Jockey Club cheers on Hong Kong athletes competing in the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities

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.

The Jockey Club Carer Space Project hosted a symposium today (18 November) to share initial outcomes and experience gained during the past two years. Initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the five-year project aims to enhance the skills and well being of carers, who play an essential role in supporting Hong Kong’s growing population of elderly, by connecting them to timely and appropriate services.

HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun (centre), Club Steward Jackson Woo (right), Convenor of the Advisory Committee of the Jockey Club Carer Space Project Professor Patrick Nip (left) attended the Jockey Club Carer Space Project Symposium.

Attending guests included HKSAR Government Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun, Club Steward Jackson Woo, Convenor of the Advisory Committee of the Jockey Club Carer Space Project Professor Patrick Nip and representatives of project partners.

In his welcome address, Club Steward Jackson Woo highlighted that carers play a vital role in an ageing society and require robust support from all sectors. In this regard, the Club has taken a proactive role in funding initiatives to support carers, including the Jockey Club Carer Space Project, which aims to deliver evidence-based and innovative services, raise public awareness of carers, and foster a carer-friendly community. Looking ahead, the Club is committed to advancing cross-sectoral collaboration and striving to improve quality of life for the elderly.

Club Steward Jackson Woo delivers a speech at the Jockey Club Carer Space Project Symposium.

The symposium featured a capacity building seminar and a thematic panel discussion, bringing together industry leaders to explore how cross-sectoral collaboration can strengthen community capacity and establish innovative and sustainable support networks for carers. The Project Principal Investigator Professor Vivian Lou also shared the project’s initial outcomes, underscoring the importance and value of developing a carer-centric service model. The symposium attracted some 350 local experts and industry representatives.

Local experts and representatives from project partners participated in the Jockey Club Carer Space Project Symposium to explore how cross-sectoral collaboration can establish innovative and sustainable support networks for carers.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust initiated and funded the Jockey Club Carer Space Project with an approved donation of HK$290 million in 2023. Partnering with six non governmental organisations and the Sau Po Centre on Ageing of The University of Hong Kong, the project is establishing designated Carer Spaces and service points across the city. Core service components include caregiving planning, professional counselling, skills training and mutual support groups. It also offers a flexible respite service and ensures carers have access to essential support throughout their caregiving journey. In addition to developing an evidence based service model to benchmark service quality, the project aims to raise public awareness and promote a carer-friendly community.

The five-year project is expected to benefit more than 40,000 carers and elderly. To date, the project has established a total of 18 Carer Spaces and service points in the city, providing timely and appropriate support to about 11,000 carers and elderly individuals in need.

The Club’s support for the Jockey Club Carer Space 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.