Do you know someone who has risen to the challenges posed by the pandemic and carried on helping people to enjoy table tennis? If so, they could be our Lockdown Local Hero!

It’s a new category in our Pride of Table Tennis Awards which celebrate and honour the contribution made by the volunteers who are the heartbeat of our sport.

We’ve had some great nominations, but there are still a few days left to add to them before nominations close at 11.59pm on Sunday, October 18.

[button link=”https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/programs/pride-of-table-tennis/nominate-for-the-pride-of-table-tennis-awards/?award-category=Lockdown%20Local%20Hero%20Award%20-%20NEW”]Click here to nominate a Lockdown Local Hero[/button]

Among the Lockdown Local Hero candidates is young England pathway athlete Bethany Ellis, who raised more than £1,600 for Cancer Research UK by running 100km in a week – and even received support from world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, who lives in the same town.

Sally Maddison, headteacher of the Sir John Sherbrooke Junior School in Nottingham has also been put forward. SJS was already a school which believed in the power of table tennis to transform lives an Sally kept up this ethos during lockdown with a series of challenges which kept table tennis in the forefront of pupils’ and parents’ thinking.

Several club stalwarts have been nominated too, including Matt Porter of Bishop Auckland TTC, Richard Grethe of Hampstead Garden Suburb TTC and Derek Connop of Portishead TTC, all of whom kept their club members engaged and involved online and via social media. Rory Scott of Horsham Spinners is also among the nominations, for his online training videos and chat shows to provide entertainment and hope during lockdown.

As well as Lockdown Local Hero, you can nominate in any of our categories, including the blue riband Volunteer of the Year and Young Volunteer of the Year.

We also have awards for Coach of the Year, Technical Official of the Year, Club of the Year, League of the Year, Partner of the Year, Inspirational Story, the Inclusivity Award and the new category of School of the Year. And for those who have put in a huge commitment over a number of years, there is the Contribution to Table Tennis Award.

[button link=”https://tabletennisengland.co.uk/programs/pride-of-table-tennis/pride-of-table-tennis-awards-and-criteria/”]Click here to make a nomination in any category[/button]