On 18th November 2017, COSCO SHIPPING International joined hands for the first time with Sham Shui Po District Elderly Community Centre of Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council (“NAAC”) to organize a “Day Tour to Coastal Defense Museum”. COSCO SHIPPING International sponsored the activity and sent its volunteer team to accompany with a group of 44 elderly people to visit the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense, to learn about the defense history of Hong Kong over 600 years ago and had pleasant lunch together, delivering COSCO SHIPPING International’s caring spirit towards to the elderly living in the community.

The tour started at 9:30 a.m. A team of 14 volunteers of COSCO SHIPPING International gathered at Sham Shui Po District Elderly Community Centre. They were introduced by the social workers to the elderly. Then all of them took a coach together to Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense at Tung Hei Road, Shau Kei Wan. The museum was used to be Lei Yue Mun Fort, which was built more than 100 years ago as the most formidable redoubt in the territory and which played an important role during the battle against Japanese troops. Following the tour guide, the volunteers accompanied with the elderly entering various exhibition halls. They took a valuable history lesson by learning the maritime defense history of Hong Kong from the Ming Dynasty to the Japanese occupation and after Hong Kong’s reunification.

Most of the participated elderly are about 80 to 90 years old. When they saw the exhibited items of defensive equipment such as military vehicles and guns, etc, it recalled their memories of the anti-Japanese period. Some elderly shared the hardship they experienced when they were separated from their families to escape from the Japanese troops, and their hunger because of food shortage. They urged the volunteers to enjoy the present peaceful days. After the visit, the volunteers and the elderly went for lunch together at a restaurant in Chai Wan. The elderly enjoyed the tour very much through their smiling faces. All of them took group photo at last and the volunteers presented small gifts to the elderly to show their care.

Sham Shui Po District Elderly Community Centre of NAAC is a local social service centre offering diversified services for the elderly. During the past six years, COSCO SHIPPING International had collaborated with the centre and sent its volunteer team in the festive seasons and the winter to visit the elderly. This joint visit activity was co-organised with the centre for the first time, which aimed to give an opportunity to the elderly to get into the community and take a break. In future, COSCO SHIPPING International will continue to fulfil its corporate social responsibility and contribute to caring for the community.

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