Oxfam Trailwalker (OTW) – Hong Kong’s most popular hiking fundraising event organised by Oxfam Hong Kong (OHK) – kicked off this morning (17 Nov) as OTW stepped into its 36th year. The kick-off ceremony was officiated by Bernard Chan, OTW Advisory Committee Chair; Cheung Yuk Tong, Council Chair of OHK; Trini Leung, Director General of OHK and Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau. AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of OTW 2017. A total of 5,200 walkers from 1,300 teams participated in the challenge this year. OHK aims to raise HK$36 million to support its work in poverty alleviation, disaster relief and policy advocacy in Hong Kong and around the world.

All walkers successively started their walk from Sai Kung to Yuen Long at 8 am today and arriving to finish point at Yuen Long in 48 hours. This includes Fearless Dragons, the visually and hearing-impaired teams; amputee walker, Fung Kam Hung and his team; Maid of Heart and Sole, a team of domestic helpers; and the eldest team among all walkers, Flying Geezers, who have a combined age of 266.

Close to 30 business leaders also took part in the Leaders Against Poverty Walk and raised funds to support Oxfam’s poverty alleviation work.

Bernard Chan said, ‘Our theme of this year is “We are Trailwalkers”. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, a professional worker, a homemaker, or whether you have a disability. As long as you are persistent and work in partnership with others, you too can be a trailwalker.’ He also expressed his gratitude to all the guests, walkers, volunteers, donors, and sponsors for their support over the years.

Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, said, ‘AIA Hong Kong continues to fully support OTW this year with a record-breaking 36 teams, comprising 144 staff and financial planners, making us the largest corporate participant for the third year running. We eagerly look forward to hitting the trail to raise funds for Oxfam. We also have AIA volunteers to provide support, accompany and cheer on all walkers to overcome steep valleys and craggy peaks along the trail, delivering on our brand promise as “The Real Life Company”. For the next three years, we are thrilled to extend our sponsorship of OTW as Principal Sponsor in the name of “AIA Vitality”. Through this sponsorship, we hope to motivate more people to embark on their health journey and support Oxfam’s efforts to alleviate poverty and their disaster relief work worldwide as part of our commitment to help people live longer, healthier and better lives.’

OTW has become OHK's flagship fundraiser and one of the largest fundraising hiking events in Hong Kong. The event is supported by AIA Vitality, the Principal Sponsor for three consecutive years. Also, AIA Vitality has committed to extending their sponsorship for another three years (2018 – 2020). Since 1986, more than 93,000 trailwalkers have participated in it and raised over HK$500 million to support Oxfam’s poverty alleviation work all over the world.

Media Activities of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017

Receiving First Team Ceremony

Date: 17 Nov, 2017 (Fri)
Time: Around 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Venue: Po Leung Kuk Jockey Club Tai Tong Holiday Camp in Yuen Long
Guests: Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair
            Trini Leung, Director General, Oxfam Hong Kong
            KK Low, Head of AIA Vitality Partners and Platform Management,
             AIA Hong Kong & Macau (AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017)

Closing Ceremony

Date: 19 Nov, 2017 (Sun)
Time: Between 1:30 pm and 2 pm
Venue: Po Leung Kuk Jockey Club Tai Tong Holiday Camp in Yuen Long
Guest: Trini Leung, Director General, Oxfam Hong Kong

For more information about Oxfam Trailwalker, please visit: http://www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.hk/
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/oxfamtrailwalkerhk

About Oxfam Trailwalker

Oxfam Trailwalker (previously called ‘Trailwalker’) began in Hong Kong in 1981 as a military training exercise for the elite Queen’s Gurkha Signals Regiment. In 1986, Oxfam Hong Kong was invited to co-organise the event and in the same year the event was open to the public. Along with the retreat of the Gurkhas in 1997, Oxfam Hong Kong took over the event. Through the years, Oxfam Trailwalker has become one of the largest fundraising and hiking events, and it has and will be held in 17 cities in 10 countries this year, including Australia, Belgium, England, France, India, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea and Hong Kong.

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a worldwide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty.

About AIA Vitality

AIA Vitality is a game changing wellness programme which redefines the traditional concept of insurance, aims to reward customers to live a healthy lifestyle. Purchase any “AIA Vitality” selected insurance product and receive an instant 10% premium discount* and an array of rewards and discounts offered by our partners. Simply being active in daily life and having a healthy diet, customers can earn points and upgrade their status for more discounts and rewards.

