The Durham High Sheriff awards were held at the spectacular Bowes Museum on April 6, with Bishop Auckland Table Tennis club coming away with a prize for their commitment to young people.

The High Sheriff Awards Scheme, managed by County Durham Community Foundation, makes the annual award in recognition of groups in the community which encourage useful and beneficial pursuits for young people, supporting them to be upstanding citizens and deterred from criminal activities and/or to positively turn their lives around.

The panel were impressed with the community approach by the club, providing young people the chance to do more than just play table tennis, by providing the opportunities to do qualifications such as coaching badges and officiating, and using the sport to develop and inspire young people to better themselves.

“To be given this award is a real honour,” said club Chair Matthew Porter. “As a club we want to provide the opportunity for people to get involved in the sport in all manner of ways, and to use sport as a way to develop and inspire people to better themselves and the community.

“The groups we were awarded alongside show what a great amount of work is being done in the area to develop young people and the county.”