02 Mar 2025
Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team acts as "Safety Couriers" to visit elderly singletons and doubletons to ensure home safety
(2 March 2025) Social life is essential to the health of retired elderly individuals. The Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team, formed by The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) Volunteer Service Team and the Water Supplies Department Volunteer Team, participated in an initiative launched by the Senior Citizens Home Safety Association (SCHSA) to visit elderly singletons and doubletons, delivering care and gift bags, and assisting in the testing of the Personal Emergency Link (PEL) devices to enhance their home safety.
Supporting hidden elderly with on-site testing of Personal Emergency Link devices
The “Caring for Elderly and Delivering Safety” programme brought together more than 500 volunteers from corporations and various sectors of the community to visit nearly 500 elderly singleton and doubleton households across all 18 districts in Hong Kong. The volunteers acted as “Safety Couriers” to bring “safety” to the elderly. Apart from distributing gift bags, they also checked on the physical and mental wellbeing of the elderly so as to provide them with appropriate follow-up assistance. Besides, the volunteers explained the functions of the PEL devices, encouraged proper use of the service, and checked that the devices were operating correctly. As for the elderly who seldom go out, volunteers encouraged them to build social network and provided referral and support services where needed.
The Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team also distributed gas safety brochures and water conservation leaflets to remind the elderly about gas safety and water-saving tips to further enhance home safety. Mr Chan thanked the volunteers for their visit, “They came and chatted with me, gave me a gift bag, and helped test my Personal Emergency Link device, my home was very lively and I felt heartwarmed.”
Raising Public Awareness of Elderly Safety
In addition to visiting the elderly, the initiative also raised funds for the “Care on Call™” charity programme, which is expected to provide one year of free service to 1,000 low-income elderly individuals with high need. Mr Felix Lee Kin-Ming, Head of Group Corporate Affairs and Sustainability of Towngas, said the Company was pleased to participate in the event as one of the sponsoring organisations, “Towngas has always been attentive to the needs of the elderly. Since 2004, we have been working in collaboration with SCHSA, whereby our technicians test the PEL devices of the elderly when they visit their homes for safety inspections. We hope this cross-sector cooperation will not only bring warmth to the elderly, but also raise public awareness about the elderly safety.”
Looking ahead, Towngas will continue to support various volunteer activities and bring warmth to more people in need throughout the community.
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Press photos:
Photo 1:
The Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team, formed by Towngas Volunteer Service Team and Water Supplies Department Volunteer Team, participated in the “Caring for Elderly and Delivering Safety” community visits to bring warmth to the elderly.
Photo 2:
The Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team at the pledging ceremony of the “Caring for the Elderly and Delivering Safety” initiative.
Photo 3:
Mr Felix Lee Kin-ming (2nd from right), Head of Group Corporate Affairs and Sustainability of Towngas, received a commemorative souvenir from SCHSA.
Photo 4:
Mr Chan (4th from left) thanks the Towngas-WSD Volunteer Team and SCHSA for their visit, saying that they not only explained the functions of the PEL device, but also handed out brochures on gas safety and shared water conservation tips.
For media enquiries, please contact:
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited