Singapore– Seven seniors have emerged from more than 400 others to bag the Active Agers Awards 2008, part of the ongoing Active Ageing Festival. The Awards, given out by Council for Third Age (C3A) – an independent body that promotes active ageing – recognises seniors over 60 with a passion for life and who are enthusiastic about spreading the active ageing message to other seniors as Active Ageing Ambassadors.

As in 2007, five seniors have been selected as Active Agers of the Year. The 2008 recipients are: Mr Chua Chye Hong, Mr Goh Seok Hiong, Mdm R Krishnavani, Mr Tang Wing Kee, PBM and Mrs Mona Yeo nee Tan Bok Hua.

In addition, for the first time, C3A has teamed up with like-minded organisations – namely, Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) – to promote active ageing by creating two awards that recognise seniors who embrace active ageing in their own unique ways.

The Active Agers–Prudential Prime Award 2008 – which honours the senior who exemplifies a positive attitude towards ageing through the passionate pursuit of sports, activities and hobbies not typically associated with older persons – goes to Mr Daniel Koh. Mr Dick Yip wins the Active Agers–Infocomm Champion Award 2008, presented by IDA to the senior who has fully embraced infocomm technology in his or her daily life.

All seven winners will receive their awards from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports at a ceremony on Cavenagh Bridge on October 4.

The Active Agers Awards 2008 awards presentation ceremony is held in observance of the International Day of Older Persons. This Day, which falls annually on 1 October, was designated by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 14 December 1990 to promote the independence, participation and dignity of older persons. And the Active Agers Awards, with its objective of recognising and honouring active seniors, acknowledges the role that seniors still play in society and supports the significance of this day.

Mr Chua Chye Hong, 61
A certified and dedicated counsellor; a big-hearted man who opens both home and heart to those in need

Mr Goh Seok Hiong, 67
Caring husband, father and grandfather of five; a musician who cheers up the needy and elderly through his music

Mrs R Krishnavani, 70
Loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother; founder of the Golden Gals, a dance group for older women

Mr Tang Wing Kee, PBM, 69
Veteran educator and active grassroots leader; learnt inline skating at 60 and is now a certified instructor 

Mrs Yeo nee Tan Bok Hua (Mona Yeo), 70
Gregarious and energetic lady who embarked on a second career after retirement, combining her passion for children and drama   

Mr Daniel Koh Hock Seng, 71
Tough and hardy adventurer who has scaled several peaks; dedicated educator who has led many students on overseas expeditions

Mr Dick Yip Kum Foo, 60
Technophile who taught himself to blog, surf and e-mail, and now even helps to manage a website focusing on school sports

Please see attached bios of winners for additional information

Now into its second year, the Active Agers Awards 2008 has leapfrogged in popularity. Between late July and September 4, the Council for Third Age received close to 450 nominations – more than double the number received in 2007.

The final winners were picked based on the testimonies of their nominators, as well as an interview with a Selection Panel consisting of board members from the Council and key associates.

Noting the quality of this year’s nominees, Chairman of C3A, Mr Gerard Ee, said: "We are pleased to see that these Awards are gaining popularity among Singaporeans. The nominations we received contain impressive resumes that detail the wide range of activities seniors in Singapore can and do engage in. We are seeing many seniors who embrace active ageing in all the six dimensions of wellness through multiple engagements in volunteerism, sports, study, the pursuit of hobbies, social networking and so forth.

"As Singaporeans start living longer, having longer healthy life expectancy is of great importance and active ageing is one of the key ways to achieve this. I think seniors are beginning to recognise this themselves," he added. 

Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Limited, who is the Collaborating Organisation (diamond sponsor) of the Active Ageing Festival 2008, will present the inaugural Prudential Prime Award to Mr Daniel Koh.

"We congratulate and salute Mr Daniel Koh, whose passion for an adventurous lifestyle has taken him from the peaks to the depths of the sea, braving sub-zero temperatures and thin air. With financial security, good health as well as the right mindset and determination, age is really no barrier.” said Mr Philip Seah, Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Singapore.

Also new on board this year is the IDA, which presents the Infocomm Champion Award 2008 to Mr Dick Yip.

"Mr Dick Yip is an inspiration and role model to both seniors and younger ones alike, demonstrating that age is no barrier to the digital world. I would like to encourage seniors to use infocomm to stay engaged and become more closely connected with their friends and relatives.  Infocomm today impacts on the way we live, learn, work and play.  Let’s embrace it to lead an even more exciting and active lifestyle,” said RADM (NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer, IDA.   

The Active Agers Awards 2008, a major event in the four-month long Active Ageing Festival, is just one platform that C3A uses to promote active ageing. A series of Active Ageing Roadshows are on-going, while the Council will mark Grandparents’ Day on November 23. The Active Ageing Carnival was held on August 23 and 24.

Journalists and photographers are welcome to attend the Active Agers Awards 2008 awards presentation ceremony at Cavenagh Bridge on October 4.

For more information on the Active Ageing Festival and its other activities, log on to www.activeageingfestival.com.sg

ORGANISER

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 fulfil the aspirations and interests of seniors.

COLLABORATING ORGANISATIONS

Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd
Prudential Singapore is one of the top life insurance companies 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.

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.

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.

SUPPORTING ORGANISATION

Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is committed to growing Singapore into a dynamic global infocomm hub. IDA uses an integrated approach to developing info-communications in Singapore. This involves nurturing a competitive telecoms market as well as a conducive business environment with programmes and schemes for both local and international companies. For more news and information, visit www.ida.gov.sg.