completed his Level 1 and Level 2 coaching qualifications and now runs sessions four nights a week, plus he delivers weekend sessions spanning six hours.

He has also conducted sessions in local schools and activity groups such as Girl Guides, travelling across South Cumbria to do so.

Peter has also set up a performance squad to allow juniors access to higher level training and entered teams into the NCL/NJL (now Cadet BCL and Junior BCL), increasing the number each season.

Peter has also completed his umpire and tournament referee qualification and played a leading role in bringing competitions to the area with a 1* planned for April and the view to hold more following that.

Peter spends countless hours each week organising and delivering table tennis sessions and the inevitable admin that comes with doing so. All on a voluntary basis and all with the sole intention of increasing the quantity and quality of table tennis delivered in the area.

As well as all the above, he created a Junior Performance Squad allowing players access to professional coaching and organised a coaching CPD day for local coaches.

Peter works relentlessly to accommodate players of all ages and standards, allowing them access to table tennis at a time and level that works for them and ensuring everybody has a positive experience of table tennis.

Andy Chapman
Nominated by Rob Cook

I am nominating Andy Chapman, the force behind Community Table Tennis Club (CTTC), Leeds, as Volunteer of the Year. He has made a remarkable impact on table tennis; on individuals, the local community and the sport in Leeds as a whole.

With about three others, Andy set up CTTC in July 2023, disillusioned by the lacklustre welcome for new people in other clubs, and by established players who only wanted to play people of their standard or higher. In the bigger picture he saw Leeds table tennis slowly dying, as the number of divisions reduced.

When I looked for a club the word ‘community’ was a positive signal. But I was aware that it gets abused, and can be meaningless. My scepticism evaporated immediately. ‘Community’ was exactly the right word.

CTTC is extremely inclusive:

Table tennis ability: there is a full range, from highly skilled, experienced players to complete beginners. The best players are always prepared to play and share their experience with anyone. Several do mini-coaching sessions with whoever wants them. Everybody shares tips. Everybody improves.

Age: We have members aged eight to about 80. Several youngsters are becoming very good, very quickly. Players of all ages take part in our league teams.

Ethnicity: There is a huge range of ethnic heritage among members; local British players, and those from a remarkable tally of about 20 countries, across at least four continents.

Disability: CTTC is a welcoming, supportive environment for people with a range of conditions. The club has a strong relationship with Leeds ParkyPING! (table tennis group for people with Parkinson’s). Three club members live with Parkinson’s, one of whom won medals at PingPongParkinson’s World Championships in Austria (2023), Slovenia (2024) and the Scottish Parkinson’s International Open (2024). One member is a stroke survivor, who finds table tennis greatly beneficial to recovery. A transplant recipient who came as a beginner, has medalled at the British Transplant Games 2024 and intends to compete at the 2025 World Transplant Games in Germany. There are several neuro-divergent members, and people with mental health problems, including in our league teams.

Gender: Initially with a large male majority, the number of women and girls in the club has steadily increased, so that it is now a truly mixed club. Several female players who arrived as beginners now play in a league team, with female representation from A-F teams.
After 18 months, CTTC has about 90 members and new people arrive every week. We have teams in division 2 and 3 of the Leeds league. Perhaps the best indicator of the impact on table tennis, which will unfold over years to come, is that the league had to add a fifth division, where we have four teams, including top and second.

Andy Chapman is the individual most responsible for growing the sport in Leeds. Andy has been right at the centre of the rapid development of CTTC. He has shown enormous dedication, commitment and enthusiasm, and volunteered vast amounts of his time.

His specific achievements and contributions include:

• Building and managing a dedicated website
• Establishing and managing four sessions a week, and supporting one more
• Personally setting up tables for most sessions
• Setting up an online booking system
• Designing and managing an internal club ladder (‘mini-league’) with more than 30 participants, with fixtures, results and live status accessed online
• Liaising with the Leeds league, resulting in an additional division, to accommodate our growth
• Consulting with members about who might want to play competitively, and structuring teams accordingly
• Supporting club teams in matches, even when he’s not playing
• Coaching anyone who wants it
• Using great emotional intelligence to asking people how they are doing
• Working with others to find our home, and then our venue for league matches
• Setting up and managing dozens of WhatsApp groups, to ensure that we can all stay updated and involved

Just before Christmas we held our first awards ceremony. More than 40 of us gathered and celebrated our collective achievements. It spoke volumes that a total of 40 members were nominated across 17 awards. The final award, ‘Greatest overall contribution to the club’ was won unanimously by Andy, who was cheered on through a shy, warm speech.

