Players invited to take part in 24-hour charity table tennis marathon near Bicester

Table tennis players across Oxfordshire are being invited to take part in a 24-hour marathon match to raise money for a local cancer support charity.

The event, organised by volunteers and trustees at The Hummingbird Centre, aims to raise £5,000 and will take place at the charity’s headquarters in Launton, near Bicester, next month.

The marathon will begin at 8pm on Friday 10 April and run continuously until 8pm on Saturday 11 April.

Open to all abilities

Organisers say the challenge is open to anyone who enjoys a game of table tennis, regardless of experience.

While a core group of players will take part for the full 24 hours, additional participants are being encouraged to join for shorter sessions throughout the event.

Players will take part in a mix of singles and doubles matches, with breaks scheduled between games.

Paul Harris, a trustee at The Hummingbird Centre and one of the organisers, said the event aims to bring people together while raising awareness of the charity’s work.

He said:
“A few of the Hummingbird’s volunteers and trustees play table tennis competitively in the Banbury & District Table Tennis League, so we decided to challenge ourselves and hopefully raise the profile of this fantastic game locally.

“A core group of players will be taking part for the full 24 hours, but we would love to invite additional volunteer players to join in. If you can spare an hour or more and would like to take part, please get in touch.”

A test of endurance

Fellow organiser Ian Critchley said he is looking forward to the challenge, having previously taken part in a similar marathon.

He said:
“This will be the second time I’ve played table tennis in a 24-hour marathon, but the first time was a long time ago.

“We will get the chance to rest between games and will be relying on plenty of snacks and music to keep us going.

“It would be great to see as many people as possible come along, whether to play for a while or simply to support us during the day or night.”

Supporting a local charity

All proceeds from the event will go to The Hummingbird Centre, which provides support for people living with cancer and their families across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

Founded in 2014 by Mechelle Harris, the centre offers a range of services including counselling, therapy sessions, activities for patients and families, and a specialist lymphoedema clinic.

The charity relies entirely on donations and volunteers to operate.

How to take part

Participants are encouraged to sign up, take part for as long as they can and seek sponsorship.

To get involved, email events@thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk.

Donations can be made via the charity’s fundraising page.

Why it matters

Events like this play an important role in supporting local charities, particularly those like The Hummingbird Centre that depend entirely on community fundraising.

For participants, it also offers a chance to take part in a unique challenge while contributing to services that support families facing cancer across the region.