SINGAPORE - In celebration of Grandparents' Day, 20 seniors learnt the art and history of Chinese tea through a traditional tea ceremony.

Ten members of the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Staff Volunteers Club brought the seniors from Family Central - a service by Fei Yue Community Services - for tea appreciation at the Tian Fu Tea Room at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant on Friday (Nov 24).

Mr Xiao Yang, a tea master from the restaurant, demonstrated the elaborate process of brewing Pu Erh tea as seniors tried out freshly made cups of it. They also enjoyed snacks like olives and dim sum, while getting tips on the brewing process.

"I drink tea, but I've never heard of Pu Erh tea before, so it was an eye-opening experience," said 68-year-old Rosie Tong, a retired administrative customer executive. She added that she would consider buying the tea if it wasn't too expensive.

Mr Nicklaus Lim, 29, a senior programme officer at Fei Yue Community Services, said: "Keeping up with the fast pace that society is moving at may not be as easy for them as us. So we need to put in effort to bridge the generation gap."

"In that sense, this event honours our grandparents, giving them a sense of familiarity to their own heritage, and lets them break the possible inter-generational stereotypes between them and the SPH volunteers," he added.

Ms Chin Soo Fang, SPH's head of corporate communications and CSR division, said: "It's the first time we did a tea appreciation ceremony, and the response is very encouraging."

Already in its seventh year, the SPH Staff Volunteers Club hopes to embark on different activities not just for the elderly but also for children at least once or twice a year, she added.

"We felt that not everybody celebrates this special day, so we hope the event raises awareness for more people to appreciate their grandparents," she said.

Grandparents' Day falls on Sunday (Nov 26).