Table Tennis England is proud to announce that The Exchange Ilford Ping Hub has been shortlisted for the London Sports Awards 2026 in the Active Environment Award category.
Located in The Loft in The Exchange shopping centre, Ilford, the Ping Hub has transformed a city center space into a welcoming place for people to get active.
With four permanent tables and freely available bats and balls, it removes common barriers to participation and makes it easy for people of all ages and abilities to pick up a bat, whether for casual play with friends and family or to take part in social sessions and community competitions.
Johnathon Driscoll, London Area Manager at Table Tennis England, said: “The Exchange Ping Hub in partnership with The Exchange Shopping Center and Ilford BID only opened in January 2025 and has gone from strength to strength.
“What has been most powerful is how it has organically become a place where the people of Ilford and the surrounding area can get active, socialize and build real community. The tables are constantly occupied and it is great to see what is growing around them.
“In October 2025, we were delighted to welcome ITTF President Petra Sörling to the Hub during her visit to the WTT Star Contender London, and she was hugely impressed by the space and its ability to harness the power of table tennis. We are indebted to The Exchange and Ilford BID for their continued partnership and support to make this possible.”
The shortlisting comes at a milestone for the sport: London will host the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals at the Copper Box Arena and OVO Arena Wembley from April 28 to May 10, 2026.
Community projects such as the Exchange Ping Hub help bring the sport to more people before, during and after the championships and support Ping for the People, Table Tennis England’s official London 2026 initiative, aimed at creating lasting social impact by making table tennis more easily accessible in everyday spaces.
The Ilford Hub is also building on proven success elsewhere. In 2024, the Manchester Ping Hub was recognized for strengthening communities at the Manchester Sport Awards, highlighting the impact this model can have when rooted in strong local partnerships and community ownership.
The London Sport Awards will take place on Wednesday 29 April 2026 at Guildhall, London, where the category winners will be announced.
Visit the Exchange Ping hub
Visit the Great Northern Warehouse’s Ping Hub
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