Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club received Young Carers accreditation from Family Action, The Bridge Young Carers.

The award is in recognition of the club’s commitment to supporting young carers through table tennis and their volunteering pathway.

New and current members with caring responsibilities will register with the club’s Young Carer Lead, Nikki Rutter, and receive additional help and support to work around their additional needs.

The club acted because they believe young carers may have additional responsibilities but they are young people first and deserve the same rights and opportunities as every other young table tennis player.

This confidential service sees Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club at the forefront of tackling sporting inequalities, enhanced by its recent registration with Max Card, an organisation which provides discounts for looked-after children and families with disabled children, meaning young carers and their families could have the opportunity to play table tennis at a discounted rate.