New table tennis tables are being provided by Bedford Borough Council in partnership with Table Tennis England through their Loop scheme. There are four new tables which will be located in a number of different locations in Bedford and are available to the public free of charge.
Currently, the Council has three tables based at the Higgins but the table tennis offer has now expanded to accommodate an additional four tables. One table will be based at Elcombe House, a specialist residential care facility for people with dementia; the second table is based at the Pavilion, in Bedford Park, the third at the Central Library and the last table joins the existing three tables at the Higgins. All tables are open to the public and venues have bats and balls available to borrow.
On Mondays, our weekly Mindful Table Tennis sessions will continue to run from 3-4pm at the Higgins. The sessions are being run in partnership by the Bedford Borough Council Sports development team and staff from East London NHS Foundation Trust. A coach will be present for anyone who would like someone to play against or would like tips to improve their technique. Sessions cost only £2! The session is designed to boost confidence, self-esteem and provide a positive start to the week. There have been 70 attendances in the last 6 weeks and the groups provide wonderful peer to peer support.
Cllr Sarah-Jayne Holland, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said “Sport can go beyond physical benefits, building community cohesion and an individual’s self-esteem. These new table tennis tables are great news for the community increasing our table tennis offer for all ahead of an exciting summer.”
Mindful Sport sessions take place EVERY Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, on a weekly basis. To view the Mindful Sport timetable visit our pages on health and mental wellbeing
