Group Leader: Jane Carroll

The table tennis group meets on Monday afternoons from 2.00 to 4..00pm at Widdington Village Hall. If you are interested then please contact Jane - details above.

There is also Table Tennis 1 which meets on Wednesdays from 1.30 to 4.30pm

Reflections from members

The table tennis section has been running for many years on a Wednesday at Widdington village hall. It started as a popular and busy session with only a couple of tables to entertain the crowds. Numbers dropped during and just after the covid period, but I am glad to see that numbers are increasing weekly. We now have 4 table tennis tables and have started a second session on a Monday, to accommodate everyone and ensure that the wait for the next game doesn’t take too long. The atmosphere is friendly and you are soon greeting fellow ping pong players like you have known them all your life.

There is a broad range of skills, but I would say the vast majority played as children and have returned 50 years later, to recapture those care free days of their youth. The games are played as doubles; four people wander up to the free table to start the game. We play best of 3 games each scoring to 11. The advantage of having 4 people playing doubles is hopefully at least one person will remember the score and who’s serving, although sometimes a best guess is agreed by all to allow the game to continue. Playing doubles brings out the different skills of each player, incorporating many unorthodox shots and adds an element of luck into the mix. It quickly becomes apparent that the aim is to hit the ball and land it back on the table; this quickly escalates as each player hits wilder and more erratic shots until inevitability someone misses.

At 3 o’clock we stop for tea… or coffee, queueing at the hatch reminds me of my school days, happily collecting my afternoon tea and biscuits. Chairs are placed around so we can sit and enjoy a light-hearted chat.

Back to the Table tennis for the last few games, a few people have started to leave having got their exercise for the week. The session draws to a close; the tables are put away until next time. As we say out goodbyes no one remembers how many games were won or lost for it is of no importance, but there is always a chance we will win more next week.

U3A Members