Jockey Club Bridges Elders to Brighter Lives

In light of the rising number of elderly singletons and doubletons in Hong Kong, many of whom face social isolation and limited support networks, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has approved around HK$380 million through its Charities Trust to launch the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project. This four-year project is designed to provide timely and targeted assistance to grass-roots elders by strengthening community support and promoting social integration for elderly couples and those living alone.

Officiating guests at the launch ceremony for the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project included HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun (2nd left) and Club Steward Bernard Chan (2nd right).

A launch ceremony for the project was held today (28 October). Among the officiating guests were HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun and Club Steward Bernard Chan.

Club Steward Bernard Chan delivers a speech at the launch ceremony for the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project.

At the ceremony, Club Steward Bernard Chan explained that Older Adults is one of the key priorities of the Club's charities strategy. The Club has taken a proactive role in initiating and supporting elderly care service projects through multi-sector collaboration and innovative approaches, he said. This reflects the Club's steadfast commitment to enhancing elders' quality of life. The project identifies elderly individuals who lack social and support networks and provides them with timely and appropriate service referrals tailored to their physical, mental and spiritual needs - helping them reconnect with the community.

HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun (centre), Club Steward Bernard Chan (1st left) and other guests tour the exhibition to learn more about services provided by the project, which spans all the city’s 18 districts.

The project began in 2023 as a pilot in six districts and has since expanded to cover all 18 districts across the city. The initiative mobilises community networks in collaboration with 20 non-governmental organisations to identify socially isolated elders through cross-sectoral collaboration, proactive outreach and creative engagement activities. Community stakeholders, including district-based organisations and local shops, are engaged to co-operate in building a close-knit support network. To ensure timely assistance and facilitate appropriate matching of social services, project partners utilise an assessment tool developed by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to evaluate the physical, psychological and social health status of elderly participants, as well as their service needs. Preliminary findings from HKU's impact assessment indicate improved social connectedness among beneficiaries. Participants are increasingly engaged within their communities, contributing to improved overall mobility.

Club Steward Bernard Chan and other guests tour the exhibition about the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project.

Club Steward Bernard Chan and other guests tour the exhibition about the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project.

In addition, the project provides home improvement services for eligible elderly individuals in need. After gaining an understanding of beneficiaries' daily habits and challenges, project partners provide basic home repair services, replacement of unsafe essential appliances, and installation of home safety assistive devices. These enhancements reduce the risk of home accidents and create a more secure living environment, enabling older adults to age in place with comfort and autonomy. To date, the project has benefited over 11,000 elderly individuals and is expected to reach a total of 30,000 beneficiaries, with more than 15,000 elderly households receiving home improvement support.

The Club's support for the Jockey Club “Reach to Bridge” Community Elderly Support Project, like all its charity and community contributions, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club), as the sole Partner Sponsor of the Hong Kong Competition Region of this year’s National Games, today (24 November) announced cash incentives to support HKSAR athletes competing in the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities.

The flag presentation ceremony for the HKSAR delegation to the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD & NSOG) was held at Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre today. Attending guests included: HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Sun Shang-wu; HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law; China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee President Jenny Fung; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China Timothy Fok; and Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Lester Huang.

The upcoming NGD & NSOG will cover 46 sports, including the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Wheelchair Fencing Competition and the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Para Table Tennis (T11) Competition, which will be held in Hong Kong. To encourage HKSAR athletes, the Club will, for the first time, provide cash incentives under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) in all medal categories of the NGD, with individual and team gold medallists receiving HK$187,500 and HK$375,000 respectively (See table below for details).

Lester Huang expressed his wholehearted support for the city’s para athletes, encouraging them to follow the inspiring example of HKSAR athletes at the 15th National Games. “The Hong Kong team has written a new and glorious chapter in our city’s sporting history with a total of 19 medals, including nine golds, two silvers and eight bronzes. The Club has long promoted sport at community and elite levels, enabling people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate. We therefore wish every HKSAR athlete the very best of luck at the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.”

The three-year JCAIAS was launched in 2023. Under the scheme, the Club sponsors the Hong Kong Sports Institute to provide cash awards to Hong Kong, China athletes who excel in major sporting events. These include the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, World University Games, National Games together with their respective Winter Games and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities.

In support of the National Games, the Club has committed over HK$500 million to the Hong Kong and Guangdong Competition Regions. In the Hong Kong Competition Region, it is supporting volunteer service programmes, territory-wide community and school promotional activities, as well as initiatives to help underprivileged groups and young people attend the events as spectators. Some 100 members from the Club’s Volunteer Team are helping out as Group Volunteers in the Hong Kong Competition Region.

In the Guangdong Competition Region, the Club is providing high-quality technical support for the equestrian events in Shenzhen, leveraging its extensive experience in organising horse sports competitions. To help ensure the equestrian events are conducted to a high standard, the Club is also deploying an expert team and loaning specialist equipment. Additionally, the Club will support the Guangdong Competition Region’s official activities, volunteer services and promotion work.