May 10, 2020

Dear Members, Colleagues and Friends,

I hope this latest update finds you and your families well. Everyone at TTS would like to thank you all again for everything you are doing to help suppress the spread and growth of this COVID-19 pandemic.

This week has seen many of the political and public conversations move to how the country can carefully transition out of the current lockdown arrangement. We now know however from the First Minister`s announcement on Thursday, the Scottish Government has made an evidence-based decision to extend the lockdown for a further period of three weeks. The message from the Scottish Government and sportscotland is clear: It is vital the sporting sector continues to play its part in ensuring the nation abides by the current restrictions. We must all continue to stay home and stay safe.

It is important however that we do plan for how, when the time is right we can, with confidence and safety, begin to play table tennis again. The Scottish Government recently published their COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making outlining the approach and principles that will guide their decisions about transitioning out of the current lockdown arrangements. A link to this vitally important framework document is included in the attached paper which is sportscotland`s analysis of what this may mean for the sporting system. I urge you all to read this important paper which provides us with a basis to plan for the future. sportscotland is now developing a simple tool to support governing bodies to plan for how we might operate in a number of possible scenarios. We will share this work with you as more information becomes available.

I am aware many of you have already started thinking about the implications for your Leagues and Clubs. By working together we can ensure that when restrictions are gradually lifted the table tennis community is ready to safely restart.

Please keep in touch and keep those creative trick shots coming for the website.
Have a great holiday weekend and keep safe.

Richard Yule
richard.yule@tabletennisscotland.co.uk
07739 574 356 (m)