Volunteers support social integration of people with intellectual disabilities by volunteering at hc:Bistro, a flagship social enterprise restaurant

Hong Chi Association and FWD Hong Kong (“FWD”) jointly hosted the kick-off ceremony of the “Together We Serve” Volunteering Scheme cum volunteer catering service training at the hc:Bistro today. 

Located in Tai Kwun, hc:Bistro is a flagship social enterprise restaurant operated by Hong Chi Association. The volunteering scheme is a new collaborative initiative between the two organisations, in which the first Thursday of every month is set as the “hc:Bistro FWD Volunteering Day”. FWD will arrange for their staff to take up volunteering shifts and assist Hong Chi trainees with their work at hc:Bistro. 

Edwin Lam, PDSM, General Secretary of Hong Chi Association, thanked FWD for their support in fostering social integration for people with autism and intellectual disabilities throughout the years, saying: “We opened hc:Bistro in autumn last year. The flagship social enterprise restaurant of Hong Chi Association also serves as a stage where the public can witness the multi-talent and skills of people with intellectual disabilities. We are grateful for FWD’s support to our restaurant through this volunteering scheme, which allowed us to serve our customers with even more personalised catering service. We believe that FWD volunteers could, in return, learn more about the abilities of Hong Chi members to spread the positive message of a caring and inclusive community through their actions.” 

Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer of FWD said: “FWD has been a long-term supporter of Hong Chi Association. We’ve been taking part in various events so that people with intellectual disabilities can put their potential to work. I am delighted that we could cooperate with Hong Chi to launch the ‘Together We Serve’ Volunteering Scheme, and are very confident that our volunteers can fully support Hong Chi members’ work at hc:Bistro. We hope the initiative will enrich members’ life experience while enhancing public understanding about and acceptance of people with autism and intellectual disabilities as a way to foster social integration.”

At the kick-off ceremony of the volunteering scheme, Edwin Lam invited Ken Lau and Paul Tse, Chief Marketing Officer of FWD Hong Kong & Macau, as well as some 30 FWD volunteers to put on the volunteer badge together. The gesture symbolised that FWD volunteers are now official members of the hc:Bistro family, and they will commit to helping Hong Chi trainees with their work at the restaurant. Instructors at the restaurant and Hong Chi members also introduced volunteers to the work at the restaurant and offered basic training in catering service. Ken and Paul also showed their support by learning professional table setting and customer service skills alongside Hong Chi trainees. 

The “Together We Serve” Volunteering Scheme envisions to foster integration of the disabled and the able-bodied and to invoke public awareness in caring and accepting people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Usually working busily in their offices, FWD staff will go to the forefront of a social enterprise to learn about hospitality techniques in a restaurant. In addition to working side by side with Hong Chi members to deliver personalised service and delicacies to customers, FWD staff will also interact with Hong Chi members to gain deeper understanding about the multiple skills of people with intellectual disabilities, helping them to excel at work and to give back to society.

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About FWD Hong Kong & Macau
FWD Hong Kong offers life and medical insurance, general insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning. Its life insurance and general insurance operating entities have been assigned strong financial strength ratings by international rating agencies — FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability) is rated “A3” by Moody’s and “A” by Fitch; and FWD General Insurance Company Limited is rated “A” by Fitch. FWD Macau provides a suite of life and medical insurance.

FWD Hong Kong & Macau is a part of the FWD Group, the insurance business of investment group, Pacific Century Group. FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia.

By creating fresh customer experiences with easy-to-understand products supported by digital technology, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

For more information about FWD Hong Kong & Macau please visit WWW.FWD.COM.HK and WWW.FWD.COM.MO.

About Hong Chi Association
Hong Chi Association (formerly the Hong Kong Association for the Mentally Handicapped), founded in 1965, has grown to become one of the most well-established non-profit organizations dedicated solely to serving over 7,000 people of all ages and all grades of intellectual disabilities and their families in Hong Kong. It operates 89 service units to provide comprehensive services.


About Special Olympics Hong Kong

Founded in 1976, Special Olympics Hong Kong is one of the Special Olympics Programs striving to provide opportunities for over 50,000 headcounts of people with intellectual disability aged 8 or above to participate in a variety of Olympic-type sports. Sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, floor hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, mini-volleyball, ice skating, snowshoeing, swimming and table tennis are now available for thousands of athletes and participants from more than 100 agency members. By taking part in these sports, their potential as well as their self-esteem and bravery can be enhanced. With sports as a means of integration into the society, they can also share the joy gained from sports participation with their families and friends.

Apart from sports events, Special Olympics Hong Kong has also developed various non-sport events such as Athlete Leadership, Family Network, Healthy Athletes, Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Motor Activities Training Program, Unified Schools and Young Athletes.

About Hong Chi Association
Founded in 1965, Hong Chi Association (formerly The Hong Kong Association for the Mentally Handicapped) has now grown into one of the largest non-profit making organisations that specialises in serving people with intellectual disabilities and their families in Hong Kong. The Association operates 87 service units to offer a full range of services, including special education, job training and rehabilitation therapy, etc., to some 7,000 persons with different level of intellectual disabilities across a wide spectrum of ages.

About FWD
FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan. In Hong Kong, FWD offers life and medical insurance, general insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning. The life insurance and general insurance operating entities have been assigned strong financial strength ratings by international rating agencies — FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited is rated “A3” by Moody’s and “A” by Fitch; and FWD General Insurance Company Limited is rated “A” by Fitch.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

Established in Asia in 2013, FWD is the insurance business of investment group, Pacific Century Group.

For more information please visit WWW.FWD.COM.HK and WWW.FWD.COM.MO.