New chief praises ‘fantastic’ club
STRATFORD Table Tennis Club was honoured to welcome the new CEO of Table Tennis England, Sally Lockyer, reports Kevin Taylor.
With her wealth of experience in sport and her commitment to being brave and bold in driving growth, it’s clear that exciting times lie ahead for table tennis in England.
England’s table tennis chief lives in Shottery and has taken a huge interest in our club, expressing her amazement at what we have achieved in such a short space of time — particularly on a limited budget.
It was fantastic to share our journey with her and showcase our 20-table venue at Meon Vale Leisure Centre, with the vast majority of tables donated by other clubs or sourced from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
We’re incredibly grateful to Shipston company RYSE 3D who recently funded three brand new tables to support our growing community. The club also boasts a number of outdoor tables across the area through our partnership with Table Tennis England under the PING Stratford-upon-Avon banner.
Sally brings an incredible wealth of experience, having previously served as CEO of Surrey FA, held senior roles at the British Athletes Commission, Commonwealth Games, and multiple world championship events. She has also worked with Juventus, AC Milan, Fulham and global brands including Nike, Kappa, and Lotto. She also served as an independent non-executive director at Triathlon England and was a Sported Business Mentor, supporting community sports organisations to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people.
Following her visit she said: “It was great to visit Stratford Table Tennis Club. Thank you to Kevin and all the volunteers for welcoming me and for the opportunity to meet and chat to everyone - a fantastic community club with a clear vision and making such a difference in Stratford.”
It’s fantastic to have such an inspiring leader passionate about grassroots table tennis, and we truly appreciate her support. We look forward to welcoming Sally back soon and working together to grow the game.
