Team Singapore Athletes Hosted Less Privileged Children At Singapore Flyer

22 MAR 2008

Team Singapore Athletes Hosted Less Privileged Children At Singapore Flyer

Some 100 Team Singapore athletes took time off from their busy training schedules today to do their part for charity. These athletes played host to 25 children aged 12 to 18 years old from the Pertapis Children’s Home at the first Team Singapore Athletes’ Gathering held at the Singapore Flyer this year.

  1. This was also the first time that the Athletes Community Involvement Programme was integrated into a Team Singapore Athletes’ Gathering. The programme was a platform for Team Singapore athletes to reach out to the less fortunate so as to inspire them to take up sports and build rapport with one another. Athletes spent a fun-filled day with the children (Please refer to Annex B for list of Team Singapore athletes).

  2. Held on a quarterly basis, the Team Singapore Athletes’ Gathering also provides a platform for athletes and officials in the sports fraternity to enhance their friendship and camaraderie with the community. These gatherings also allow the athletes to learn more about Singapore and its heritage.

  3. “This is a special occasion where our athletes put aside time from their training schedules to do their part for the under privileged. The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is pleased to have the opportunity to organise this for our young friends from Pertapis and inculcate in them a sporting lifestyle. We hope to be able to make a difference in their lives and get them all excited about sports,” said Mr Bervyn Lee, Director, Sports Culture, Sports Marketing Group, SSC.

Highlights At Team Singapore Athletes’ Gathering

  1. The day kicked off with a special “Kampong Glam Challenge”, which was facilitated by the Singapore Original Walk. Both athletes and children explored the Kampong Glam area to trace the history of the Johore Empire and learned more about the Malay heritage, which included its architecture, traditions and Islamic practices.

  2. This was followed by a lunch reception at the Singapore Flyer. After the lunch, the athletes and the children got the opportunity to take a 30-minute ride on the Singapore Flyer. Equivalent to the height of a 42-storey building, the Singapore Flyer allowed them to enjoy breathtaking and panoramic views of Singapore’s attractions such as the Changi Airport and Sentosa Island, and beyond the shorelines of Malaysia and Indonesia.

  3. The event also saw the unveiling of a special banner put up by the Singapore Flyer to congratulate Singapore on her successful bid to host the Youth Olympic Games 2010 by the Singapore Flyer.

  4. Said Mr. Florian Bollen, Chairman of Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd, “We are extremely excited to share with the athletes and the children from Pertapis Children’s Home the unique, moving panoramic experience atop the Singapore Flyer. Together with the Team Singapore athletes, we hope to bring happiness and good cheer to these children and look forward to creating a memorable experience for them and making them feel ‘on top of the world’ with the Flyer.”

Enclosures
Annex A - Programme
Annex B - List of Team Singapore Athletes

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Hazwani Hasni
Executive, Group Communications
Singapore Sports Council
DID: 6500 5246
HP: 9272 0112
E-mail: hazwani_hasni@ssc.gov.sg

Ms Gayle Wong
Assistant Director, Group Communications
Singapore Sports Council
DID: 6500 5162
HP: 9753 3273
E-mail: gayle_wong@ssc.gov.sg

About Singapore Sports Council
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is Singapore’s lead agency tasked with developing sports in Singapore. Our vision is to create a Sporting Singapore where Sports is a way of life. SSC aims to develop sports champions and create enjoyable sporting experiences for Singapore through the three strategic thrusts of cultivating a sporting culture, achieving sports excellence and creating a vibrant sports industry. Formed on 1 October 1973, SSC is a statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Please visit the SSC website at www.ssc.gov.sg for more information.

About the Singapore Flyer
The 165-metre Singapore Flyer is a new waterfront attraction that opened to the public on March 1, 2008. A high level of sophistication in engineering and technology was used to develop this $240-million (Singapore dollars) giant observation wheel. Its grand opening will be on April 15, 2008.

Each ride lasts for about 30 minutes in an air-conditioned and UV light-protected capsule, which can accommodate up to 28 people. There are 28 capsules that can be converted into a unique venue in the sky to host events, such as weddings, product launches and business entertaining.

The Singapore Flyer sits atop a three-storey building with an exciting array of retail, entertainment and food-and-beverage choices, such as an Asian tropical rainforest, an open-air theatre for live performances and a 210-metre-long waterfront dining promenade.

Located at Marina Bay, the Singapore Flyer sits among a hotbed of tourist draws that include the first-ever Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Grand Prix night race and the multi-billion-dollar Marina Bay integrated resort. The F1 Pit Building is situated next to the Singapore Flyer, which will be part of the street circuit. For more information on the Singapore Flyer, please visit http://www.singaporeflyer.com.sg.