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MEDIA ADVISORY  MEDIA ADVISORY  MEDIA ADVISORY  MEDIA ADVISORY

NORTH WEST CDC RECOGNISES EFFORT OF 4,000 VOLUNTEERS IN BUILDING A CARING AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY ______

Building a caring and healthy community has always been the key focus of the North West Community Development Council (CDC) and it is made possible with the effort and time contributed by our volunteers. In the year 2013, North West CDC had organised about 400 activities outreaching to over 180,000 residents with the help of our 4,000 volunteers. To celebrate and recognise the efforts contributed by our dedicated volunteers, the North West CDC conferred two categories of awards – WeCare @ North West Awards and North West Brisk Walking Clubs Outstanding Coordinators Awards to 14 recipients at the annual North West Volunteers’ Night 2014 on Sunday, 2 March 2014 at NUS University Cultural Centre.

2 Hosted by Dr , North West Volunteers’ Night 2014 was graced by the following Grassroots Advisers as Guests-of-Honour:

(a) Dr Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC (Cashew)

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(b) Mr Hawazi Daipi Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Education & Ministry of Manpower Member of Parliament for GRC (Marsiling)

(c) Assoc Prof Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Health & Ministry of Transport Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC (Nee Soon Central)

(d) Dr , PBM Member of Parliament for Nee GRC (Canberra)

(e) Mr Tay Teck Guan Patrick, BBM MP for Nee Soon GRC (Nee Soon East)

(f) Mr MP for Sembawang GRC (Admiralty)

3 Dr Teo Ho Pin said, “This is an annual event to appreciate our volunteers’ effort in creating a caring and healthy community. In 2013, a total of 4,000 volunteers from our corporate partners, grassroots organisations, partner agencies, schools and individuals spent their time, effort and expertise to reach out to our residents. I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation to all our volunteers.”

4 Volunteers play significant roles in the North West District by supporting the CDC in its three key thrusts of Assisting the Needy, Bonding the People and Connecting the Community. For instance, our North West Brisk Walking Clubs are supported by volunteer coordinators and champions organising regular activities for 139 clubs and 68,000 members. Mdm Jenny Yim from Division, Mr Henry Foo from Chong Pang Division, Mr Greg Tay from Sembawang Division, Mdm Shirley Yeo from Cashew Division and Mdm Aisah Bte Abdul Wahid from Zhenghua Division are some of the passionate brisk walk Coordinators who have devoted their time and effort in their respective clubs for more than ten years. They were part of the 10 receiving the “North West Brisk Walking Clubs Outstanding Coordinators Awards” at the North West Volunteers’ Night 2014.

5 Within our community, some volunteers had also demonstrated outstanding commitment in caring for the community and dedicating their time and services to the less privileged. 78 year-old Mdm Lee Oi Yoke, Loy, 67 year-old Mr Albert Lee and a team of passionate undergraduate 2 pharmacy students from the NUS Pharmaceutical Society and registered pharmacists from Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore were the 4 recipients for WeCare @ North West awards.

6 In FY 2013, the North West CDC saw its volunteers increase from 2,880 in FY2012 to 4,000 volunteers today. The biggest increase came from green and WeCare projects such as Reduce @ North West, Recycle @ North West, Green Homes @ North West, North West Care & Repair Programme and projects under the umbrella of WeCare @ North West.

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