Largest rehabilitation complex for people with intellectual disabilities gets HK$600 million from Jockey Club

01/28/2015

With an acute shortfall of hostel places and related rehabilitation services in Hong Kong, people with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities often need to wait for around 10 years for a hostel place. To help address this challenge, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has donated HK$600 million to the Hong Chi Association for its development project in Pinehill Village. This is the Club’s biggest ever single donation in the rehabilitation sector. Upon completion, Hong Chi Jockey Club Pinehill Village will become the largest rehabilitation service complex for people with intellectual disabilities in Hong Kong.

Today (28 January), Club Deputy Chairman Anthony W K Chow joined Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare Stephen Sui and Hong Chi Association Chairman Philip Poon to officiate at the ground-breaking ceremony of the project.

Noting that the Club had been supporting Hong Chi Association for 40 years, Mr Chow said the two organisations had a shared mission to promote social inclusion in the community. “As a result of that long partnership, the Club was able to take an active role in the early planning for this project, which led to a major upgrade. Coupled with help and support from the Social Welfare Department, Hong Chi Jockey Club Pinehill Village demonstrates how the Club’s unique role in collaborating with the Government and welfare sector to create a tripartite platform can achieve this large-scale development project which benefits more people with intellectual disabilities,” he added.

Mr Poon said the development project is an important milestone for the Hong Chi Association and expressed his gratitude to the Club for its support. “Our initial proposal was only to seek the Club’s support to establish an art training centre in Pinehill Village. However, after further discussion, we have explored various ways to maximise the potential of the site, hence, it was upgraded to this HK$600 million project.”

Under the Hong Chi Jockey Club Pinehill Village Development Project, three new buildings encompassing nine service units will be completed in phases over three years. With the provision of an additional 834 service places, Pinehill Village will accommodate a total of 1,117 places for all ages and all grades of people with intellectual disabilities upon completion. New facilities include 300 hostel places for people who are moderately or severely mentally handicapped, which will help alleviate the long waiting list; over 100 pre-school and special child care services and training places for children aged up to six; as well as a day activity centre, an integrated vocational training centre and an integrated vocational rehabilitation service centre.

Apart from this project, the Club actively collaborates with community and non-governmental organisations in pursuit of timely rehabilitation support services. Projects include the Jockey Club Hong Chi Lodge which offers intensive on-the-job training programmes in housekeeping and catering services for young people with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities; the redevelopment and extension of TWGHs Jockey Club Rehabilitation Complex with a donation of HK$296 million; the renovation of a hostel and workshop for Caritas – Hong Kong; and support for the Parents’ Association of Pre-school Handicapped Children under the Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant, which enhances mutual support and solidarity among families in need.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club 
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus funds for charitable and community projects. In 2013/14, its donations reached a record $3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,275 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,800 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong. Please visit 130.hkjc.com.