Table tennis players are being urged to help shape the future of sport in Britain.
The government has today launched a public consultation on a new nationwide strategy for sport and wants to hear from as many individuals and organisations as possible on what more can be done to use sport to help improve many more lives.
The consultation follows 10 key themes:
- Participation
- Physical Activity
- Children and Young People
- Financial Sustainability
- Coaching, Workforce and Good Governance
- Elite and Professional Sport
- Infrastructure
- Fairness and Equality
- Safety and Wellbeing
- International Influence and Major Sporting Events
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said: “Sport has such a positive impact on people’s lives and I want to embed participation into this nation’s DNA.
“I want to make sure that the sports sector gives everybody – no matter who they are and what their ability – the chance to take part.
“However, public funding is a privilege not a right and has to go to the organisations that can make a real difference.
“I want to hear views from people and groups on what more we can do to strengthen sport in this country across the board.”
Table Tennis England chief executive Sara Sutcliffe is urging as many table tennis stakeholders as possible to have their say.
She said: “There is no doubt the landscape of sport, and how it is funded, will change as a result of this strategy when it is published.
“This is therefore a fantastic opportunity to make sure our sport’s voice is heard during the consultation period, to ensure we can thrive in the new landscape.
“Table Tennis England will be making a formal response during the consultation period and we urge our own members and those of partner organisations to have their say via the government website.”
Table Tennis England has already started putting together a working group, comprising National Councillors and Board members, to draft its official response. The response will be shared with the full Board and National Council before being finalised.
The consultation period opened today and will run for two months, until Friday October 2, 2015.
Click here to visit the government website to read the consultation paper and for details about how to make your response.
You can also follow discussions on Twitter, using the #SportingFuture hashtag
Meanwhile, the CEO Forum, which is made up of 39 sports, including table tennis, and is an independent voice which helps to influence national and local policies, has today updated its State of Play document, which shows clear evidence of the impact of National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in raising and maintaining sports participation rates.