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Chalke Valley Table Tennis Club History
The Club was founded in 1968, from the
local village Youth Club, and at that
time the Club played its league matches
in Broad Chalke Village Hall. After the
first Season, the club became known as
Broad Chalke Table Tennis Club, and
started looking for its own premises.
In 1970 the club found some other
premises, in Broad Chalke. It was the
Old Methodist Chapel, opposite the
butcher's Shop, and with the owners
permission, the club set up residence.
After a few minor repairs, furniture,
bits and bobs etc. were moved in. The
Old Chapel lent itself very well to
accommodate a table tennis table, a
small area for making refreshments, and
a raised area, that was the site of the
alter, made an ideal viewing platform,
to watch the Table Tennis.
Unfortunately, just before the table
tennis season comenced the old cob wall
at the back started to collapse! Before
the final collapse, Bob Fry, Godfrey
Penney, and others rushed in, and
managed to save the table and net. That
season the club had to play all of the
matches, as away fixtures.
The Broad Chalke Table Tennis Club,
then moved back to Broad Chalke Village
Hall. In the mid to late 70's the Club
changed it's name to the Chalke Valley
Table Tennis Club. Also at that time,
the club was running 7 teams, in the
Salisbury League, and so had to hire
Bowerchalke Village Hall, as well as
Broad Chalke Village Hall. And in 1979,
Chalke Valley Table Tennis Club entered
a team in the Shaftesbury League. This
team played it's home matches at West
Orchard.
As the Club was still growing, in 1982
the decision was taken to build a club
house. So in 1983 Malcolm Penney, and
Stephen Hitchings, went to a Royal Navy
Auction in Gosport. Malcolm bid for and
suceeded in aquireing 2 Misson Huts
still in their packing cases ready to
erect, for £300.00, but now the problem
was how to collect, and return them to
Broad Chalke. Also when we got them
back, where to erect them.
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