SINGAPORE – Residents looking to exercise and help vulnerable families at the same time can do so by completing a newly launched trail in Bukit Gombak.

The trail, Green Trails at South West, was launched at Clean Up South West! 2023 on Saturday at Chua Chu Kang Community Club.

The trail features four community gardens as checkpoints along the way.

QR codes are placed at different parts of the trail for residents to scan and learn more about the gardens, answer questions and upload photos of themselves.

For every time that the trail is completed, chemical manufacturing firm Michelman Asia Pacific will donate $25 worth of groceries to a vulnerable family.

A thousand families will be selected as beneficiaries.

There are plans to include more trails in the future, said the South West Community Development Council (CDC).

At the launch event, residents of the South West district brought recyclables such as newspapers and clothes to exchange for groceries provided by the CDC.

In its 18th year, this annual recycling programme is organised by the CDC and the National Environment Agency, and supported by grassroots organisations, corporate partners and schools.

Clean Up South West! supports the Sustainable South West masterplan, a 10-year sustainability plan for the district.

The programme aims to encourage the community to reduce waste and increase awareness of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Since the programme began in 2006, the CDC has collected 986 tonnes of recyclables, equivalent to saving more than 16,600 trees.

Saturday’s launch was hosted by South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling, who is also Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry.

In her speech, she said that before Chinese New Year begins, the CDC will have set up close to 40 community recycling points within the district, which will make it more convenient and accessible for residents.

“With Chinese New Year approaching, many households will be embarking on their annual spring cleaning,” said Ms Low.

“As they spring clean, they can also do their bit for the environment and reduce wastage by sending their recyclables for recycling.”

She added that the programme has drawn increasing participation.

“This year, 34 schools and corporates in the district set up recycling points and collected close to 7.3 tonnes of recyclables over a three-month period from August to October,” she noted.

Members of the public who wish to take part in the recycling programme can contact the CDC for more information.