Hongkong Land Shows its Charitable Spirit at CENTRAL Rat Race 2018

26 Aug 2018

The CENTRAL Rat Race made a triumphant return to Chater Road this morning, energising the city with fun, fast-paced action as more than 450 participants competed in support of a worthy cause. Cheered on by hundreds of spectators, they raced through the heart of Hong Kong’s Central Business District, conquering challenging obstacles as they dashed toward the finish line to be crowned CENTRAL Rat Race champions. By the time the dust had cleared, HK$3.15 million had been raised for beneficiary MINDSET, a registered charity that supports mental health causes in Hong Kong and mainland China.

This year marks the 13th edition for the event, which is one of the flagship community initiatives organised by Hongkong Land. The kick-off on Chater Road was officiated by The Honourable Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mrs Susanne Wong, JP, District Officer ( Central & Western District); Mr Yip Wing-shing, SBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the Central and Western District Council; Mr Chan Hok-fung, MH, JP, Vice Chairman of the Central and Western District Council; Mr Ben Keswick, Chairman of MINDSET; Mr Robert Wong, Chief Executive of Hongkong Land; and Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land.

For the relay-style Rat Race, eight-member teams dressed in fancy costumes and running shoes to show off their skills. Teams had to exhibit physical fitness, mental agility and teamwork to overcome each of the eight legs’ imaginatively designed obstacles, modelled on the typical trials and tribulations of everyday corporate life. The event also featured a “Big Rat Race” for individual senior executives, an “NGO Rat Race” for NGO representatives from the mental health sector, and a “Junior Rat Race” for children between the ages of five and 10.

The CENTRAL Rat Race has grown in popularity over the years because of its focuses on promoting work-life balance as well as physical and mental health. Its cleverly plotted course runs through the interconnected Grade A commercial buildings and pedestrian connectors of Central, showcasing the unparalleled quality and connectivity of Hong Kong’s main business district and the charitable spirit of the local business community. Since its inaugural edition in 2006, the CENTRAL Rat Race has raised more than HK$34 million for MINDSET.

“Over the years, the CENTRAL Rat Race has grown to become one of the city’s most anticipated charity events,” said Mr Robert Wong, Chief Executive of Hongkong Land. “This shows not just how much fun participants and fans have at this creative, colourful race, but also how much our society cares about helping those in need. I would like to thank our participants for contributing their time and donations toward mental health causes and awareness, as well as the spectators for their passionate support.”

Mr Ben Keswick, Chairman of MINDSET, said “The CENTRAL Rat Race plays a significant role in raising much-needed awareness and funding for mental health initiatives across the region. By taking a positive, community-friendly approach, it rallies people around an important, yet underrepresented cause and gives crucial support to those dealing with mental health issues. We are delighted that MINDSET could once again be the beneficiary of the CENTRAL Rat Race.”

The winners of the CENTRAL Rat Race 2018 are:

Each year Hongkong Land introduces new features to the CENTRAL Rat Race to attract participation and engage the local community, and 2018 was no exception. Certain legs were upgraded, including Leg 7, “Steps to Success”, which required participants to stay steady under stress as they crossed a rope bridge, and Leg 8, “Take Charge”, where runners had to navigate giant cheese obstacles while “driving” a cheese car. A range of game and activity booths were also hosted on Race Day for families to enjoy.

The CENTRAL Rat Race 2018 was supported by the Central and Western District Council, Central Development Limited, South China Morning Post, TVB Pearl, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Limited, J.P. Morgan, KPMG, Mayer Brown JSM, Wise Kids, Mannings, Maxim’s Group, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Oliver’s The Delicatessen, Fontauroi and Happy Cow.

Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a leading property investment, management and development group. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land’s business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership.

The Group owns and manages more than 850,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally in Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing. Its properties attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands.

The Group’s Central Hong Kong portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. It has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures, a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing, and a 50% interest in a leading office complex in Central Jakarta. The Group also has a number of high-quality residential, commercial and mixed-use projects under development in cities across Greater China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer.

Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

MINDSET

MINDSET’s goal is to make a difference in the area of mental health. It aims to change people’s attitudes by raising awareness and understanding of mental health issues, as well as providing direct assistance for individuals, families and organisations in need of help. MINDSET is a registered charity in Hong Kong established by the Jardine Matheson Group in 2002 and led by the Jardine Ambassadors, a group of young executive volunteers from Jardines.
MINDSET’s current initiatives are focused on the following areas:
•   Education and Prevention – to raise awareness of mental health issues among young people through the in-school ‘Health in Mind’ programme, co-organised with the Hospital Authority. The programme currently covers 27 secondary schools;
•   Reintegration – to promote reintegration of people in recovery through a job training programme within Jardine Matheson Group companies to enhance their work skills and facilitate their transition in seeking long-term employment, as well as taking an active role in their participation of events where the individuals’ talent and expression can be encouraged through activities such as talent shows and volunteering;
•   Community Awareness and Fund Raising – to promote community awareness of mental health related issues, and to raise funds with the aim of providing direct support services for the mentally ill, their carers and their families;
•   Promotion at Group Companies – to enhance awareness about MINDSET and mental health within the Group companies through social media and workshops; and
•   Financial Support – to provide funding support to mental health projects that benefit individuals who suffer from a mental illness, their carers and their families; examples include the “MINDSET College”, which serves as an educational platform providing recovery-focused training and courses on mental health and self- management through the ‘co-production’ approach; ‘MINDSET Expression’ art project which allows the people recovering from mental illness to express themselves through different themed art activities; and the setting up of a home called MINDSET Place for people with chronic mental illness to assist them in reintegrating into society.
Beneficiaries of volunteer work and financial support provided by MINDSET include a range of NGOs and Government agencies that are active in the mental health sector.

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Hundreds of runners and fans flocked to Chater Road on 26th August 2018 for the 13th CENTRAL Rat Race.

Officiating at the opening ceremony were (from left to right) Mr Chan Hok-fung, MH, JP, Vice Chairman of the Central and Western District Council; Mrs Susanne Wong, JP, District Officer (Central & Western District); Mr Yip Wing-shing, SBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the Central and Western District Council; Mr Ben Keswick, Chairman of MINDSET; Mr Rat; The Honourable Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr Robert Wong, Chief Executive of Hongkong Land; and Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land.

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Rat Racers are ready to burst out of the cage to run the CENTRAL Rat Race 2018. More than 450 runners participated in this year’s event.

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Leg 1 runners get off to a strong start during the 13th CENTRAL Rat Race.

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Each year the CENTRAL Rat Race demonstrates the camaraderie and charitable spirit of
the local community.

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Mr Joe Wan of Schindler Lifts (HK) Limited wins the “Big Rat Cup”.

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The NGO Rat Race, where representatives from local NGOs compete to take home the trophy, has become an annual highlight of the event.

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The Junior Rat Race lets kids in on the fun by challenging them to beat a shortened version of the relay course.

The Excelsior Hong Kong team proudly wins the “Rat Race Cup”.

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Fancy dress is always a popular part of the CENTRAL Rat Race. The team from Maxim’s Caterers Limited claims this year’s “Best Dressed Rat Team Award”.

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