Parkinson’s England Table Tennis (PETT) has entered into a new partnership with Parkinson’s UK and Table Tennis England (TTE) with the aim of getting more people with Parkinson’s into the sport.

The new organisation, which ‘aims to raise awareness of the benefits of table tennis for people living with Parkinson’s’, is actively helping the sport become more inclusive and Parkinson’s friendly.

On the new partnership the Physical Activity Delivery Manager at Parkinson's UK Jed Parsons said: "I'm delighted to see Parkinson's UK partnering with Parkinson's England Table Tennis and continuing our programme of work with Table Tennis England.”

"Physical activity plays such an important role in helping people live well with Parkinson's, and table tennis is a fantastic example of an activity that combines movement, balance, coordination and social connection.”

"Together, we're creating more opportunities for people to discover the benefits of staying active and ensuring that more communities across England can access inclusive table tennis sessions."

The organisation has already had an impact on the inclusivity of table tennis for people with Parkinson's, as it has provided people with information on where they are able to play the sport.

It has already set up more opportunities for the sport to become more Parkinson's-friendly, as it has ‘shared good practice’ with new and mainstream table tennis clubs alike around the country.

On their new organisation’s aims, one of the co-chairs of Parkinson's England Table Tennis (PETT) Rob Cook, said: "Supporting individuals and groups is just one side of what PETT aims to do. We want to develop and sustain a climate in which groups and tournaments can flourish, and the benefits of playing table tennis are widely recognised.

"We also want to educate and support more healthcare providers, local councils and voluntary organisations and to encourage table tennis clubs to be Parkinson’s-friendly."

Parkinson's England Table Tennis, which is co-chaired by Sandy Nash, as well as Leeds ParkyPING! co-founder Rob Cook, will also ‘offer more support for anyone with a connection to Parkinson’s to find their local groups and learn more about the benefits of table tennis’.

All three of the organisations involved in this partnership hope ‘that the new partnership will give more people with Parkinson's an opportunity to access table tennis, regardless of age or ability’.

On the impact that table tennis can have for people with Parkinson's, one of the co-chairs of Parkinson’s England Table Tennis (PETT) Sandy Nash, said: “I’ve seen first-hand the difference table tennis can make for people living with Parkinson’s, and I’m delighted that PETT will be working with Table Tennis England and Parkinson’s UK to help more people access welcoming, supportive sessions.”

PETT welcomes individuals as members and groups and organisations as associate members.
For more information about PETT, or to join for free, visit the website: https://pett.org.uk/joinpett/