PUB landlords have clubbed together to buy six open-air table tennis tables for Horley residents.
Members of Horley's Pubwatch scheme came up with the idea as an alternative to their traditional charity donations, but have faced a battle to raise the £14,500 needed. After support from local councillors and Sport England the concrete tables will be unveiled next month.
Olympian Joanna Parker, Team GB's top-ranked table tennis female player, will cut the ribbon on the first table at Horley Recreation Ground in Brighton Road on March 30, at which point all six will be open.
Pubwatch members launched the scheme – believed to be the first of its kind in the country – to give something back to the community. The group's treasurer Jerry Hudson, landlord of The Farmhouse, said: "We don't think any other Pubwatch scheme has done anything like this."
The 20 landlords initially hatched the plan in November 2011 to tie in with last summer's Olympics, but the current economic climate meant fundraising was slow.
Eventually Sport England provided a £7,500 grant, and the Gatwick Airport Community Trust and Surrey county councillors provided a further £5,000 to get the scheme off the ground.
With the pubs making up the rest of the total, the table will now be installed on March 21 ahead of their unveiling the following week.
Over the years the pubs have donated thousands of pounds to charities but this time decided to do something different.
Mr Hudson added: "Raising funds for the project took longer than anticipated given the current economic climate, especially in pubs."
The tables will be installed in Michael Crescent, Horley; Court Lodge Playing Fields, Horley; Charlwood Recreation Ground; and outside Centenary Hall in Smallfield. There will also be two in the Horley Recreation Ground along with a stone chess set.
Once the tables are open, nearby public buildings, such as pubs and shops, will sell and hire bats and balls for use.
