When Steve Filer got the idea for setting up a table tennis club in Newton Poppleford in 2013, he had no idea the club would end up supporting the local community by donating sports equipment to his local school.

As Steve was starting from scratch with no funds or equipment, his first port of call was to place an advert in the Sidmouth Herald asking if anyone had a used table tennis table they would be willing to donate to get the club started. The response was slow but eventually Steve managed to get two tables and the club was finally born.

The next step was to encourage people in Newton Poppleford and the surrounding area to get out of their armchairs and start playing table tennis. He managed to achieve this and attendances grew to the point that the club was able to buy its first quality competition table within a year.

Two more tables were subsequently purchased and a few years later the club decided to offer help to its local community and purchased another table, which was donated to the local primary school as part of its sports equipment. This table is now in use and enjoyed every week by the local children.

The club is now a regular feature of the Newton Poppleford community and meets every Wednesday between 7 and 9pm at The Pavilion in Back Lane Newton Poppleford.

The emphasis of the club is to provide a friendly and fun environment for players of all abilities, with most games played as doubles matches. They can also offer tuition if someone has never played before or needs a refresher and because of its more relaxed style, the club has opted not to get involved in league matches. Free refreshments are also on offer halfway through the evening.

All equipment is provided, so no need to bring your own bat and the cost is £2.00 per person per night.

If this seems like the sort of thing you would be interested in, then please don’t hesitate to contact Steve on 01395 567756 or 07958 033882.