Media Resources

17 Jun 2023

Towngas “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme sets Guinness World Records™ title for most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue

(17 June 2023) For the 24th consecutive year, The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) organised the “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme. This year, under the theme of “The Heritage of Love and Care”, young people and ethnic minorities also joined in the rice dumpling wrapping, and for the first time, the event was held in both online and offline formats. Participants from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland joined the event, with over 400 of them completing the challenge of setting a Guinness World Records™ title for “the most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue”. Over 3,000 rice dumplings were wrapped for the community throughout the day in Hong Kong alone. This year, Towngas gave away 200,000 rice dumplings to the elderly and people in need to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with the community.
 
The event was held physically at The Tsim Sha Tsui Kai Fong Welfare Association, with the online presence of participants from venues of district organisations and social welfare organisations across Hong Kong, as well as the staff of Towngas’ mainland joint ventures in around 50 provinces, cities and regions across the country.
 
For this challenge, all participants had to complete at least one complete, firmly wrapped rice dumpling within a 15-minute time limit, and online participants had to complete the entire process in front of the camera. After verification, 421 participants completed the challenge within the time limit, setting a Guinness World Records™ title for “the most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue”. Over 3,000 rice dumplings were wrapped at the Hong Kong event throughout the day for the community.
 
Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, and a number of Legislative Councillors also took part in the event, wrapped rice dumplings and set the Guinness World Records™ title. Secretary Mak said, “I am delighted to have been part of this initiative and worked with you to set a world record. I look forward to more charity events organised by Towngas that incorporate our traditions.”
 
Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, the Managing Director of Towngas, remarked, “With ‘heritage’ as our theme this year, we aim to use an innovative way to pass on the excellent culture and traditional virtues of the Chinese people from generation to generation. We hope that as we pass on our rice dumpling wrapping craft, we can also spread our care and love for those in need in our society.”
 
With the theme of “heritage”, local young people were invited to participate in this year’s event. Dr Lo Wai-kwok, a Legislative Councillor representing the engineering functional constituency, led 15 young engineers and formed the “Young Enginvolunteer Team” to volunteer at the rice dumpling wrapping event, with the hope to pass on the spirit of helping people in the engineering sector to the next generation. Through this activity, the young engineers would understand that apart from their work, they should not forget to give back and contribute to the society, and help the disadvantaged groups.
 
In addition, Towngas has been actively promoting the idea of caring and inclusion, and invited a number of ethnic minority families from Pakistan, the Philippines and India, including Towngas employees and their families, to join the festivity. Hajru, from Pakistan, said she had always wanted to learn how to bake rice dumplings, and this event was a wish come true for her. During the rice dumpling process, she gained a better understanding of traditional Chinese festivals and culture. Other volunteers were on hand to teach her how to make the rice dumplings, allowing her to deepen the interaction with each other and become more integrated into the community.
 
Towngas also holds the Guinness World Records™ title for the “largest display of rice dumplings” with 34,056 rice dumplings, set in 2007, and raised $840,000 for the Community Chest that year. Since 2000, the “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme has been organised in collaboration with Legislative Councillors, District Councillors, schools and community organisations to deliver rice dumplings to the people in various districts, with 4.5 million rice dumplings given away accumulatively over the years.
   
 
Press photos:
Photo 1:

Guests including Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen, a number of Legislative Councillors, District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong) Mr Edward Yu Kin-keung, Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Chairman of the Executive Committee of The Tsim Sha Tsui District Kai Fong Welfare Association Mr So Chung-ping, set a Guinness World Records™ title for “the most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue” with volunteers.
(Front row, from left: Legislative Councillors Mr Chan Pui-leung, Mr Chan Yung, Mr Stanley Ng Chau-pei, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen, Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Legislative Councillors Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Kwok Wai-keung, Mr Rock Chen Chung-nin, Mr Andrew Lam Siu-lo, Towngas Chief Investment Officer Mr Alan Chan Ying-lung.
Back row, from left: Chairman of the Executive Committee of The Tsim Sha Tsui District Kai Fong Welfare Association Mr So Chung-ping, Towngas Head of Strategy & Innovation and Commercial – Hong Kong Utility Mr Daniel Fung Man-kit, Legislative Councillors Mr Lam Chun-sing, Mr Benson Luk Hon-man, Ms Chan Hoi-yan, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, Mr Shang Hailong, Mr Tik Chu-yuen, District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong) Mr Edward Yu Kin-keung, Towngas Head of Engineering – Hong Kong Utility Mr Simon Ngo Siu-hing, and Towngas Head of Corporate Human Resources and Head of Corporate Safety and Environment Mr Lam Ming-wing.)
 
Photo 2:

Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen (right), and Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee (left), ring the gong to signify the start of the challenge for setting the Guinness World Records™ title of “the most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue”.

Photos 3 & 4:


The “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme successfully sets a Guinness World Records™ title for “the most people making rice dumplings simultaneously online and in a single venue”, with Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee (right) receiving the certificate on behalf of the participants.
 
Photo 5:

Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen (1st from right) and Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee (1st from left) present a certificate to a participating organisation.
 
Photo 6:

Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, says it is an unforgettable experience to wrap rice dumplings with all the participants and set a world record together.
 
Photo 7:

Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Managing Director of Towngas, thanks the volunteers for their active participation and support in the “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme.
 
Photo 8:

Renowned chef Mr Paul Wong Ah-po teaches rice dumpling wrapping skills at the event, and guides Secretary Alice Mak Mei-kuen and Towngas Managing Director Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee in making rice dumplings.
 
Photos 9-11:



Legislative Councillors have fun practising rice dumpling wrapping.
(Photo 9, from left: Legislative Councillors Mr Chan Pui-leung, Mr Chan Yung, Mr Stanley Ng Chau-pei
Photo 10, from left: Legislative Councillors Mr Benson Luk Hon-man, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, Ms Chan Hoi-yan
Photo 11, from left: Legislative Councillors Mr Lam Chun-sing, Mr Shang Hailong, Mr Tik Chi-yuen)

Photo 12:

The volunteers wrap rice dumplings with their hearts and successfully complete the feat of setting a world record at the event.
 
Photo 13:

District organisations and social welfare organisations across Hong Kong, as well as Towngas’ joint ventures in around 50 provinces, cities and regions across the country, participate in the “Rice Dumplings for the Community” programme.
 
Photo 14:

Legislative Councillor Dr Lo Wai-kwok leads the “Young Enginvolunteer Team” to participate in the event to pass on the spirit of helping others in the engineering sector.

Photos 15-17:



Members of the ethnic minority community find rice dumpling wrapping interesting as they try it for the first time. The event also allows them to learn more about Chinese festival culture.

Photo 18:

Hajru (centre), who is of Pakistani descent, says in Cantonese that she is very happy to try rice dumpling wrapping for the first time and that she has learned more about traditional Chinese festivals and culture in the process.
 
Photo 19:

Golden Guides lead a group of Brownies to join the event to pass on the spirit of doing good.

Photo 20:

A Towngas Volunteer Service Team member joins the event with family members, which is a great way to pass on the warm culture of Towngas and a great family activity.

 
For media enquiries, please contact:
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
 

Mr Addie Lam Assistant General Manager – Corporate Affairs Tel: 2963 2578 / 6702 6449 Email: addie.lam@towngas.com

Ms Kara Kwong Senior Corporate Communications Officer Tel: 2963 3497 / 6698 3357 Email: kara.kwong@towngas.com