How North Gwent TTC continuously celebrates impact of volunteering

Table tennis clubs across Welsh communities are built and thrive on the work of dedicated volunteers.

North Gwent TTC is one club that celebrates this in the work they carry out, from weekly sessions to annual competitions, notably honouring the legacy of the late Gerlad Watkins.

Watkins played an instrumental role in the formation of the club back in the early 1990s, then going onto to hold various roles across the club.

From Treasurer and Secretary to Coach, Watkins was omnipresent throughout the club.

Running various sessions every week across multiple locations, Watkins developed countless players who went onto achieve great success in the sport, including national titles and Welsh representation at international events.

People within the Table Tennis Wales community will recognise his name from the Gerald Watkins Blaenau Gwent Open, an established annual event in the Welsh table tennis calendar.

Having adopted his name in recent years to celebrate his legacy after his passing, the event was created by Watkins over three decades ago; he would lead on its organisation every year until 2014, shortly before he retired.

Retirement for Watkins came after 25 years of hands-on passion at North Gwent TTC at the age of 83, shortly after which he was given the title of Club President, just rewards for his unwavering dedication and outstanding contribution to table tennis in the local community.

And aside from titles, the club is doing tangible things to honour Watkins’ legacy and formative work.

“Following Gerald’s retirement,” Greg Price told us, “Committee members were determined to continue the tireless work he did in running the club.”

And North Gwent TTC is going from strength to strength as a result.

Alongside the Gerlad Watkins Blaenau Gwent Open and the North Gwent Open (another annual event hosted by North Gwent TTC), the club runs four weekly sessions, three in Abertillery and one in Tredegar.

A Wednesday club night is accompanied by junior sessions on a Friday night and Live Long Ping Pong on Friday mornings, a session created for people in the Exercise Referral scheme looking to improve mobility and their health; this group also includes many players who are retired, which has provided opportunities to meet new people and be part of a social group.

All 3 sessions are regularly well attended with over 40 members, while the club boasts a strong establish junior section with many players involved in the Gwent or Welsh squads.

Meanwhile, the club runs sessions on Monday evenings in Tredegar. These were re-established following a successful grant application in 2022, which has since allowed the club to attract new players of all ages.

Development of young talent is also a key part within the club, something that Watkins did so well throughout his time coaching at North Gwent TTC.

And through sessions and competitive action, the club continues this work to this day.

“Gerald played a huge role in the history of North Gwent Table Tennis Club,” Greg stated, “and his influence is still felt today.

“As a club, we’re proud to carry on his legacy by continuing to grow the club and supporting the development of our junior players alongside our wider membership.”

Included within this is the competitive pathway at the club; North Gwent TTC regularly enters teams into both the Gwent leagues and the Team Championships of Wales, recently entering as many as six teams.

Success has ensued, as well, with North Gwent A finishing second in the Premier Division and North Gwent C finishing third in Division 3 at the Team Championships.

Meanwhile, many North Gwent TTC junior players have represented the Gwent Junior County side over the past couple of seasons, as well as some in the Wales pathway.

The thriving nature of the club is evidence of the power of volunteers, and what happens when people come together.

It’s fantastic to see such dedication and passion from people across the Table Tennis Wales community, with volunteers at North Gwent TTC ensuring that the legacy Gerald Watkins left behind continues to thrive.