More than twenty thousand people picked up the bat last year according to Table Tennis England.
Nottingham is a ‘Ping’ city, it was given this special status last summer to encourage the growth of table tennis in the UK.
Nottingham is also home to one of four Table Tennis Development Centre’s. The Sycamore Academy in St Ann’s works with young people to nurture their table tennis talents.
Chris Turner, a Talent Development Coach from Table Tennis England says outdoor tables are highly effective with one school in Nottingham having over a hundred children a day playing the sport.
John and Mavis Slater play at the Academy at the over 50s training and met when their eyes crossed over a singles game and fell in love thanks to the sport.
Video ‘she fell for me in a big way’
Evie Collier, 19, Clifton, picked up the bat when she was seven years old and has had great success in the sport.
Currently she is in the top 20 in England Senior Women’s League for Table Tennis, she also plays for Nottinghamshire in the senior county premier division and in her local Nottingham league.
Video: ‘Table Tennis is hard work’
Plans for the future from Nottingham City council include the aim to make every resident in Nottingham no further than three miles from a free table.
