THE Worcester Table Tennis League have found two new venues ahead of leaving Worcester YMCA in August.

The Portobello pub, St John’s, hosted the league’s AGM and presentation of trophies for the 2018-19 season with president Brian Ovington welcoming all the players present.

Members heard the new bases will be St Martin’s Hall and St Peter’s Village Hall when the YMCA — their headquarters for more than 50 years — is developed into bedroom flats for students.

Beryl Shammon was asked to give out the silverware at the presentation in recognition of her many years of service to the competition.

Rainbow won Division One, Nemesis topped Division Two and St Martins B led Division Three.

The Team Handicap Shield went to Fernhill Heath WMC C and the Plate to Non Blondes.

League chairman Dave Bradley told the meeting: “This year marks the end of an era when we lose access to Worcester YMCA — a venue which has been our home and playing facility for over 50 years.

“It will be strange to lose such an excellent room to play in.

“We now have to find new facilities which have proved difficult due to the storage required of table tennis tables.

“However, we have secured two new venues — St Martin’s Hall and St Peter’s Village Hall.

“We intend to extend our use of St Martin’s Hall for our Sunday and Tuesday practice sessions.

“St Peter’s Hall has two rooms which we will use as appropriate to the number of matches being played on any particular night.

“We are due to vacate the YMCA in August so practice sessions can continue throughout the summer.”

Bradley continued: “This year we welcomed two teams from Evesham to our league.

“If you did play at their venue you will have seen what is possible to achieve with the correct desire and application to grow our sport.”

Treasurer Janet Hunt reported a small profit for the year of £131.

The league had lost one team and entries for the championships were lower.

All current officers were re-elected apart from the Cripplegate lettings officer with Peter Griffiths taking on the post from Shammon who has looked after the bookings for 29 years.

LEAGUE HONOURS

Division One: winners Rainbow (Simon Claxton, Lukasz Gatkiewicz, Pete Griffiths, Mark Clinton), runners-up Cutnall Green Codgers A (Mark Fiddian, Steve Dorrell, Eric Calver, Eliot Brandwood, Richard McKenna, David Brown).

Division Two: winners Nemesis (John Dyke, John Phillips, Steve Mulka, Patryk Kowacz, Laurence Dodd), runners-up T4 (Phil Lewis, Trevor Simmons, Philip Houghton, Christopher Jones, Simon Harrison, Ray Clinton).

Division Three: winners St Martins B (Andrew Banks, Charlie Burford, Janet Hunt, David De Souza), runners-up Worcester H (Richard Hawking, Malcolm Box, Phil Newport).

Team Handicap Shield: winners FHWMC C (Mark Osborne, Ken Oliver, David Stevens), runners-up JLM Lions (Nick Mytton, Alistair Witheford, Sean Witheford, Stef Mytton).

Team Handicap Plate: winners Non Blondes (Gary Long, Brian Genever, Mark Jefferies, Jude Tyson), runners-up Cutnall Green Codgers A (Fiddian, Dorrell, Calver, Brandwood, McKenna, Brown).