WeÔÇÖre boosting inclusivity projects with grants

Twelve organisations have been awarded grants by Table Tennis England to help fund schemes to get more people from underrepresented groups into table tennis.

The successful groups, who include table tennis clubs and other community organisations, were among those to bid for up to £300 each towards projects which focus on inclusivity in one of the following areas: Disability; Women and girls; BAME communities; LGBT+; Mental health.

Despite having initially set aside funding for 10 projects, we were able to expand that due to the high quality of the applications we received.

The groups to receive funding, and the areas they are focusing on, are:

• Freedom Leisure, Woking ÔÇô Women and Girls
• Littleport Leisure, Ely ÔÇô Disability
• Bath Mind ÔÇô Mental health, Women and Girls, BAME
• Winchester City Council ÔÇô Disability, Mental health
• Special Olympics Cornwall ÔÇô Disability
• St Andrews Hospice ÔÇô Disability, Mental health, Women and girls, BAME
• Castle School, Cambridge ÔÇô Disability
• The Rowans, Chatham ÔÇô Disability, Mental health, Women and Girls
• SportsAble, Maidenhead ÔÇô Disability
• Living Sport ÔÇô BAME
• Surrey County Council ÔÇô Disability, Mental health
• Norwich City Table Tennis Club ÔÇô LGBT+

All those who were successful had to show how their project will become sustainable. They must run for at least eight months of the year and be delivered in a community-use venue and be run on a not-for-profit basis.

Greg Yarnall, Head of Development and Volunteering at Table Tennis England, said: ÔÇťWeÔÇÖre delighted to give a helping hand to these projects which seek to open up more playing opportunities for everyone.

ÔÇťTable tennis is a truly inclusive sport and these projects will showcase that fact. We wish them all every success.ÔÇŁ