食物送暖　　街市商戶鼎力支持
Fresh Market Tenants Support Food
Programmes for the Needy

街市是香港飲食文化的重要部分，領匯透過街市提升工程，令商戶可以在更理想的環境持續發展。商戶亦是我們服務社區的夥伴，在一眾街市商戶全力支持下，兩項社區支援項目得以順利開展。

新鮮食品贈基層

傳統食物銀行以提供乾糧及罐頭食品為主。領匯與九龍樂善堂合作在天水圍和將軍澳推出食物銀行計劃，打破傳統，向區內五百戶低收入家庭派出食物券，換領營養更加豐富的新鮮食物。計劃於2013年5至10月期間送出價值逾一百萬港元的食物券，並得到天耀街市和厚德街市逾四十個租戶鼎力支持，提供魚、肉、蔬果及乾貨予受助家庭選擇。為善最樂，四十五名領匯員工亦充當義工，協助預備食物券及收集受助人意見，服務時數達二百六十四小時。

食物回收減浪費 傳愛心

街市每日收市後，商戶仍會有可供食用的新鮮食材，往往因沒有回收途徑而被棄置。為減少食物浪費，領匯特別夥拍小寶慈善基金旗下的「惜食堂」，於尚德街市、竹園街市及愛民街市等多個街市推行剩食回收及轉贈計劃，由商戶捐出剩餘食材，再由「惜食堂」製成愛心飯盒，免費派發給有需要人士。除惜食堂外，還有天水圍社區發展網絡、聖雅各福群會、綠領行動及扶弱紓困協會分別於天澤街市、彩明街市、慈雲山街市及頌富街市推行類似的食物回收活動，讓環保惜食、互惠社群的訊息從街市開始宣揚。

Fresh markets are an important part of Hong Kong’s food culture. The Link seeks to enhance this unique Hong Kong institution through asset enhancement works for its fresh markets to create better environments for tenants to grow their businesses and to promote further integration with the community. With the full support of our fresh market tenants, two community engagement programmes were recently launched.

Fresh food for the underprivileged

Traditional food bank programmes offer dry or canned food to the needy. A food bank programme recently launched by The Link and The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society in Tin Shui Wai and Tseung Kwan O districts broke away from convention by providing 500 underprivileged families with fresh food coupons that could be redeemed for fresh food at markets, offering beneficiaries higher nutritional value.

Over 40 tenants from Tin Yiu Market and Hau Tak Market pledged their support to this programme, and 45 staff volunteers contributed 264 service hours to help prepare food coupons and collect feedback from beneficiaries. From May to October 2013, fresh food coupons worth HK$1 million were redeemed for fresh food items, including fish, meat, vegetable and fruit.

Reducing food wastage and helping the needy

Due to the lack of recycling channels, vast amounts of surplus food from market stalls go to waste every day. In order to reduce food wastage, The Link has partnered with Food Angel to collect surplus food at The Link’s markets including Sheung Tak Market, Chuk Yuen Market and Oi Man Market. The surplus food donated by stall tenants is processed by Food Angel, which is made into delicious and nutritious meal boxes for distribution to those in need. Surplus food collection programmes are also held at Tin Chak Market, Choi Ming Market, Tze Wan Shan Market and Chung Fu Market by four other NGOs.

推廣體育 榮獲國際嘉許表揚 持續創新再上一層樓
Internationally Acclaimed Sports Promotion Programme
Expands to Include New Ball Game

以推廣體育及健康生活為目標的「領匯社區體育學院」，全面善用物業內的設施，免費為居民提供體育課程，推廣健康生活。2013年12月榮獲由國際購物中心協會基金(ICSC Foundation)舉辦的「2013年度亞太區社區支援獎」。

傑出表現 惠及社羣

這次獲獎不但肯定了領匯在社區可持繼發展方面的傑出表現，作為學院受惠機構之一的香港盲人體育總會亦得到舉辦單位五千美元的資助，用作支持本地盲人足球隊的培訓。

全新項目 全面關顧

為推動社區的運動風氣，新一季課程除了現時提供的足球、籃球、網球、太極、保齡球及滾軸溜冰訓練，亦會引入嶄新球類 ─ 柔力球。透過揉合太極、網球和羽毛球運動的精髓，以柔和方式鍛煉身體，即使行動不便人士亦可坐着進行，令更多不同年齡或有特殊需要人士享受運動樂趣。

In December 2013, The Link Community Sports Academy, which provides free formal sports training to the general public in The Link REIT’s facilities, won the Asia Pacific Community Support Award, organised by the ICSC Foundation.

Directly benefitting the community

The award not only recognises The Link’s commitment to community engagement, but also directly benefits one of the Academy’s beneficiaries, the Hong Kong Blind Sports Federation, which will receive a grant of US$5,000 from the ICSC Foundation in support of its soccer training programme for the visually impaired in Hong Kong.

