St Neots Official Opening
Category : General League News
The Champagne corks were flying on the 6th Feb-10 when 100 members and guests attended the official re-opening of St Neots Table Tennis Club. The event was to mark the completion of a major refurbishment programme which saw the club premises updated with a new build social and clubroom area, showers and toilets, and last but not least a completely refurbished Table Tennis hall.
£390,000 was spent in total on the project which commenced in January-09 although there had been considerable work before then to pull it all together. Club Chairman Roger Howard welcomed the Rt Hon Jonathan Djanogly MP who conducted the official opening. Roger on behalf of the club thanked Sport England & the English Table Tennis Association for the grant £350,000 also Huntingdon District Council & Cambridgeshire County Council for their support & grant of £25,000. He gave special thanks to Lesley Rate who had persuaded the committee to undertake the work, Colin Luscombe who used his professional knowledge to project manage the development for the club & David Naylor who canvassed local business for funding support & with the help of the club’s committee raised over £10,000.
Following the official part of the day an exhibition match between Mick Harper and Keith Richardson with St Neots Club Support & Coaching Officer Mark Mitchell acting as compere and match Official. Following this people were given the opportunity to pick up a bat and have a go themselves and there was also a robot in action to give guests a taste of what the club has to offer.
The club is now looking forward to the next 30 years at their rejuvenated venue. A recent venture is their partnership with the ETTA and Hunts School Sports Partnership to fund a part time Club Support & Coaching Officer. Mark Mitchell was appointed to that post in Dec-09 with his role to work in local schools as well as St Neots club. It is planned that the school partnership will lead to an influx of young players keen to take to up the sport. Mark has already made an impact in his Monday evening sessions at the club and with his experience both as a player and coach the club have high hopes.
Following the official part of the day an exhibition match between Mick Harper and Keith Richardson with St Neots Club Support & Coaching Officer Mark Mitchell acting as compere and match Official. Following this people were given the opportunity to pick up a bat and have a go themselves and there was also a robot in action to give guests a taste of what the club has to offer.
The club is now looking forward to the next 30 years at their rejuvenated venue. A recent venture is their partnership with the ETTA and Hunts School Sports Partnership to fund a part time Club Support & Coaching Officer. Mark Mitchell was appointed to that post in Dec-09 with his role to work in local schools as well as St Neots club. It is planned that the school partnership will lead to an influx of young players keen to take to up the sport. Mark has already made an impact in his Monday evening sessions at the club and with his experience both as a player and coach the club have high hopes.