Jockey Club helps fund new headquarters for Red Cross

03/27/2012

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has donated HK$80 million to cover partial cost of a new headquarters building for the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) to enable the humanitarian organisation to expand its services.

The new headquarters, to be built on Hoi Ting Road on the West Kowloon reclamation, will replace the existing 45-year-old headquarters located on Harcourt Road in Admiralty when completed in 2014.

Today (27 March), Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson joined HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang, HKRC President Selina Tsang, Vice President of Red Cross Society of China Hao Linna, Secretary for Food and Health Dr York Chow, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam, Chairperson of The Shaw Foundation Hong Kong Limited Lady Shaw, Director of Social Welfare cum Chairman of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee Patrick Nip, Deputy Director-General of Department of Social Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Li Yun Fu, HKRC Chairman The Hon Sir TL Yang, Deputy Chairmen Vincent Lo and Patricia Ling, as well as Director Lady Wu to perform at the Hong Kong Red Cross New Headquarters Building ground-breaking ceremony.

The 11-storey building will be able to put different service units under one roof, including a blood collection centre, a first aid and health care training centre, a volunteer development and activities centre, a humanitarian education centre, the overseas and local disaster relief materials centre, a handling centre for overseas disaster relief and emergency response unit, the Red Cross Youth uniformed group regional centre, the Red Cross Library and the Jockey Club Convention Hall.

The services offered by the new headquarters are expected to benefit more than 440,000 residents every year, including the sick, disaster victims, the disabled and the financially deprived.  The new building will also provide more space and upgraded facilities for staff and volunteers of HKRC to enhance the existing disaster relief service, to offer timely services in disaster situations, and to extend its network and strengthen community involvement by organising youth and volunteer programmes.

The Club has been a close partner of HKRC since 1951 with a total donation of over HK$200 million towards a variety of projects.  Examples include reprovision of the HKRC Princess Alexandra School boarding section; construction of a new footbridge at the HKRC John F. Kennedy Centre; and the Uniformed Group Leaders and Trainers Development Project under the Trust’s Community Project Grant which aims to strengthen young people’s ability, devotion and commitment to voluntary works through skills training in leadership, management and human resources.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.6 billion in 2011. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$15 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.