Sawtry Table Tennis Club was probably formed in the early 1980’s. However, Peter Blundell and Bernie Shannon took over the running of the club in 1985. In that year the club was in the Hunts Central League Division 4. The club played upstairs in the Sawtry Village Community College (now known as Sawtry Village Academy). In 1985, we only had 1 League Team with a squad of 5 players, but we managed t
o win the League! In 1988/89 season we changed premises and played out of the Sawtry Workingman’s Club, playing on half carpet and half wooden floor. We now joined the Peterborough League and started off in Division 4. In our 1st season in Division 4, we won the League and the Division 4 Handicap Knock-Out Cup. We were promoted to Division 3 for the 1989/90 season and again we won the League and the Division Handicap Knock-Out Cup. In 1991 we changed premises again and moved to Thurning Church Hall. We now had 2 League Teams with a squad of 8 players. By the 1995/96 season, we had progressed to Division 1 and we did the double winning the League and the League Handicap Cup Competition. In 2005/06 season, we repeated our success by winning the Peterborough League Handicap Competition once again. With players moving out of the area or giving up playing, we were back to 1 League Team, but we were playing in the Premier Division against all the top players in Peterborough! It was always Peter’s intention to try and find a larger venue in Sawtry where the club could encourage more people to take up the sport. Bernie Shannon was working at the local school, enquiries were made and we moved to Sawtry Junior School (now known as the Sawtry Junior Academy) in 2014/15 season. As we had a larger hall, we increased our table capacity to 4 tables, 2 belonging to the school and 2 owned by the club. Peter advertised the club on Facebook and in the Sawtry Eye and we soon increased the membership to 24 and once again we were able to enter 2 Teams into the Local League. Our 1st Team had been relegated in successive seasons, so we now had 2 Teams in Division 4. The next season saw the promotion of 1 Team to Division 3. In the season 2019/20 we were able to enter 3 teams in the Local League, 1 in Division 3 and 2 in Division 4. The season was cut short due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, but the Division 3 Team were runners up and potentially could be in Division 2 when the League resumes. Having moved to the local school, we have been able to run after school clubs with the help of local Table Tennis Coach, Pauline Williams. She also has become a member of the club and is a key member of the team. Before Coronavirus Pandemic, we had 39 members ranging from Over 60’s, 18-59’s and to Under 18’s, however due to Coronavirus Pandemic, only 23 members have returned with an average weekly attendance of 17 members. Prior to the recent Lockdown (November 2020), we were running the club on 2 nights, Monday and Tuesday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, booking slots to play table tennis. During the 2020/21 season (No League Matches have happened due to the pandemic), we have become a Table Tennis England Associate Club. This will allow us to bid for grants and expand the club even further. But we do cater for all ages 7 years to over 75’s.
