Table Tennis is to feature as a free activity in several libraries city wide in Leeds. This new initiative in conjunction with Leeds City Council will see the libraries become community hubs that promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. The community hubs will also offer services such as Employment and Skills Training, Benefits and Housing advice and NHS Services. Six libraries have currently signed up to offer Table Tennis where their staff will be trained as Activators to run regular sessions. Cross Gates library are particularly interested in becoming a community club and offering evening access for local residents.
Sally Shutt – Table Tennis England Development Officer North commented – ‘This is a great opportunity to engage local communities. Many of the cities’ libraries have a really good accessible space that is ideal for Table Tennis. We have already had a really successful project at Moor Allerton library who received a Ping! legacy table in 2014. Local residents whilst using the library service reserve the table for one hour slots. We have also run successful Ping! events there in the school holidays which have proved really popular with families’.