Racing to raise money for ST and BT funds

Participants at HSBC event compete on Segways and hoverboards to raise $70,200

All geared up for the Segway race are (from left) Mr Tay, editor of The Business Times; Mr Harvey-Samuel, HSBC chief executive; Mr Tan, Minister for Social and Family Development; and Ms Tan, general manager of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. PHOTO: HSBC

Wearing safety helmets, they mounted Segways and raced laps on a mini 16m course to raise money for charity.

Every Segway lap completed saw HSBC pledge $1,200 to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF) and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BTBAF). There was also a hoverboard challenge, in which participants raised $60 for every second that they could stay upright.

After 28 Segway laps and 610 seconds on the hoverboard, HSBC employees and their community partners raised $70,200 on Wednesday, which was later topped up to $90,200 by the bank.

The amount will be split evenly between the two funds.

At the event, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin and HSBC chief executive Guy Harvey-Samuel led a team each in a three-minute Segway race. Mr Harvey-Samuel's team came out tops, completing 12 laps and raising $14,400, while Mr Tan's team brought in $8,400.

Joining them were Ms Tan Bee Heong, general manager of STSPMF, and Mr Alvin Tay, editor of The Business Times. Their teams raised $6,000 and $4,800 respectively.

The event was held at Mr Harvey-Samuel's residence in celebration of HSBC's 19th year of corporate responsibility efforts here.

Mr Tan encouraged the crowd of about 200 to help the less fortunate. "The whole process of giving helps us to reconnect with the fundamental values that define us as a people, which are love and compassion."

The minister also urged the corporate sector to give back to society, drawing reference to community service programmes in schools.

"If the schools get it right, we will have every generation coming out, ready to give. I would like to see more corporate companies partner not just volunteer welfare organisations, but sectorally as well, in the areas that you work with," he said.

HSBC is a long-time supporter of the STSPMF - it first pledged $10,000 to the fund in 2000. Mr Harvey-Samuel said: "This evening is about celebrating the strength and spirit of volunteerism in HSBC because giving back to the community goes beyond fund-raising and donating money."

The STSPMF provides pocket money to children from low-income families, while the BTBAF helps young people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds pursue training in the arts.

Separately, HSBC also donated $300,000 to fund education programmes at six charities under the Community Chest.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 09, 2016, with the headline Racing to raise money for ST and BT funds. Subscribe