THE Cirencester Table Tennis League was the first sporting organisation in Gloucestershire to benefit from a National Lottery grant when that splendid initiative began in 1995.

The modest £4,745 is a drop in the ocean compared to the £30million which has been distributed to good causes in the 20 intervening years but the league remains a beacon for how to use that public money.

The CCTL is not about creating champions but simply to allow individuals to come along and enjoy their sport in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

And if they want to improve there are dedicated qualified coaches to help them do just that. The league, which began in November 1989, has just celebrated its 25th anniversary and the sight of a busy Tuesday junior coaching night shows that it continues to thrive.

Its beginnings were humble, with second hand tables and nets at the Fire Station in Cirencester before it dispersed throughout the Cotswolds in an assortment of village halls, schools and, in some cases, glorified garden sheds.

Founding teams came from the Fire Service, Police, Cirencester Benefit Society and South Cerney before the league expanded to take in teams from Deer Park School, Kingshill, Chedworth, Colesbourne and Malmesbury.

But it was from the moment the Lottery cheque arrived and the league forged links up with the newly-built sports hall at Deer Park School in 1995 that it developed its true identity.

Graham Slack, for many years a top county player, coach – he was ‘Top Coach of the West’ in 2013 – and former chairman of the league, remains convinced that it came of age when finding a single home.

“For me, the most important part of the league was being able to see players from all the divisions under one roof every week,” said Slack. “That was all down to the fantastic work of Bob Davis and his team.

“In many leagues players from Div One never see players in lower divisions (and vice-versa) but playing in the same hall produced a family feel which is what makes the Cirencester League very sociable.

“When the league became two-a-side it was a fantastic move as it encouraged young players to compete with the experienced players and finish in time for their parents to be happy. I believe that saved the league from folding.”

Current president Davis was a founding father of the league and he still keeps in touch from his home in Yorkshire.

“Interest was shown by the English Table Tennis Association in the rapid development of the league and it resulted in a full ladies’ international being played at the Cotswold Sports Centre between England and Germany,” said Davis.

“The next development was the monies becoming available from the National Lottery.

“Discussions took place between the league and Deer Park School as to the building of a dual purpose sports hall for use by the school during the day and the league at night and at weekends.

“This came to fruition thanks to the hard work of Ken Minshull of Deer Park and for the league by myself, the late Chas Marshall and Ken Bridle, who is still the league’s treasurer.

“Having been totally furnished with new tables, equipment and screens, the official opening was marked by an England v Wales match.”

A number of good players have emerged from the league like Ben Glover, rising star Olly Tyndall and, before ‘inclusion’ became the buzzword in sport, Billy Shilton, who has gone on to represent the GB para table tennis team.

The excellent work done by Slack, Dave Carr and Chris Jackson is being continued by the current coaches: Eddie Roofe, Debbie Harris, Tom Watmore and Mike Howarth, with the able chairman Andrew Jarvis leading his enthusiastic committee.

Young players are the future of the sport and the Open Junior Tournament which returns to Deer Park next month, brings players from London, the West and Wales in substantial numbers.

They are drawn by the fantastic facilities – enhanced by the purchase in 2012 of 16 national level tables and nets – and the dedicated people who can put the tournament together.

There has also been an influx of older players, who have not played for a number of years, joining the club to take up the sport again.

But, according to Jarvis, the ethos of the club remains to bring people to the sport of table tennis young and old alike.

“It’s the taking part not the winning – and we have helped a lot of people take part,” he said.

Here’s to the next 25 years.