• Over HK$3.3 million raised to fund the promotion of mental health in the community
• Mindset aims to reduce the stigma associated with people suffering from mental illness
Over 500 Jardines’ executives, employees from Jardine Matheson Group companies, business associates, families and their friends joined forces to raise over HK$3.3 million today in the annual Walk Up Jardine House. Participants ran – and some walked – up 49 floors, covering 947 steps, to reach the Penthouse of Jardine House at a height of 600 feet.
The event was raising funds for MINDSET, a registered charity established by the Jardine Matheson Group that focuses on the area of mental health. The funds will be allocated to the promotion of mental health in the community with the aim of reducing the stigma associated with people suffering from mental illness and to provide support for direct services to those in need of help.
Ben Keswick, Chairman of MINDSET, said, “At Jardines we very much believe in giving back to the communities where we operate – and here in Hong Kong, MINDSET is a very important expression of that desire. So the fact that so many of our friends and colleagues have turned out today in support is very gratifying.”
As the ‘VIPs’ of the events, 70 service users from Caritas, Castle Peak Hospital, MINDSET Place and New Life were invited to participate. Among them were some special ‘VVIPs’ - a group of children who are ‘Young Ambassadors’ from the NGOs – who were invited to play an important role in the Officiating Ceremony to present ‘Fancy Hats’ to the officiating guests.
The new Fancy Hat Competition has attracted an enthusiastic response from people of all ages. Two boys, Joseph and Hassan, who created their own unique hats, won the Individual Awards. The Family Award went to a Jardine Ambassador, Dennis Fung and his family. The Team Award went to IKEA.
Walk Up Jardine House 2016 incorporated individual and team races, as well as a mass walk for people of all ages. A total of 77 corporate teams competed, including 35 teams from business associates and 42 teams from Jardine Matheson Group companies, as well as 42 individuals who ran all the way up in the individual races. More than 50 students from MINDSET’s ‘Health in Mind’ school programme, a community initiative that promotes awareness of mental health issues in secondary schools, also formed ten teams.
The Fund Raising Awards in recognition of the Jardines business unit and business associate that raised the highest amount of funds went to Dairy Farm and The Continuity Company Ltd, respectively.
In addition to competitive races, a range of fun and interactive activities for families and children were arranged. These included musical therapy, drama, yoga and story-telling workshops designed to enhance the emotional well-being of the participants. Service users from Caritas manned a booth that showed the specially designed arts and crafts made by them. A very popular station was that handing out free cotton candy, ice-cream bars and popcorn – children were quoted as saying that these treats did a lot to enhance their mental well-being!
The winners of the races are:
| • Women’s individual (29 Floors) | – Kate Kwok | 5’22” |
| • Women’s individual (49 Floors) | – Leanne Szeto | 6’12” |
| • Men’s individual | – Yeung Yui Sheung | 5’43” |
| • Team Relay (Jardine Matheson Group) |
– Men’s: Pizza Hut Hong Kong – Women’s: Mannings & GNC – Mixed: Pizza Hut Hong Kong |
3’34” 5’27” 3’41” |
| • Team Relay (Business Associates) |
– Men’s: Vitasoy International – Women’s: L'Oreal Hong Kong – Mixed: MTR Corporation Limited |
3’45” 5’54” 4’14” |
| • Team Relay (Schools) |
– Men’s: CCC Ming Yin College – Women’s: CCC Ming Yin College – Mixed: San Wui Commercial |
3’44” 5’26” 3’58” |
| • Jardine Ambassadors Rose Bowl | – Pizza Hut Hong Kong | 3’34” |
| • Barrow Cup* (Men) | – Cheng Tat Chung | 6’15” |
| • Barrow Cup* (Women) | – Sherry Tze Yuk Lin | 4’24” |
* Barrow Cup, which is for runners of over 40 years old, is awarded to the one with the smallest value of his running time divided by age.
Walk Up Jardine House is organized by the Jardine Ambassadors, young executives from across the Jardine Matheson Group who spearhead the community projects. Since 1982, the Jardine Ambassadors programme has raised close to HK$50 million through this annual event. Launched in 2002, MINDSET is the Jardine Matheson Group’s philanthropic initiative in Hong Kong intended to make a difference in the area of mental health. It aims to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues and to provide practical support for charitable initiatives in the sector (www.mindset.org.hk).
Education is one of the key focuses of the MINDSET programme. As a platform to promote a positive attitude towards mental illness among young people, Jardine Ambassadors are leading the efforts through the in-school ‘Health in Mind’ programme, co-organized with the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. Since 2002, the programme has reached over 130,000 students, teachers and parents, and covered 82 secondary schools.
For further information, please contact:
Jardine Matheson Limited
Esther Wong (852) 2843 8253
Brunswick Group
Vivian Liu (852) 3512 5073
