Recreational and Sports Programmes

To promote 'Sport for All' and encourage more people to actively participate in recreation and sports activities, the Department regularly organises a range of training courses, recreational activities, sports programmes and competitions through the District Leisure Services Offices for individuals from all walks of life and age groups. Major events and territory-wide projects include the Hong Kong Games (HKG), the Corporate Games, the Masters Games and the Healthy Exercise for All Campaign.

In 2010-11, we organised around 36 700 community recreational and sports activities for more than 2 037 000 participants of all ages and abilities. These programmes cost about $123.5 million.

Healthy Exercise for All Campaign

Enhancing public interest in sporting activities and encouraging the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle through regular physical exercise are ongoing missions of 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 2010-11, included fitness programmes for children, persons with disabilities and older people; hiking and quality walking ('QualiWalk') 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, private residential club houses, LCSD holiday camps, parks, sports centres and public libraries were organised to disseminate the campaign's message that people of all ages should exercise daily to remain healthy. The response was encouraging, with 82 000 participants taking part in 1 400 activities in 2010-11.

The Department enlisted the support of 31 top athletes as Healthy Exercise Ambassadors to promote the Campaign. Health education and physical exercise-related information was disseminated in the form of video tapes, VCDs, leaflets and booklets and a purpose-designed website.

'Sport For All' Day

To support the National Fitness Day and to promote 'Sport for All' in the community, the LCSD organised the 'Sport For All Day' on August 8, 2010. A series of free programmes were organised at selected sports centres in 18 districts, when most of the sports facilities were offered for free. Over 190 000 people participated in the 'Sport For All Day', of whom more than 27 000 took part in the free programmes, while over 164 000 enjoyed the free facilities.

More than 1 000 dance-lovers have fun in a three-minute dance at Kowloon Park Sports Centre. It was one of the events organised concurrently by the 18 districts on Sport For All day in August 2010.

The Corporate Games

The Corporate Games, a major multi-sport event for staff in the local industrial and commercial organisations and in public sectors, encouraged people to exercise regularly, while also promoting team spirit and a stronger sense of belonging to their organisations.

An athlete performs a high jump in the athletics competition in the Corporate Games 2010. The Games featured 13 competitive events, including athletics, badminton, basketball, distance running, indoor rowing, snooker, 7-a-side mini-soccer, 11-a-side soccer, swimming, table tennis, tennis, tenpin bowling and volleyball.

The Corporate Games 2010 was held from June to December 2010 and included 13 sports events at various recreational venues throughout Hong Kong. More than 9 300 people from 251 organisations took part in the Games.

The Masters Games

The Masters Games aims to inspire people aged 35 or above to maintain their physical and mental health by competing against individuals of similar age. In 2010-11, the Games included six sports events and attracted 3 738 participants.

The Distance Run Competition of the Master Games 2010-11, held at the Main Dam of Plover Cove Reservoir, Tai Mei Tuk, attracted over 300 participants. The Games comprised five other events － badminton, swimming, table tennis, Tai Chi and tennis.

Tai Chi was one of the six events in the Masters Games 2010-11.

Healthy Exercise for All Campaign － Physical Fitness Test for the Community 2010-11

The Physical Fitness Test for the Community (PFT) was officially launched in April 2011. The Test, encompassing a survey and a physical fitness test, is designed to achieve the following goals: establish a database on the physical fitness of Hong Kong people; identify the relationship between the pattern of physical exercise and fitness; understand the priority measures that need to be taken to enhance the overall physical fitness of the public; and give individuals a general idea about their level of fitness. Target participants are Hong Kong citizens aged between 3 and 69, categorised into five age groups: infants (aged 3-6), children (7-12), adolescents (13-19), adults (20-59) and the elderly (60-69). About 13 300 samples are drawn at random from 18 districts.

Children from randomly-selected primary schools participate in the Healthy Exercise for All Campaign － Physical Fitness Test for the Community 2010-11.

School Sports Programme

The School Sports Programme (SSP) is organised through the Sports Subvention Scheme of the Department by the NSAs and with support from the Education Bureau. This Programme, which aims to raise the standards of sport in primary, secondary and special schools, gives students an opportunity to participate in different sports activities.

SSP activities encompass seven subsidiary programmes and schemes: the Sport 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 (SAS). The sportTAG Award Scheme, a new programme launched under the SAS in early 2011, aims to encourage students who have joined ‘sportACT’ to select a sport of their choice and participate in the skill assessment run by NSAs to upkeep their level of skill. Students who have reached a designated sports skill level are given awards of recognition.

Students in action at the 2010 Easy Sports Cricket Competition organised under the Easy Sport Programme. The Programme aims to enhance primary students’ interest in sport and boost their confidence by teaching easy skills with the aid of modified equipment.

Girls stretch at the 2010 Joint School Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition. Joint school events are organised to sustain students’ interest in sports and teach them skills.

In 2010-11, 38 NSAs joined the SSP to organise more than 7 800 sports activities for about 601 000 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 community level. The Project promotes and strengthens young people's development, encourages lifelong participation in sports and attracts volunteers.

The CSCs are offered technical and financial support to organise sports development programmes. In addition, seminars, training courses and workshops are arranged to enhance the managerial and technical knowledge of CSC members. A total of 29 NSAs and about 410 CSCs have now joined the CSC Project. In 2010-11, around 2 100 CSC projects, subsidised by the Department, drew 46 100 participants.

District Sports Teams Training Scheme

To generate community interest in sport, the 18 districts have formed their own football, basketball, handball and fencing teams in 2010-11, with the support of the respective NSAs. About 12 628 people enrolled in these district teams, taking part in 247 training activities and inter-district competitions through the year.

Young Athletes Training Scheme

The main objective of the Young Athletes Training Scheme (YATS) is to enhance sports training for young people to identify talented athletes. Young athletes with potential have the opportunity being selected by the NSAs for further training. The most outstanding of these young athletes will then be selected for national junior squads and represent Hong Kong in international sports events.

In 2010-11, the YATS attracted 31 836 participants who took part in 867 activities in 27 sports disciplines and 427 talented young athletes were referred to the NSAs for further training.

Bun Carnival

The Bun Carnival 2010, held from May 8 to 22, attracted thousands of local and overseas visitors to Cheung Chau. More than 8 000 participated in the Bun Scrambling Competition and in a variety of other programmes. In addition, athletes from neighbouring cities and from Cheung Chau organisations were invited to compete in a relay contest to make the event even more exciting.