Living well has its advantages
DCP MAN announcing a new $500,000 grant for healthy lifestyle pursuits to members of the Police Sports Council	SINCE the introduction of the Healthy Lifestyles Campaign, a cultural change occurring within the Force is seeing more and more police officers (together with their families) engaged in activities conducive to healthful living - especially as they begin to experience the real quality of life and personal growth that the pursuit of meaningful pastimes brings. The Force's commitment to maintaining a psychologically and physically fit workforce - its most important asset - is unswerving and to that end has invested much in financial and human resources.
The Sports Council, Arts Council, Social Amenities Council, year-round sports and arts activities organised at various levels, Force fitness rooms, sports and recreational activities and facilities of the POC and PSRC, the recreational centres, holiday homes and so on have all been established to help keep police officers fit, to reduce stress, and in turn to enhance their professional effectiveness to the community. Emphasising that the Force will continue to provide resources in support of officers of all ranks to pursue sporting and other activities conducive to a healthy lifestyle, DCP MAN, Tsang Yam-pui announced at a recent Police Sports Council meeting that the Working Group on Healthy Lifestyles chaired by the CSP PS has been allocated $500,000 by the Police Welfare Fund Management Committee for 1998/99 Healthy Lifestyle programmes within the Force. "These funds are for the whole Force and are open to applications from all formations or clubs who wish to organise suitable events to promote the Campaign," said Mr Tsang, adding that the Working Group will examine the requests for funds and make awards to support worthwhile proposals. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Management, also said that the way forward for the Healthy Lifestyles Campaign was to continue to involve and encourage off duty officers of all ranks to participate with their families in sports and recreational activities. "Through the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign, Force Management is keen to bring about a cultural change and an educational process among our officers so that they will engage in activities conducive to a healthy way of life," he said. "There are two guiding principles: they should take up the healthy activities more so in their own time, and they should involve their family members as far as possible." Said CSP PS Martin Samson, chairman of the Healthy Lifestyles Working Group (HLWG): "Both the Group and the Sports Council are working together in pursuance of the same goals of sowing the seeds of awareness of a healthy way of life among officers of all ranks and their families, and in helping to provide them with the means and support to engage in meaningful pastimes." Mr Samson explained that the Group is encouraging formations and motivated individuals who wish to organise sports, arts, hobby, or health clubs - and all other worthwhile projects that embrace the concept of healthy lifestyles that are preferably, but not necessarily, family orientated - to make requests for funds. "We also invite for funding consideration proposals for beginners' courses in activities such as Putonghua classes or any other meaningful undertaking that somebody would like to organise," he said. "Remember, although the Healthy Lifestyles Campaign promotes physical fitness, it is equally concerned with mental health, stress management, financial health and avoiding unmanageable debt due to gambling." Sports Council chairman Lionel Lam Kin, CSP Special Duties OPS Wing: "The Sports Council has an important role to play in guiding, promoting and co-ordinating its 28 police sports clubs to plan and organise activities under the Healthy Lifestyles programme. We welcome the provision of the $500,000 to help promote a healthy lifestyle within the Force. A lot has been done over the years and I anticipate a busy schedule ahead in our efforts to continue to involve and encourage off duty officers of all ranks to participate with their families in sports and recreational activities - that's a very important area." In addition, the Sports Council will be sending a team of 40 officers representing the Force (and the HKSAR) in overseas competition to Stockholm for the Police and Fire Games. Said Tsang Yam-pui: "The Force will continue to support Hong Kong Police officers' pursuance of healthy lifestyles and sports activities, and continue to fund those activities as well as facilitate its sports representatives in overseas and local competitions by allowing appropriate time off to do so."