Claire Kelly
Nominated by Colin French

Claire Kelly has made a very significant impact on the delivery of TT over the past year in so many ways. Her enthusiasm and drive together with her persuasive powers to get others to contribute has seen Waterside TTC grow not only in numbers but also in the number of sessions and events that we are now able to carry out.

Claire is our Assistant Treasurer, working closely with the Treasurer she has made a series of small changes that has enabled us to improve the way we collect fees for membership, competitions, entrance, refreshments etc. She also Coordinates our Volunteers to ensure that we have volunteers on the desk to collect entrance fees, record membership details, set up pack up and lock up.

She is the key link with the parents of the juniors that come to coaching, and I believe that is one of the reasons that our beginners coaching group often has 20 participants who want to keep coming back.

Claire has done much to Coordinate Events at weekends, organising 1* events, as well as getting some sponsorship, and persuading us to once again host National Cadet and Junior Leagues. And once again organising the Christmas Meal!

She has also taken on the Welfare Officer role due to the illness of the current officer, and has been very active in checking and ensuring that all coaches have up to date licenses as well as making sure that all volunteers for events, especially for Junior events have a current DBS and have done the relevant TTE Safeguarding Course.

Since we have no Press Officer Claire has taken to publicising the club in various local publications, she has also transformed the large club noticeboard in the foyer keeping it up to date with news and photographs of events and competitions.

She is also a mum who organises and transports her son’s league team, being ever present on match nights setting up, encouraging and communicating and packing away. It is certainly true to say that the club is currently in a very healthy situation, numbers are increasing and Claire is a very important part of our committee that works well together.

Claire has been the leading force in setting up a card reader to simplify participation payments on the door as well as card payments in the coffee bar. She reconciles all payments and provides our treasurer with a complete breakdown of all transactions so that we can monitor our charges.

Claire buys all the drinks and snacks and the club makes a significant sum of money when we put on weekend events.

For the first time in many years Claire has organised two 1* events this year. Claire has done all of the organisation on her own having researched and spoken to other venues. They have been enormously successful with almost 60 participants each time and have made a significant profit each time to go towards other projects at the club.

The previous year the club stopped hosting National Cadet and National Junior Leagues. Claire decided to take it on and did all the organising – we now have a successful Cadet and Junior League with a number of Waterside teams taking part.

In summary Claire deserves some recognition for her continued loyalty to our club, she is the driving force for many initiatives, everyone needs a Claire!

Young Volunteer of the Year

Anees Khan
Nominated by Noreen Khan

My 13-year-old son has been playing table tennis since he was in year 4 (2020) and he is thriving playing for both Baildon Table Tennis Club and Bradford Grammar School, recently securing the title of West Yorkshire champion U13s.

Anees practices for an average of 10 hours per week and regularly participates in matches/fixtures for both Baildon TTC and Bradford Grammar School.

Through his interactions he has introduced over 30 young people from inner city communities who never used to interact with anything table tennis related and is constantly encouraging and training his peers to develop.

He also actively promotes table tennis within his school and supports the TT clubs at lunchtimes and after school.

Anees found his peace with table tennis after he endured a lot of hardship as he suffered from partial deafness in his left ear. He struggled to participate with many sports due to his limited ability to hear coaches on the pitch or specific voices when in a crowd. He found that his focus and control with table tennis aided his concentration and gave him a confidence he never previously had.

As an only child in a single parent household and caring for his elderly grandparents after school, Anees is giving everything he has to his passion for table tennis and aspires to play professionally one day as well as become a pilot!

Anees recently volunteered to support the Yorkshire Rotary Accessible Games, bringing together many young and old Disabled People from across the region in an Olympic-style event at Wood House Grove School in Apperley Bridge, and was highly appreciated by everyone who participated and organised the event. Anees spent over seven hours during the day introducing and training Disabled People of all ages and from all backgrounds. He was patient and sensitive towards them all without prejudice or assumption and relayed his passion for the sport with everyone he interacted with.

