With hundreds of events involving countless thousands of people all over the country, the fifth annual #TableTennisDay was arguably the busiest yet.
Clubs, schools, workplaces, community groups and assorted other venues including a museum and a cruise ship all got involved on a day when everyone comes together to celebrate our sport and – most importantly – to pick up a bat and play.
Here’s a round-up of just a small number of social media posts and photos from the day, starting with one of our star guests in Milton Keynes, Aaron McKibbin, plus a special message from Table Tennis England Chairman Sandra Deaton and the England squad at the European Youth Championships in Romania!
Aaron McKibbin
Had good fun with @TableTennisENG and @MariaTsaptsinos for #TableTennisDay playing with the public and even trying virtual reality tt as well as trying to play on a table made of snow. Hope everyone enjoyed!
— Aaron Mckibbin (@Kibsta91) July 18, 2018
The England squad
National #TableTennisDay went international this year with #TeamEngland and TTE’s chairwoman Sandra Deaton sending a message in from the European Youth Championships! #EYC2017 @ETTU_TTennis #tabletennis https://t.co/IAQ7YOTe8k
— Table Tennis England (@TableTennisENG) July 18, 2018
Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, one of our membership benefits partners, organised tournaments on four of their ships, including the Balmoral.
St Augustine’s School in Castlefields, Runcorn celebrated the opening of their two new outdoor table tennis tables with North West Regional Chairman of Table Tennis England, Karen Tonge MBE, accompanied by Ken Tonge. 60 pupils enjoyed learning new skills.
And from Leeds Grand Mosque:
At Laleham Gap School in Ramsgate, there was, among other events, a staff-versus-pupils tournament, which was won by the Primary pupils by a margin of 36:15, telling staff they need to practise! The Secondary pupils also ended up comfortable winners – after 67 matches pupils won 46: 21.
There was also a ‘Hit Mr Ursell’ competition, a target game named after their school coach and actually involving plastic figures rather than the teacher!
At the Redweb agency in Bournemouth, leading Junior player Matthew Daish gave a mastclass to around 30 people at a lunchtime session.
Bramley Sunnyside Junior School, Rotherham
Bling a bat, design a bat #TableTennisDay @TableTennisENG pic.twitter.com/7ggu1viWgG
— Bramley Sunnyside Ju (@BramleyJunior) July 18, 2018
Plymouth Sport
After 21 miles on the @bikespace cargobike, Central Park Golf is the last stop of #TableTennisDay #TourOfTheTables #LoveParks #Plymotion pic.twitter.com/rzgrdSAspl
— Plymouth Sports (@sportplymouth) July 18, 2018
House of Sport
We’re celebrating #TableTennisDay with our residents in House of Sport today! Thanks to Alice @TableTennisENG for organising! pic.twitter.com/QTgRWjUcb9
— HouseofSport (@HouseofSportLDN) July 18, 2018
Great Ormond Street Hospital
To celebrate #tabletennisday, here are two of our favourite table tennis stars returning to GOSH to visit patients and staff. Shout out to past patients and Paralympic medalists @WillBayleytt and @Rosswilsontt! ☺️ pic.twitter.com/pxovmWbPdR
— GOSH (@GreatOrmondSt) July 18, 2018
Fit For Me Liverpool
@lpoolcouncil Physical Activity & Sport Development team making great use of their lunch break for #TableTennisDay #LATWTT @MerseysideSport with a score of 51 @PingLiverpoolTT pic.twitter.com/9y4gmDtcbE
— Fit For Me (@FitForMeLpool) July 18, 2018
Mansfield Museum
We’re ready! #TableTennisDay @TableTennisENG #healthandwellbeing @MDC_News pic.twitter.com/TgGruHL27O
— Mansfield Museum (@MansfieldMuseum) July 18, 2018
Parliament Hill
This lunchtime we got involved in #TableTennisDay with a quick game on our slightly improvised table! @TableTennisENG pic.twitter.com/1LJOQsh3Cq
— Parliament Hill Ltd. (@ParliamentHill1) July 18, 2018
Brompton Academy
Busy morning @BromptonAcademy for #TableTennisDay We will be running sessions at break and lunch too! pic.twitter.com/xr82fKYdpG
— Brompton Academy PE (@BromptonPE) July 18, 2018
Greenhouse Sports
Two of the youngest boys on our IOW TT camp demonstrating 2BH 2FH exercise – well done guys. It’s not always easy having to do the demonstration infront of others #resilience #confidence – National #TableTennisDay pic.twitter.com/SlSvTBIzCn
— Greenhouse Sports (@_Greenhouse_) July 18, 2018
Table Tennis Rother
Some more of the activities celebrating #tabletennisday at #bexhillacademy on Monday. #rye #bexhill #littlecommoin #sidley #1066tweets #hastings pic.twitter.com/jCjdlfRvdx
— Table Tennis Rother (@RotherTabTen) July 17, 2018
Support from Team England
It’s #TableTennisDay so we’re throwing it back to Team England winningat Gold Coast 2018.
