About Parkinson’s England Table Tennis

The vision for Parkinson’s England Table Tennis (PETT) has been developing over several years, but the organisation officially took shape in Spring 2026 when a dedicated team of six volunteers agreed its Constitution and established the foundations for the future. PETT was proudly launched on 19 July 2026 at the first Tees Parky Spin Tournament held at Ormesby Table Tennis Club. We are delighted to be working in partnership with both Parkinson’s UK and Table Tennis England as we strive to make table tennis accessible to more people affected by Parkinson’s across England. Below you can find out more about our aims, values and the work we are doing to support and grow the Parkinson’s table tennis community.

Our aims

Our aims are to:

promote the benefits of playing table tennis for people with Parkinson’s
inform individuals who want to play on where they can do so
ensure that people with Parkinson’s are told about the benefits of table tennis (as well as exercise in general) and where to play, by health professionals, including at or soon after diagnosis
support existing local groups and encourage and support people to set up new groups
promote information about Parkinson’s table tennis tournaments in England and internationally.

How will we achieve our aims?

We will use a range of methods, including:

building a bank of resources such as videos and guides
establishing, maintaining and growing a network of individuals, groups and organisations involved in Parkinson’s table tennis
developing and sharing relevant information about topics such as coaching, funding, inclusion, accessibility and supportive table tennis clubs
engaging with influencers such as local and national media, politicians and health professionals
working in partnership with local, national and international organisations such as local authorities, NHS Trusts, Parkinson’s UK, Table Tennis England and PingPongParkinson
supporting and/or setting up occasional events and tournaments

Parkinson’s and table tennis

Exercise is the most effective way to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s, and table tennis is one of the most effective forms of exercise. It is aerobic, improves hand-eye co-ordination, balance and reflexes, and stimulates various parts of the brain.

Table tennis is very sociable and very accessible.

Table tennis is good fun, whether you are a complete beginner, an occasional social player, or an experienced competitor.

There are many local groups in England, many of which have been set up by people with Parkinson’s.

Hundreds of people with Parkinson’s in England play table tennis regularly. Many take part in local, UK and international competitions, both Parkinson’s-specific and mainstream.