NEWSROOM

Embargoed until 21 September 2008
PRESS RELEASE :

Council For Third Age and Community Development Councils Collaborate to Bring Active Ageing into the Community

– South East Community Development Council unveils two district-wide thematic roadshows that engage senior heartlanders in active ageing

21 st & 28 th September 2008 –From now until November, five Active Ageing Roadshows will be hitting the heartlands as C3A collaborates with the five Community Development Councils to bring the active ageing cause into the community to encourage senior Singaporeans to adopt an active lifestyle. And kicking off the roadshows in support of the active ageing movement headed by Council For Third Age (C3A) is South East Community Development Council (SECDC).

Doing it our way — the community way — is the underlying message that drives the two Active Ageing Roadshows organised by South East CDC in collaboration with C3A. To maximise grassroots involvement in the promotion of active ageing within the District, South East CDC also roped in the Senior Citizens’ Executive Committees from South East constituencies to plan and implement the roadshows.

Boasting the largest Sudoku Challenge in Singapore, the Silver Mind Exchange Roadshow on September 21 will emphasise the importance of maintaining good mental well-being through regular “mental exercise”. Professor S. Jayakumar, Deputy Prime Minister, Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, MP for East Coast GRC and Adviser to East Coast GRC GROs, , is the guest-of-honour at the Silver Mind Exchange Roadshow. To resonate with the “mind” theme, other intellectually stimulating games such as Chess, Mahjong and Contract Bridge, will be also featured. From 10am to 3pm, residents will be treated to special performances by community groups like the Daiko Drums, Chinese Orchestra ensemble and the Lena Mania Malay Band.

The second roadshow – Silver Sportz Extravaganza on September 28, will highlight the importance of physical wellness and promote intergenerational bonding by encouraging both seniors and their younger family members to partake in the fun together. There will be action stations encouraging seniors to pick up senior-friendly activities such as Gateball, Pentanque, Pickle Ball, Archery and IG (Inter-Generation) Ball. This roadshow will be graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Seah Kian Peng, MP for Marine Parade GRC and Adviser to Marine Parade GRC GROs.

And to underscore that through active ageing seniors can become contributing members of society, senior heartlanders of East Coast GRC, Marine Parade GRC and Joo Chiat, MacPherson and Potong Pasir SMCs will directly benefit the less fortunate when they take part in the activities at the roadshows. Every senior who completes a game of Sudoku during the first roadshow, and every senior who participates in at least two of the featured sports during the second roadshow, will earn food packages – soya bean milk and cooking oil – for themselves and the needy elderly. The food packages are donated by Lam Soon Singapore Pte Ltd.

“Active Ageing is a community effort that society should be involved in. The CDCs will show through their various programmes and activities how accessible and easy it can be to remain engaged in society. Seniors can continue their involvement simply by going out with friends, joining in the neighbourhood fitness programmes and interacting with family and friends,” said Mr Gerard Ee, Chairman, C3A. “Ageing is part of life and cannot be avoided, but we can at least decide the manner in which we age.”

The Active Ageing Roadshows are part of the ongoing efforts that C3A employs to bring the active ageing message to seniors. As part of the Active Ageing Festival, the campaign started with the Active Ageing Carnival in August where thousands thronged Ngee Ann City to get a taste of the courses, activities, games and interest groups that a senior can get involved in.

Noting the strong support that the Festival and its various events have received from the private sector, including companies like Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited, NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd and Poise, Henry Quake, CEO of C3A said, “We are delighted with the positive responses from private organisations that see the value of engaging seniors within the society. C3A will continue to provide platforms where organisations and senior interests can connect and either, allow organisations to return back to society or spark-off further opportunities that all parties can benefit from.”

Journalists and photographers are welcome to attend the Silver Mind Exchange Roadshow on 21 September, where picture opportunities are available as the GOH tours the roadshow grounds. For more information on the Active Ageing Festival, log on to www.activeageingfestival.com.sg

About Council for Third Age (C3A)
Set up in May 2007, Council for Third Age is an independent body that promotes active ageing, so that seniors can achieve a better quality of life in all the six dimensions of wellness – social, intellectual, physical, vocational, emotional and spiritual. The Council plays a leadership role in driving the thrust towards creating an active ageing culture in Singapore, and partners businesses and community organisations to develop products and services that fulfill the aspirations and interests of seniors.

About South East Community Development Council (CDC)
South East CDC was set up on 24 November 2001. It oversees the Marine Parade Group Representative Constituency (GRC), East Coast GRC, Joo Chiat Single Member Constituency (SMC), MacPherson SMC and Potong Pasir SMC, and serves a population of about half a million residents. At the helm of South East CDC is Mayor Matthias Yao Chih, who steers efforts in achieving the three strategic thrusts that guide the work of the CDCs. Termed the ‘ABCs of Community Bonding’ — Assisting the Needy, Bonding the People and Connecting the Community — South East CDC initiates and manages programmes in collaboration with both community and corporate partners along these three strategic thrusts, so as to nurture a vibrant and self-reliant community.

About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd
Prudential Singapore is the top life insurance company in Singapore and is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK-based Prudential plc. As a market leader in investment-linked plans, Prudential Singapore has over S$8.1 billion funds under management (as at 31 Dec 2007). Prudential Singapore is the first life insurer in Singapore to be named Asia's Life Insurance Company of the Year. Most recently, Prudential won the Gold Award in the Reader's Digest Trusted Brands 2008.

About NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Ltd
NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd was founded by the labour movement in 1973, with a social mission to moderate the cost of living in Singapore. From one supermarket, it has grown to become Singapore’s largest retailer, with a network of more than 200 outlets comprising FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Homemart, FairPrice Xpress and Cheers convenience stores. NTUC FairPrice also owns a Fresh Food Distribution Centre and centralised warehousing and distribution company.

Today, with its multiple retail formats serving the varied needs and interests of people from all walks of life, the social mission of NTUC FairPrice has evolved to make the dream of living well accessible to everyone by moderating the costs of the good life.

About POISE
Kimberly-Clark and its well known brands, such as Kleenex®, Scott®, Huggies®, and Kotex®, are an indispensable part of life for people in over 150 countries. Everyday, 1.3 billion people – nearly a quarter of the world’s population – trust our brands to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. Poise® Products is Kimberly-Clark Singapore’s latest addition to its trusted brand portfolio. With the 2008 launch of Poise® Products – Liners and Pads that are specially designed for bladder weakness protection – Kimberly-Clark aspires to educate all women about bladder weakness, help overcome the stigma associated with incontinence, and empower women to live life to the fullest. To learn more about Kimberly-Clark and Poise®, visit www.kimberly-clark.com and www.poise.com/sg

For more information on the South East CDC Roadshows, please contact: -

For more information on Active Ageing festival, please contact: -