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Monday
13 October 2003

News Release

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TABLE TENNIS IS HEADLINE NEWS!

The Club hit the front page of the Essex Chronicle recently when it was falsely and unjustifiably accused of preventing athletes from using the prestigious Melbourne Athletics centre for athletics training. The Club now uses the Melbourne centre once a week for its Friday Night Club & Coaching activities. 

But as they say there is no such thing as adverse publicity. The Article (a copy of which you can find from this link) and the editorial comment brought round condemnation from the Club, the League and most encouragingly parents of children attending the coaching programme. A further letter from Borough Councillor M Moulds (Executive member for Leisure, Youth and Community Safety) stressed the commercial sense in the use by the Club as well as highlighting the inaccuracies of the article.

The Club has proved by the attendance figures at Melbourne that not only is table tennis flourishing but it continues to attract wide interest across the age and ability spectrum. And nowhere is this better illustrated than at the Friday Club Night at Melbourne.

In his letter published in the 10 October edition of the Chronicle, Councillor Moulds says:

"I would like to take this opportunity to redress the balance of your article "Athlete's can't use top centre".

There are two major flaws in the report, firstly the headline and secondly the assertion that the centre is solely for athletics training.

Many athletes use the facility .... but it is not exclusively for athletes. The Sport England Lottery Fund grant was awarded to provide a community sports facility and training for athletes.

He (Mr Hawkins of Braintree Athletics Club) has booked the  facility on three Friday evenings over the past year generating less than 20 visits a year. the remaining Friday evenings were virtually unused by athletes so a booking was accepted from a leading table tennis club attracting over 50 players per week (2500 visits a year).

As a facility paid for by Chelmsford Borough Council taxpayers it is important to maximise usage of such facilities"

The Club totally agrees with Councillor Moulds, and has sort to make this first class facility as widely available and used by table tennis players as possible.

If you would like to see more of what was published in the Essex Chronicle take these links:-

1.   Letter from General Secretary of the Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League 
      (Essex Chronicle 3 October 2003).

2.   Letters from Club Secretary Adrian Pitt, and parents Peter and Susan Thomas.

The Club were delighted by the support it received over this issue and would like to thank those who contributed to it. And what's more it has heightened interest in the table tennis activities!