Particular recognition came from the District Governor of Rotary in Yorkshire as they had received numerous messages of positive feedback regarding the young student volunteer that helped manage the table tennis element of the Yorkshire Accessible Games. The games organiser Anne Griffin also came into Bradford Grammar School to present Anees with a certificate of recognition.

As captain of Table Tennis under 13’s at Bradford Grammar School and playing for Baildon Table Tennis club, Anees has achieved many personal bests, including achieving player of the match for the majority of league matches he has played for Baildon TTC.

Zygis Kaminskas
Nominated by Aad Kwakkelstein

Over the past 12 months, Zygis Kaminskas has had a profound impact on Britannia Table Tennis Club and the broader table tennis community. At just 14 years old, Zygis has demonstrated exceptional dedication and enthusiasm in his role as an assistant coach for the U11s. His efforts have been instrumental in fostering a thriving group of young players, many of whom have progressed to the Britannia Performance Squad.

Zygis’ approach to coaching is characterised by his boundless energy and creativity. He consistently seeks out new and engaging ways to make training sessions exciting for the youngsters. His innovative methods not only keep the players motivated but also help them develop their skills more effectively. This has led to a noticeable improvement in the performance and confidence of the U11 players, some of whom have advanced to the Britannia Performance Squad.

One of the most significant impacts Zygis has had is the creation of a supportive and inclusive environment at the club. His positive attitude and genuine care for the players have made the training sessions a welcoming space for all. This has encouraged more young players to join the club and participate in the sport, contributing to the growth and success of Britannia TTC.

Zygis’ commitment to the club extends beyond the training sessions. He is always willing to lend a hand with organising events and supporting other club activities. His presence at the club every Thursday, along with his friends Danny and Samantha, has become a cornerstone of the U11 sessions. Their teamwork and dedication have set a positive example for other members and have significantly enhanced the overall experience for the young players.

His willingness to go above and beyond his coaching duties has made him an invaluable asset to Britannia TTC.

In conclusion, Zygis Kaminskas has made significant achievements and contributions to the Britannia Table Tennis Club over the past year. His dedication to coaching, innovative approach, and commitment to the club’s success have had a lasting impact on the young players and the overall community. His efforts are truly deserving of recognition and celebration.

Kaiser Williams
Nominated by Susan Laffey

Kaiser is a long-time member of Bromley TTC – he has been playing since he was a child and was one of the few youngsters who returned to the club after we were closed for two and a half years due to lockdown. Since then he has played a key role in welcoming new members when they walk through the door, encouraging them and sharing his knowledge of the game.

For example, despite being aged only 14 at the time, (he is now 16), when I joined the club soon after it re-opened, Kaiser’s support and encouragement was one of the main reasons I kept coming. I am not the only adult member who would say the same thing.

During 2024, Kaiser has taken this informal support to a new level. As soon as he was old enough, he signed up for a Level 1 coaching course, passing this easily in April 2024. His practice coaching sessions for this were planned meticulously and delivered confidently, despite being to a mixed-ability group comprising people aged 8 to 70.

Since qualifying he has regularly joined in our weekly coaching sessions, alongside other more experienced coaches, often taking the lead with younger or less experienced players. Every session he does is well-prepared and is part of a sequence – he puts in time at home to make sure everything is thoroughly prepared, and he seeks advice from other coaches to aid his professional development.

Kaiser has a strong sense of fun and always makes sure his sessions involve games and other activities which ensure they are enjoyable for all. The amount of new young players who return to the club, week after week, making visible progress, since he started coaching is testament to the way he has achieved a balance between rigour and enjoyment.

As well as coaching others, Kaiser continues to develop his own skills – he regularly attends coaching sessions himself and is now also representing our club, and the wider sport of table tennis, with professionalism, playing in Dudley League and the Junior British Clubs League. He also plays for his Sixth Form College.

Away from the table, he has helped promote the club to a wider audience, having an input on poster design and photography for our social media. He is full of great ideas and takes every opportunity to share these. Before the summer we were worried about membership numbers falling, but, with Kaiser’s help, we are now thriving as a club with many more people playing on a regular basis.

Kaiser has not just been a key volunteer at Bromley TT Club; last summer he volunteered for Table Tennis England at the Olympic Fan Zone at King’s Cross in London. He is now looking forward to taking advantage of any other volunteering opportunities open to young people of his age. He aspires to take the next level of coaching qualification in future and in the meantime is fully committed to promoting table tennis whenever and however he can.