Christmas wishes

First of all I would like to send to all members, friends, supporters, guests and any other visitors to this site very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Below you will find my Christmas card to you all. I am sorry I am not sending you a personal card but I hope that you will accept this greeting!

This Christmas my wife and I have received so many lovely Christmas cards, I am almost totally spoilt for choice over which I could use to send greetings to my table tennis friends. I have chosen this very simple card because the line from the Christmas carol which it uses says, I believe, a lot about our table tennis club!

It has been another funny year, and it comes to an end amidst uncertainty about the New Year with the corona virus pandemic still very much alive, and it seems, once again threatening our health and safety. Despite the virus we were able to get our doors open again and restart table tennis. That has been mainly as a result of our faithful members and our faithful, diligent and vigilant management team. To our faithful members we have tried to say 'thank you' in various ways, either by refunding part of a previous years membership subscription or inviting you to attend our Christmas cabaret night at a very low price! It is the faithfulness and support of so many of our members that has got us through this past 2 years.

However there is far more to our club than acknowledging faithful members. This year we have been able to say 'O come all ye'. We have been delighted to open our doors and invite anyone interested to come and take a look. We held two fantastic open weekends, and since then we have held regular open evenings when anyone, whether a member or not, can pop in and play. In addition we hosted for the first time the Table Tennis England TTKidz programme. A fabulous 8 week course introducing children aged between 7 - 11 to table tennis. And when we held our Christmas social and cabaret night, the hall was full of members, guests and friends, all were welcome. So truly, I believe, this year we have said, 'o come all'.

Yes, I know I am taking that Christmas carol out of context, but it seemed to me just so appropriate to the kind of table tennis club we are. One that is open and inviting to any who would venture in. I am sure you do not need me to draw any more parallels with that original Christmas narrative, where the invitation was equally open to all.

It is really fabulous to see so much happening at our table tennis club in these days. May it continue as we move towards the New Year. Whatever the New Year holds, stay safe, remain vigilant in protecting your own health and that of others too. And I very much look forward to seeing you again at our club in the New Year.