From left: Hiba Feridj (London Academy), John Blackband (Chairman, ESTTA), Alan Ransome OBE (Managing Director, Ransome Sporting Goods), Tom Jarvis (2015 Butterfly Schools' Under-19 Individual champion), John Arnold MBE (President, ESTTA) and Joe Clark (Northfield School and Sports College)

The English Schools’ Table Tennis Association (ESTTA) has signed a new sponsorship agreement with Ransome Sporting Goods.

The six-year agreement covers the supply of equipment for the National Finals of the Butterfly School Team and Butterfly Schools’ Individual Championships – next year sees the 50th hosting of the National School Team event.

Also within the sponsorship is the provision of kit for the English Schools’ teams playing in the International School Sport Federation (ISF) World Schools’ Table Tennis Championships, together with ongoing support for the Butterfly ‘More Schools’ and Butterfly Schools’ League Development Projects.

John Blackband, Chairman of ESTTA, said: “We are delighted to secure another six-year sponsorship agreement with Ransome Sporting Goods. This agreement safeguards the immediate to long-term stability of the Association and provides us with the opportunity to work again with RSG to continue our aim to ‘Promote, Encourage and Improve the playing of Table Tennis in Schools’.

“Without this major input, ESTTA would be unable to continue to provide an extensive team and individual competition programme and assist with developmental offers that have been a significant part of the work done in schools.”

Alan Ransome OBE, Managing Director of Ransome Sporting Goods, the exclusive distributors of Butterfly equipment for the United Kingdom and Ireland, said: “As the leading supplier of table tennis equipment to the education sector, this agreement provides the opportunity to invest in a market in a way which really makes a difference.

“Our support for English Schools enables them to deliver two core elements of their programme, competitions which are some of the largest and best organised in the country, and development which encourages more schools to take part.”

John Arnold MBE (President/Development Office, ESTTA)
June 3, 2015