Security workshops for volunteers

A new series of customised community vigilance workshops will be organised to equip 7,000 Community Emergency Response Team (Cert) and Citizens-on-Patrol (COP) volunteers with better skills to identify and handle suspicious characters and objects when they are on their patrols.

Cert and COP volunteers work closely with the police and emergency services to conduct regular patrols around their estates to improve safety and security.

BCA flies S'pore flag at global climate alliance

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is representing Singapore in the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, launched at the United Nations (UN) climate change summit in Paris on Thursday.

The alliance involves the participation of governments, major building and construction stakeholders, and potential funders to help the sector achieve climate goals such as limiting global warming to below 2 deg C.

According to the UN Environment Programme, the building and construction sector accounts for 30 per cent of global carbon emissions.

Members of the alliance will address issues such as strategies and policies on building efficiency, and financing options to accelerate investment and funding for greenhouse gas mitigation projects, among other things.

Christmas cheer for needy children, families

More than 1,400 needy children and their families had an early Christmas celebration at the Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa last night.

They gathered around a 4m-tall Christmas tree stacked with merchandise from shows like Transformers, Sesame Street and Despicable Me. The children each got to pick a Christmas gift for themselves.

The children and their families also watched special Christmas performances put up by the theme park.

The Christmas programmes at the theme park are on from now until Jan 3. They include a Fairytale Remix show, where a fairytale is told through a song and dance segment.

Volunteers raise $100k for special needs cause

New mobility aids, furniture and electrical appliances are among the gifts that 150 people with special needs will be receiving in the coming months, thanks to $100,000 raised through a North East District programme.

The North East Community Development Council and NTUC FairPrice Foundation joined hands for a third year to organise the Wish Upon a Silver Star project, which started in 2013 and is now in its final year. Volunteers folded origami stars to raise funds, and every 10 origami stars received a $1 sponsorship from the two organisers.