Club looking to help secure future of its home

Cheslyn Hay Table Tennis Club has been part of the community in the village since 1974 and has begun work to raise funds to help Salem Church, where the club is based.

Club secretary John Quinn said the church has gone through a difficult period because of Covid and the club was working to help where it could.

He said: "At the moment, the church needs at least £500 a week as they have hardly any money currently in reserve due to Covid.

"The place was closed for a long time and there have been less people going to church as people have been wary due to infections and restrictions and the costs there are going up all the time."

Mr Quinn said the club was planning to do events such as an open day and a 12-hour table tennis marathon to help with fundraising and said that it was crucial to the club to be able to stay at Salem Church.

He said: "We are positive here at the club and want to keep at this church as it is community based and we put a lot into it and it would be almost impossible to find another venue in the village.

"We have a club which is open six days a week and we do kids training for seven to 11-year-olds and 12 to 16-year-olds and we've got nine teams in the Walsall and Wolverhampton League and six tables.

"We would not be able to go anywhere else and that's why we're doing our best to try and get a bit of money for the church and, hopefully, the other community users will do the same as it's in everyone's interest."

Mr Quinn said the club was a community-focused club which helped to provide opportunities to play the game for people of all ages, with the oldest member aged 80.

He said: "We've brought more than 300 children through the academy and we also have the Bat n' Chat sessions every Thursday for people aged 65 and over and we've enjoyed award success for it.

"It isn't all about the awards though, as we also think it's about getting people together and having a laugh as the social side is the most important aspect, with Bat n' Chat about playing a bit and coming together.

"We get people down and charge around £3 each for a session and give some to the church and spend the rest on our social fund, so it's really important to be active and that's what this club is about as it's a social community."

Mr Quinn said the club was looking for sponsors to help the club to maintain its facilities and help fund the church and said it would help secure the facilities and allow him to concentrate on the club.

He said: "We're looking for sponsors who can help the club as we have a lot of expenses through decorating the room we are in as the church is 60 years old and hasn't been damp-proofed, so we're always painting.

"I will pay the church £2,500 a year and contribute more, but it would be nice to get a sponsor of some kind to help me concentrate on the table tennis side of things."

To find out more about the club and to enquire about sponsorship, go to facebook.com/CheslynHayTTClub/