*The premium discount is only applicable to AIA Vitality selected insurance products. Please visit AIA Hong Kong’s website aia.com.hk - ‘AIA Vitality’.

Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 – Leaders Against Poverty Walk Participants

1) Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair

2) Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau

3) Bonnie Tse, General Manager, Business Strategy and Marketing, AIA Hong Kong & Macau

4) Jim Jan Zen, Chief Agency Officer, Agency Distribution, AIA Hong Kong & Macau

5) Aloysius Lai, Executive Director, Head of Technology & Operations, United Overseas Bank Ltd.

6) Amanda Yik, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Member

7) Antony Wood, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Member

8) Christine Ip Yeung See Ming, Managing Director / CEO Greater China, United Overseas Bank Ltd.

9) David Lau, Managing Director, JP Morgan

10) Diana Tsui, Head of Global Philanthropy, Asia Pacific, JP Morgan

11) Dr. Ho Chung Ping, Vice President, The Hong Kong Medical Association

12) Edmund Sim, Managing Director, China Merchant Securities International

13) Edwin Morris, Chief Financial Officer, Asia Miles Limited

14) Foo Teow Lee, Consul-General, Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore – Hong Kong and Macao

15) Ivan Wong Siu Kei, Executive Director, Kum Shing Group

16) Joan Xia, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Member

17) Kenneth Ying, Chairman, Indochina Company Limited

18) Kwan Chi Wah, Associate Director (SPS), Sino Group

19) Lai Po Sing, Tomakin, Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer, China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited

20) Lau Ka Shi, Managing Director & CEO, BCT Group (BCT Financial Ltd /Bank Consortium Trust Company)

21) Lau Teck Sien, Chief Investment Officer & Partner, Hopu Investment

22) Lewis Chan, Chief Executive Officer, Dragonmarts Company Limited

23) Oscar Chow Vee Tsung, Non-executive Director, Chevalier Group

24) Salome See, Executive Director, HKET

25) Vincent Tse, Investor Relations Director, China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited

26) Yvonne Lo, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Member

27) Zhang Huifeng, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Asia Pacific, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

For media enquiries, please contact:

Benjamin Li
Communications Officer
Phone: (852) 3120 5134 / (852) 9721 5943
Email: benjamin.li@oxfam.org.hk

Alan Ng
Assistant Communications Officer
Phone: (852) 3120 5174 / (852) 9786 2258
Email: alan.ng@oxfam.org.hk

For AIA enquiries, please contact:

Kevin Chan
Bentley Communications Limited
Phone: (852) 3960 1903
Email: kevinchan@bentleyhk.com

Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair, delivered the welcome speech at the Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony.

Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, gave his support to walkers at the Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony.

A total of 5,200 walkers are undertaking the 100 km challenge and will trek along the MacLehose Trail and other trails in teams of four within 48 hours.

The Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony was officiated by Cheung Yuk-Tong, Council Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong (front row second from the left); Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair (front row third from the left); Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (front row fourth from the left); and Trini Leung, Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong (front row fifth from the left). AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017.

Close to 30 business leaders, including Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair (first row, eighth from the left); Cheung Yuk-Tong, Council Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong (first row, third from the right); Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau (first row, sixth from the right); Bonnie Tse, General Manager, Business Strategy and Marketing, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (first row, third from the left); and Jim Jan Zen, Chief Agency Officer, Agency Distribution, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (second row, sixth from the left), joined the ‘Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 – Leaders Against Poverty Walk’ on the first day of the event. AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017.

Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair, delivered the welcome speech at the Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony. Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, gave his support to walkers at the Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony. A total of 5,200 walkers are undertaking the 100 km challenge and will trek along the MacLehose Trail and other trails in teams of four within 48 hours. The Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 kick-off ceremony was officiated by Cheung Yuk-Tong, Council Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong (front row second from the left); Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair (front row third from the left); Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (front row fourth from the left); and Trini Leung, Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong (front row fifth from the left). AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017. Close to 30 business leaders, including Bernard Chan, Oxfam Trailwalker Advisory Committee Chair (first row, eighth from the left); Cheung Yuk-Tong, Council Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong (first row, third from the right); Peter Crewe, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau (first row, sixth from the right); Bonnie Tse, General Manager, Business Strategy and Marketing, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (first row, third from the left); and Jim Jan Zen, Chief Agency Officer, Agency Distribution, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (second row, sixth from the left), joined the ‘Oxfam Trailwalker 2017 – Leaders Against Poverty Walk’ on the first day of the event. AIA Vitality is the Principal Sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker 2017.