Recreational and Sports Programmes

To promote the concept of Sport for All and to encourage people to participate in regular recreational and sports activities, the Department organises a wide variety of training courses, recreational activities, sports programmes and competitions through the District Leisure Services Offices. Target groups cover people from all walks of life and different age groups. Major events and territory-wide projects include the Hong Kong Games (HKG), the Corporate Games and the Masters Games.

In 2008-09, we organised around 34 500 community recreational and sports activities for more than 2 288 000 participants of all ages and abilities at a cost of approximately $153.5 million.

Children learning how to dance under the instruction of a tutor during the Children's Dance Workshop.

Healthy Exercise for All Campaign

Enhancing public interest in sports activities and encouraging the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle through regular physical exercise are ongoing missions for the Department. In conjunction with the Department of Health, we launched the Healthy Exercise for All Campaign in April 2000. The community activities organised in Hong Kong's 18 districts as part of this campaign in 2008-09 included fitness programmes for children, persons with disabilities and older persons; hiking and quali-walk schemes; Dance for Health programmes; and rope skipping activities. In addition, a variety of promotional activities, including a series of roving exhibitions in shopping malls, schools, youth centres, elderly centres, LCSD camps, parks, sports centres and public libraries, were organised to disseminate the campaign's message that people of all ages should undertake daily exercise to stay healthy. The response was encouraging, with 87 000 people taking part in 1 499 activities in 2008-09.

To help promote the Healthy Exercise for All Campaign, 33 top athletes were appointed as Healthy Exercise Ambassadors, and health education and physical exercise-related materials were produced in the form of videotapes, VCDs, leaflets and booklets and uploaded onto a specially designed webpage.

To encourage public participation in sports and raise public awareness of two major sporting events ------- the 2nd HKG and the Hong Kong 2009 EAG ------- a Healthy Living Fair to Welcome Major Sports Events was held on January 17, 2009. This sports carnival featured various free activities, including sport demonstrations, performances and play-ins, physical fitness tests, a first-aid workshop, and booths and exhibitions on health and exercise, for the public's enjoyment.

Co-organised with the Department of Health, the Healthy Exercise for All Campaign ------- Healthy Living Fair to Welcome Major Sports Events activity offering members of the public the opportunity to learn about various types of sports and gain relevant health knowledge.

School Sports Programme

The School Sports Programme (SSP) is organised in partnership with the NSAs and the Education Bureau. The Programme provides opportunities for students to participate in different sporting activities with the aim of raising the standard of sports in primary, secondary and special schools.

SSP activities encompass seven subsidiary programmes and schemes, namely, the Sports Education Programme, the Easy Sport Programme, the Outreach Coaching Programme, the Sport Captain Programme, the Joint Schools Sports Training Programme, the Badges Award Scheme and the Sports Award Scheme. In 2008-09, 33 NSAs joined the SSP and organised more than 7 650 sports activities for about 598 000 participants.

Community Sports Club Project

The Community Sports Club (CSC) Project aims to broaden the base of sports development in Hong Kong and improve the standard of sports at the community level. The Project promotes and strengthens young people's development, encouraging lifelong participation in sports and attracts volunteers.

The CSCs are provided with technical and financial support to organise sports development programmes. On the other hand, seminars, training courses and workshops are arranged to enhance the managerial and technical knowledge of their members. A total of 29 NSAs and around 360 CSCs have joined the CSC Project. In 2008-09, around 1 900 CSC projects were organised with subsidies from the Department, attracting 42 000 participants.

Students learning to shoot a basket as part of the Community Sports Club Project.

District Sports Teams Training Scheme

To arouse community interest in sports, each of the 18 districts has set up its own football, basketball, handball and volleyball teams with the support of the respective NSAs. More than 12 000 people have enrolled in these district teams, taking part in 270 training activities and inter-district competitions throughout the year.

Handball players competing in the District Final Handball Competition.

Young Athletes Training Scheme

The main objective of the Young Athletes Training Scheme (YATS) is to enhance training for young people in different sports at the district level with a view to identifying talented athletes who can be referred to the NSAs for further training. These outstanding athletes will then be selected for national youth squads to represent Hong Kong in international sports events.

Young athletes practising their table tennis skills in the Young Athletes Training Scheme.

In 2008-09, the YATS attracted more than 28 000 participants who were involved in around 830 activities in 22 sports disciplines, and 217 talented young athletes were referred to the NSAs for further training.

Masters Games

The Masters Games aim to inspire people aged 35 and above to maintain their physical and mental health by competing against individuals of a similar age in sporting activities. In 2008-09, these Games included six events with 3 500 participants.

The Masters Games provide a friendly competitive environment for people aged 35 and above to participate in a wide range of sports.

Corporate Games

The Corporate Games are a major sports promotion activity for employers and employees in the local industrial and commercial sectors and those in public organisations. These Games encourage the working population to exercise regularly through participation in competitive sports, and promote team spirit and a stronger sense of organisational belonging amongst employees.

About 8 800 participants from 273 organisations took part in the Corporate Games 2008, which were held from September 2008 to January 2009 and included 10 competitive events at various recreational venues throughout Hong Kong.

The Corporate Games comprise a series of multi-sport competitions, aiming to help industrial and commercial organisations, as well as the public sector, and their employees develop the regular exercise habit.

Bun Carnival

The Cheung Chau Bun Scrambling Carnival 2008 was held from April 26 to
May 13. The event attracted thousands of local and overseas visitors to the island, with more than 7 000 participating in the Bun Scrambling Competition itself and in a variety of other programmes. In addition, athletes from neighbouring cities and local organisations on Cheung Chau were invited to compete in a relay contest to make the event more stimulating.

The spectacular Bun Scrambling Competition is a significant annual event on Cheung Chau.

Sand Sculpture Exchange Programme

Sand sculptors from Kagoshima in Japan were invited to demonstrate their extraordinary creativity and skill on November 30, 2008 at the Southern District Sand Sculpture Competition held on Shek O Beach. The event attracted 93 teams with about 480 local participants and more than 1 400 spectators.

The Kagoshima Hioki City Team of Japan was invited to Hong Kong to demonstrate its sand sculpting skills. This lively and stunning work, entitled 'SAY YOUR WISH', was inspired by the genie in Aladdin's magic lamp from The Arabian Nights.