Look at that match point @Rosswilsontt @KimDaybell pic.twitter.com/2lQxVbi8DN
— Team England (@TeamEngland) July 18, 2018
St John’s Shopping Centre, Liverpool
What a day at St Johns! It’s been great fun having you all in to ‘Challenge a Celeb’ with @PingLiverpoolTT. Happy #TableTennisDay! pic.twitter.com/egHEEKMM8J
— St Johns Liverpool (@StJohnsShopping) July 18, 2018
Surrey FA
A “friendly” lunchtime tournament #TableTennisDay @TableTennisENG pic.twitter.com/JTv5RsH6tt
— Surrey FA (@surreyfa) July 18, 2018
Bedford town centre
#nationaltabletennisday in #Bedford. 40 people played before lunch time on another lovely sunny day in Harpur square with @randdcoaching. Play for free and find out about our loop tables, local leagues and all our other community sessions and clubs. #sportforall #TableTennisDay pic.twitter.com/0mxLcP2OZw
— Robert Lindsay (@robianlindsay) July 18, 2018
Sprint telecommunications
We’re enjoying National #tabletennisday at Sprint! pic.twitter.com/ouJEffZ8o4
— Sprint Eastwood (@EastwoodSprint) July 18, 2018
Delt Shared Services, Plymouth
Anyone for Whiff Whaff? Some Ping Pong fun for #TableTennisDay as our staff play “Shoe can play that game”, “Buck-IT”, #Beattheboss and Tennis Table. pic.twitter.com/1S7LhzM5IW
— Delt Shared Services (@DeltServices) July 18, 2018
Warmington, Northants
Warmington has a new table tennis club launching today on #TableTennisDay pic.twitter.com/6gcBl8Ly6P
— Simon Wilce (@simonwilce) July 18, 2018
Milton Keynes Community Foundation
To celebrate national #TableTennisDay MK Community Foundation are getting into the swing of things and playing some games in Fred Roche Gardens! @mk_ping pic.twitter.com/XK7uFAF4ij
— MK Com Foundation (@MKComFoundation) July 18, 2018
Royal Derby Hospital
It’s #TableTennisDay so General Manager for Facilities Management Rob has been outside Royal Derby Hospital challenging visitors to a game of table tennis. One patient said: ‘This is great, it’s distracted me from the worry of feeling poorly’ #TeamUHDB pic.twitter.com/5zIW8ZHKMD
— University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS FT (@UHDBTrust) July 18, 2018
LawNet, Leamington Spa
It will be no surprise to anyone who has visited our office that we are celebrating #tabletennisday Here’s @ChrisMarston12 & @helenhshaw in action! pic.twitter.com/PVKC7ShjJf
— LawNet (@LawNetUK) July 18, 2018
Datatel Solutions, Preston
We decided that seeing as we enjoy (un)friendly games of table tennis all year, we needed to celebrate #TableTennisDay right with an office tournament . Winner earns the whole offices respect… We take play very seriously here at Datatel. #WednesdayMotivation pic.twitter.com/2ARg9VbAIg
— Datatel Solutions (@DatatelS) July 18, 2018
Affinty Trust, Leeds
Our Opportunities Service in #Leeds provides a broad range of community-based activities for people with learning disabilities – to mark national #TableTennisDay, here’s Debora in action @StVincentsLeeds pic.twitter.com/rKJmdjlEOK
— Affinity Trust (@AffinityTrust) July 18, 2018
Three Guru, Derby
Any excuse for a game of desk ping pong #tabletennisday @tableTennisENG @loop_tweets #HumpDayHappiness pic.twitter.com/3S3hKsoJPR
— threeguru (@threeguru) July 18, 2018
Xscape, Milton Keynes
Not something you see everyday…table tennis on snow! #TableTennisDay ❄️☃️ https://t.co/dxiQhddWfj
— XscapeMK (@XscapeMK) July 18, 2018
Halton TTC
Claire Minter from @bbcmerseyside enjoys a bit of ping pong in #Widnes during #tabletennisday – We think she is a natural! pic.twitter.com/PKc0hZb9T9
— Halton Council (@HaltonBC) July 18, 2018
Bricknell Primary School, Hull
Pupils trying out their skills at Bricknell Primary #TableTennisDay #starsofthefuture pic.twitter.com/iUIRymuuI8
— Bricknell Primary (@BPSHull) July 18, 2018
Eden PR, Nottingham
The extended Eden team supported #TableTennisDay today – here is Stuart in action @loop_tweets looking very professional @HelloItsSERVE @TableTennisENG pic.twitter.com/RkaXNW5g6K
— eden pr (@edenprnews) July 18, 2018