Today marks the 40th anniversary of Walk Up Jardine House, the flagship fundraising event of MINDSET, the mental health charity of Jardine Matheson. As part of the event, over 1,500 participants joined physical and/or virtual races to raise over HK$5 million1 to support mental health programme across the city.
This year’s event welcomed prominent guests, including Mr. Chris Sun Yuk-han, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government and Miss Chan Sau-kam, Member of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, helping to show the increasing focus on mental wellbeing and reinforcing the deepening commitment to supporting better mental health across Hong Kong.
"I commend MINDSET and Walk Up Jardine House for their vital contribution to addressing mental health challenges in Hong Kong. This event provides an important platform for raising awareness and funding for mental health, helping to foster a more supportive community across diverse stakeholder groups. This aligns with the Government's recently announced policy to enhance mental health support, demonstrating the power of collaborative efforts to build a more inclusive community and improve mental wellbeing for all citizens," said Mr. Chris Sun, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government.
“Walk Up Jardine House is a powerful example of how community spirit turns awareness into action on mental health. For 40 years, this event has brought together individuals, corporates, schools and NGOs, showing what is possible when we all work together. We have seen the support that MINDSET provides to many frontline organisations to help people across Hong Kong facing mental health challenges. My congratulations to everyone involved on this remarkable milestone and for continuing to inspire positive change,” said Miss Chan Sau-kam, Member of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health.
Over 500 participants race up 947 steps for mental health
The physical event was held today where over 500 participants, both in teams and as individuals, tackled the 947 steps of Jardine House's 49 floors. Among them were 70 sponsoring companies within Jardine Matheson and its business partners, and 24 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and school groups. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Walk Up Jardine House, a new ‘Community’ race category was introduced, inviting caregivers, NGO service users, and students to join as mixed teams. Participants have teamed up for a relay, showcasing inclusive participation, encouraging teamwork, and forging meaningful connections across diverse communities.
Jonas Leong from DFI Retail, topped the virtual race leaderboard with over 1.1 million steps – equivalent to 1,200 times up the Jardine House. The winner of the women’s individual race was Eliza Siew from Deacons, with a time of 8 minutes and 35 seconds. The winner of the men’s individual race was John Tsang from Mannings & GNC, with a time of 6 minutes and 21 seconds. The overall fastest team relay was completed in 4 minutes and 6 seconds by Wellcome Ops. The winner of the community race2 was Recover Number One (尋回1隊) of SideBySide, with a time of 1 minute and 52 seconds.
"The 40th anniversary of Walk Up Jardine House is an important moment for all of us working towards better mental health in Hong Kong," said Mr. Andrew Wong, Chair of MINDSET. "As mental health challenges grow across the community, collective action and fundraising are more important than ever. Celebrating four decades of this fundraiser is not only a milestone for Jardines and MINDSET, but also a testament to the community’s lasting support for breaking down stigma and supporting better mental health.”
Walk Up Jardine House 2025 offered a unique hybrid race experience combining virtual and physical challenges. A new virtual race experience was introduced to promote engagement with the community. More than 1,000 individuals took part virtually, competing through checkpoint challenges, distance tracking and motion-sensor exercises, accumulating over 100 million steps in total.
This year’s event ran from September to October, aligning with World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) and World Mental Health Day (10 October). By aligning with these international observances, Walk Up Jardine House serves as a collaborative platform, engaging government, corporates, NGOs and the public in support of fostering mental health in Hong Kong.
Launched in 1985 by Jardine Ambassadors, Walk Up Jardine House has evolved into one of Hong Kong’s signature charity events. While its early years supported a wide range of community causes, the founding of MINDSET in 2002 by Jardine Matheson gave the event a dedicated focus on mental health. For over 20 years, it has partnered with the government, NGOs, and community organisations to expand access, reduce stigma, and support reintegration through early intervention, capacity building, and community outreach. Key initiatives include the Health in Mind Programme for schools, the Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) Programme, and Mental Health Ambassador training, collectively reaching thousands across the city.
1 Includes monetary and in-kind donations
2 The Community Race ran from the 25th floor to the 49th floor