Don Parker will chair a new Table Tennis England board sub-committee which has been set up to provide strategic oversight of the England talent and performance programme.

Don, one of our Elected Directors, represented England more than 200 times during his table tennis playing career and later served as national coach. He also served with distinction as Sports Director at Commonwealth Games England.

He will be joined on the committee by fellow Elected Director Ritchie Venner, newly appointed Director Dr Emma Vickers, herself a senior England international, Chief Executive Sara Sutcliffe and Chairman Sandra Deaton. Senior members of the performance staff will also join the committee.

The committee is seeking to co-opt two further members to bring additional and complementary skills and experience to the committee. To find out more, including how to apply, please click here.

The terms of reference for the Talent and Performance Committee can be read here.

Committee Chairman Don Parker said: “I am very pleased to be chairing this new Committee on Talent and Performance. It gives us a great opportunity to pool the resources of everyone involved in wanting to deliver the best that English table tennis can offer.

“This means bringing together our Board members; our most successful international players and coaches; and our Table Tennis England coaches and personnel. Working together we can deliver the optimum benefits and opportunities for our up and coming young, talented players.

“Our common goal is to see English players succeeding at the highest level and I have no doubt that this is the way we can achieve that.

“I am pleased that my Board colleagues, Dr Emma Vickers, an elite player and with a professional background in high level athlete performance; and Ritchie Venner, who has played table tennis at a top level in England for more than 40 years, will be joining me.

“We also have two spaces on the Committee for co-opted members with proven international experience in playing and/or coaching.

“Working to support the Table Tennis England staff and coaches, I am confident that we can provide the platform and pathway for our young players to achieve their potential and make a real challenge at the highest international levels.”

Table Tennis England Chairman Sandra Deaton said: “Competing and succeeding on the international stage is increasingly difficult for our players. Bringing together a wealth of knowledge and experience in this new Board sub-committee will provide strategic resource to the performance coaching team.

“We all want England to be as strong as possible in the coming years. In particular I want to encourage players and coaches with recent experience of the international table tennis environment to consider applying for the co-opted positions.”