SINGAPORE - Seniors would like more volunteering opportunities as well training on how to be an effective volunteer, Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Amy Khor said on Thursday.

This was one of the points highlighted during focus group discussions on the Action Plan for Successful Ageing being developed by the Ministerial Committee on Ageing, said Dr Khor, speaking at an annual appreciation dinner for senior volunteers at SAFRA Toa Payoh.

"I am particularly touched and inspired to see so many seniors as volunteers. Your actions speak louder than words in educating our society that seniors are assets of our society," Dr Khor told around 330 seniors from RSVP Singapore.

There were songs and games during the dinner, and three seniors were also lauded for their outstanding efforts. Mr Chee Chat San, 76, was named Volunteer of the Year, and special commendation awards were presented to Mr Richard Cheong, 63, and Ms June Low, 67.

RSVP Singapore, an organisation of senior volunteers, has more than 1,000 members now, up from around 200 when it was started in 1998.

It entered the Singapore Book of Records on Thursday for the largest heart formation of message cards, created by 19 trainee teachers at the National Institute of Education. The trainees collected 4,700 messages of appreciation from young people to share with the organisation's volunteers.