WIGAN TABLE TENNIS CLUB is celebrating a major boost having secured Olympic Legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund!
Sport England today revealed that more than 1,000 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, which is part of the £150million Places People Play legacy programme. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the links to the Games.
Wigan Table Tennis Club has secured an award of £50,000 to extend their home venue of Platt Bridge Community Centre.
Club Chairman Paul Clark said: “We are delighted with our award from the Sport England Inspired Facilities Fund.
“Table tennis has been a boom sport in Wigan over the last three years and this award will enable us to really take this to the next level.
“We will be extending our current shared playing premises to provide a table tennis specific, seven day a week facility. This allows us to double the playing space, and have it available at all times.”
He added: “We will be able to introduce many more players to our great game, doubling our membership, continue our work with the local primary and secondary schools by inviting them to the club for full class coaching sessions, and increase the number of teams playing in our local league from 11 to 22.
“In addition we would look at reaching out into the local community and offering daytime sessions for all ages and abilities.
“This has given us a fantastic opportunity to provide a table tennis legacy, one that we fully intend to fulfil.”
Local Councillor Eunice Smethurst said: “This is fantastic news, and will give Wigan Table Tennis Club a much needed improved facility. It will enable the club to reach more people within the local and surrounding areas and to continue and improve upon the excellent work that they currently do. I always enjoy visiting the club and am looking forward to seeing the finished facility.”
Wigan Table Tennis Club is one of 310 projects across the England to receive lottery investment from the third round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of over 1,000 to benefit overall, with the milestone being achieved one year ahead of schedule.
Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, announced: “This National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in Greater Manchester from last year’s successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.
With so many clubs in the North West having benefitted from this fund already and building on the success of last summer, this is the legacy people want for their local community.”
For further details please contact Paul Clark on [email protected], 07932 035586 or Steve Rowe on [email protected], 07840 466691