SINGAPORE - On Wednesday (Feb 03) morning, 60 volunteers, including senior management from United Overseas Bank (UOB) and more than 30 local businessmen, prepared and distributed 5,000 meals for the needy and elderly at the Willing Hearts' soup kitchen.

The volunteers spent six hours cooking the meals at the soup kitchen, located at Jalan Ubi in Geylang, before distributing them to beneficiaries at Circuit Road, Geylang Bahru and North Bridge Road.

"This year, in addition to monetary contributions, we wanted to touch the hearts of the less fortunate by spending our time doing something just for them," said UOB group commercial banking head Mr Eric Tham.

UOB's clients who participated in the cooking and distribution of the meals also provided transport and donated food items for the initiative, part of the bank's Chinese New Year outreach programme.

As part of its annual Chinese New Year charitable efforts UOB also aims to raise $500,000, to be donated to charities including The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, during its annual dinner on Feb 12.