Parts of Punggol Park were a sea of blue yesterday morning, as Workers' Party MPs and close to 500 people turned up for a community walk organised by the opposition party's charity arm.

The event was organised by the WP Community Fund to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the WP, which was founded in 1957.

Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, who also chairs the independently registered charity, said in a statement that he hoped the walk would "express our shared history as a party marching hand-in-hand with Singaporeans".

"Even though the path has not been easy, the WP has kept faith with the nation and made strides with the support of Singaporeans," he added.

Also present were Mr Low's fellow Aljunied GRC MPs Pritam Singh, Faisal Manap and Chen Show Mao, and Hougang MP Png Eng Huat. WP non-constituency MPs Dennis Tan, Daniel Goh and Leon Perera were also there.

WP chairman Sylvia Lim is overseas.

The WP is believed to be the first opposition party to set up a community fund.

WP Community Fund deputy chairman Tan Hui Tsing said the walk also aimed to raise awareness of the charity's work in helping needy families, such as through providing food vouchers and organising health talks.

The charity, formed in February 2014, builds on the welfare fund the party set up after winning Aljunied GRC in 2011 to provide interim aid to residents under its Aljunied Constituency Committee.

It runs various programmes such as providing financial aid and food vouchers, as well as study sessions.

Tham Yuen-C