Large turnout at healthy lifestyle carnival
Inclement weather did not dampen Force members' determination to lead a healthy lifestyle when over 12,000 officers and their families turned up at Personnel Services and Staff Relations Branch's Healthy Lifestyle Carnival held at PSRC on August 21 and 22.
The Healthy Lifestyle Carnival kicked off with the "Anti-smoking Symposium" which was well attended by TSROs and related staff from various districts. Booth displays attracted big crowds throughout the two days, in particular the free medical check-up counter.
Apart from imparting knowledge on health with talks and seminars, the carnival also provided an avenue for promoting family harmony, with parents and children taking part in fun games, indoor rowing competition and Water Carnival, as well as enjoying variety shows staged by colleagues or friends.
As indicated by the Director of Personnel and Training Foo Tsun-kong at the closing ceremony, programmes of the carnival were "diverse and splendid". He expected that participants would continue to uphold the concept of healthy lifestyle.
Hong Kong Island Regional Commander Tang Kam-moon was pleased to see officers bringing their family members along to this annual event. "Healthy lifestyle is essential not only to individual officers, but also to their family members. Therefore, the concept of healthy life should be elevated to cover the whole family. That is why many of the displays and activities of the carnival had been designed to cater to the needs of families," he noted. He pointed out that participation by outside experts and displays put up by outside organisations, had enriched the contents of the carnival.
Mr Tang is so impressed with what had transpired at the carnival that he is considering asking his TSROs to stage similar activities in his region in the future.
New Territories South Regional Commander Bonnie Smith is another supporter of the carnival, joining colleagues and their families on both days. Noting the enthusiastic response despite the rainy days, she said the event had catered to the needs of officers and addressed their concerns about health matters. It had also provided our clubs with an opportunity to promote their healthy activities among the participants.
Many participants also spoke highly of the carnival. Yau Tsim District TSRO Connie Lee Hong-nee found the "Anti-Smoking Symposium", conducted by the Department of Health, "very informative and educational".
Weeks before the carnival, Woman Police Constable Ng Fung-wan from Narcotics Bureau promised her two sons to bring them along to the event, and what the carnival offered had certainly not disappointed her. While she was attending various talks and enjoying stage performances, her husband found useful information from the booths, and her children tried their hands on Chinese painting.
Sergeant Mung Chung-ming from Cheung Sha Wan Division, a first-time volunteer helper at the carnival, said his volunteer work had given him a "refreshing" experience, and that colleagues and their families had a wonderful time at the carnival. "I'm glad that I've made a small contribution to the success of the event," he added.
Jordan Ng Hau-yee, a caseworker of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Even Centre, who assisted in running the centre's booth at the carnival on both days, said it was quite an experience for him to have worked with the police, and watched children learning the harms of gambling through the fun games in his booth.
The Healthy Lifestyle Carnival kicks off with a lion dance
The Force's Robotcop captures many youngsters' fancy
The Healthy Lifestyle Carnival getting off the ground
Many Force children try their hands on handicraft
Director(P&T) Foo Tsun-kong watches a teenager tackling a jigsaw
Getting some tips on indoor rowing
Water carnival - another attraction of the Healthy Lifestyle Carnival