Table tennis will become Table Dennis when Bounce Alzheimer’s Therapy is showcased at a major marketing event.

The charity will feature at the Brand Licensing Europe event at London’s Olympia next week, raising awareness of table tennis as an effective therapy for those suffering from dementia.

BAT has joined forces with DC Thomson Consumer Products to create a themed Dennis the Menace table, complete with matching chairs, bats and balls illustrated with Beano characters including Dennis, Gnasher, Minnie the Minx and Rodger the Dodger.

BLE has donated the floor space free of charge and exhibitors and visitors to the three-day show will be challenged to take part in demonstration matches. Table Tennis England staff will also be attending the show.

Diane Jervis of the BAT Foundation said: “Clinical trials in both the US and Japan have conclusively proven that table tennis reduces cognitive decline, increases spatial awareness, hand-to-eye co-ordination and proactively delays the onset of symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

“The BAT Foundation is currently raising funds to instigate a major UK body of research by the University of Northampton to qualify these findings.”

Tim Collins, head of brands at DC Thomson Consumer Products said: “We’re delighted to help and bring some fun to what is a very worthwhile cause.”

BLE event director Darren Brechin said: “We’re thrilled to be able to support such valuable research and are particularly excited to see licensing being used in such an innovative way.

“Our BLE team is limbering up to compete against anyone up for the challenge!”

The show begins on Tuesday October 7 (opening hours 8.45am-5pm). It is open from 9am-5pm on Wednesday and 9am to 4pm on Thursday.

For more information, please visit www.brandlicensing.eu

After Brand Licensing Europe, the Table Dennis table will be moved to St Pancras International on October 20, for ongoing play availability until at least the end of January.