Sir Gavin Williamson visited Bat and Chat, a popular social table tennis event in Cheslyn Hay, and put his skills to the test with regulars.
Sir Gavin visited Cheslyn Hay Table Tennis Club’s weekly Bat and Chat event and met with the club’s secretary John Quinn. This initiative aims to provide people over the age of 50 with a relaxed environment in which to enjoy sport and socialise. Run by volunteers, the sessions promote healthy living and help prevent social isolation and loneliness, and have been praised by Table Tennis England.
At almost 50 years old, Cheslyn Hay Table Tennis Club is keen to engage new players and grow its membership. While it initially attracted mostly competitive players, it now offers social table tennis to adults in the Walsall and Wolverhampton areas.
Sir Gavin said: “It was fantastic to join Bat and Chat and I was thoroughly impressed by the level of skill on display. Initiatives such as these are vital in promoting healthy living and preventing social isolation, and I applaud the hard work of the volunteers who keep the event running. I strongly encourage local residents to drop in and try their hand at table tennis, whatever their level.”
John Quinn said: “We welcomed Gavin Williamson to our Bat and Chat session last Thursday and it gave us an opportunity to meet our local MP. He enjoyed a cup of tea and cake together with a few games of table tennis and we appreciated that he made time to meet up with us all and made himself available to talk to each of us and promote our club. His table tennis skills were not bad either!”
More information about the sessions can be found here: http://www.tabletennisengland-impact.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Bat-Chat-at-Cheslyn-Hay-Table-Tennis-Club.pdf
