OXFORDSHIRE has been chosen to host a special event for a project that uses a rather unusual way to keep elderly people fit.

The Ping Pong Care Campaign is a national initiative aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of older people through table tennis.

Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) has its own “Get Batty” campaign that shares the same aim, and the two have joined forces for a film screening and give away next month.

The appropriately titled Ping Pong, tells the story of a group of octogenarians who travel to Inner Mongolia to compete in the over-80s Table Tennis Championships.

It will be shown in Bicester next month, with organisers aiming for further screenings across the county at a later date.

Jayne Woodley, OCF chief executive, said: “Nine major cities including Liverpool and Nottingham have already been chosen to champion the Ping Pong Care Campaign. So we were thrilled when BRITDOC named Oxford as their latest ‘satellite’ location.

“We will be screening Ping Pong at Bicester Village VIP suite on Tuesday, June 18, to a large group of care staff, health professionals, educational services and sports development organisations.

“Our hope is they will then take the message out across the county and inspire many more screenings at places like community centres, sheltered housing, residential villages, care homes and day centres.”

The BRITDOC Foundation is a non-profit film group of documentary makers supported by Channel 4.

Venues screening Ping Pong in the coming months will receive free table tennis equipment to help encourage people to play.

Sarah Mosses, from the BRITDOC Foundation, said: “Table tennis has a unique ability to improve physical and mental health.

“We are pleased that the Oxford Community Foundation has joined our campaign to bring the campaign to the city, improving the health and wellbeing of their community in the process.”

OCF launched the Get Batty campaign at the end of 2012.

It aims to introduce older people to table tennis and also for younger people from schools and clubs to volunteer to help set up tournaments with them.

So far law firm Withy King of Oxford has sponsored table tennis sets for the city’s Chinese People Centre, while the scientific publisher Elsevier (Kidlington), held a Get Batty event to fund a Reading Room at the Pegasus Primary School in Blackbird Leys.

Groups and businesses interested in finding out more should contact OCF on 01865 798666 or write to OCF, 3, Woodins Way, Oxford.