New ball game further promotes sports participation in the community

To further promote sports participation in the community, the new round of Academy training courses will feature the ball game Rouliqiu in addition to the six other sports currently on offer, namely football, basketball, tennis, tai chi, bowling and roller skating. Integrating the essence of tai chi, tennis and badminton, Rouliqiu exercises the whole body through gentle movements and is suitable for people of all ages, including the physically disabled.

把無障礙帶入建築界
專訪領匯暢通無阻通道顧問
Interview with Joseph Kwan, Barrier Free Access Advisor of The Link

香港正面對人口老化的問題，政府推算2026年老年人口將達21.5%！領匯致力推動可持續發展，我們一直致力提升旗下物業暢通無阻的設施。

建築師關國樂從事無障礙領域工作達二十年之久，是極具影響力的行內專家，對推動建築物設計融會無障礙設施不遺餘力。除了是領匯暢通無阻通道顧問外，三年前更肩負起亞洲建築師協會社會責任委員會首任主席，推動十九個國家把無障礙設施融入於建築設計中，可謂任重道遠。

被問及在建築界專業的範疇中，為何會心繫於無障礙及社會責任，關國樂娓娓道來：「建築師一般為政府或發展商服務，但其實建築物的使用者是普羅大眾，所以設計最終決定權雖為項目的擁有人，但如果市民享用設施用得稱心，項目擁有人會得益，整個社會也會得益。因此建築設計應兼顧實用性、環境美感及共融性，才能令整個社會受惠。」

在從事無障礙領域工作多年的經驗中，關國樂指此概念不是每個國家或財團可接受。猶記得有一位新加坡會員曾大惑不解地問他，要融入無障礙設施需要額外投資，最終會影響盈利及取得項目的機會。雖然事實並非如此，但一般來說，經濟較發達的國家較易接受無障礙設施。所以推行無障礙設施須由國家及地區政府、城市、專業團體、企業、教育、以至個人，層層推進，概念才會普及。

關國樂指香港政府其實相對其他國家已較早起步，而領匯更在企業中身體力行提升暢通無阻通道的表表者。早在資產提升工程計劃時，領匯已在硬件上將「暢通無阻通道」設施元素融入設計中，再加上軟件如員工培訓及安全意識等亦全面配合，方能環環緊扣；亦全憑管理層包括主席及行政總裁篤信暢通無阻能服務市民，才能上下一心，令推行上事半功倍。

Hong Kong is facing a demographic crunch, with the Hong Kong Government estimating that the elderly population will reach 21.5% by 2026 ! As part of our commitment to sustainability, it is vital that our properties have adequate Barrier Free Access (BFA) facilities so that we can provide customers with a better shopping experience and service.

Architect Joseph Kwan is a long time expert in incorporating accessibility into building design, having promoted this concept over the past 20 years. In addition to his role as our BFA Advisor, he is also the Chairman of the Committee on Social Responsibility of the Architects Regional Council of Asia (ARCASIA), promoting accessibility across 19 countries in Asia Pacific.
　

When asked about why he has chosen to focus on accessibility and social responsibility in his profession, Joseph remarked, “In general, architects work for developers or governments, but in fact it is the general public and the community that are the actual end users of buildings. If people enjoy building facilities, both property owners and society in general will benefit. Therefore, architectural design should take into account practicality and aesthetic and environmental factors in determining the overall benefit to the whole community.”

With his years of experience in promoting universal accessibility, Joseph has come across his share of sceptics. One time, a Singaporean architect argued that the cost of accessible design may result in lower profit or even the chance of winning the project, when in fact accessible design does not necessarily entail additional costs. Generally speaking, universal accessibility is more easily achievable in economically developed countries. Joseph believes that promoting accessibility requires multi-level interventions from a range of stakeholders, including national and local governments, cities, professional organisations, corporations, educational institutions and individuals.

Joseph commented that the Hong Kong Government began promoting BFA design earlier than other countries in Asia Pacific. The Link REIT is an outstanding example of BFA implementation since it incorporates accessibility into the design of its asset enhancement projects during the initial planning stage. Coupled with other factors, such as staff sensitivity training, disability awareness and belief from top management that the public is better served by improved accessibility, The Link is able to seamlessly incorporate accessible design into all its properties.

捐贈舊電腦器材予有需要機構
The Link Donates IT Equipment to Organisations in Need

領匯在早前把一批可循環再用的伺服器及電腦分別捐贈予香港明愛電腦工場及一家位於葵涌的政府資助學校獅子會中學。除了捐贈電腦外，公司代表亦到訪學校，向同學們介紹領匯的業務，並由資訊科技部經理陳志傑分享工作心得。

The Link recently donated a batch of obsolete servers and computers to Caritas-HK Computer Workshop and Lions College, a government subsidised school in Kwai Chung. In addition, Jackey Chan, IT Manager of The Link, led a sharing session at Lions College, giving students the opportunity to learn more about The Link as well as the job scope of IT in the real-world setting.

捐贈伺服器予香港明愛電腦工場：政府及社區合作總監潘啟迪(左)、香港明愛電腦工場計劃項目負責人吳紫薇(中)，以及資訊科技部經理陳志傑（右）出席捐贈儀式。
Donation of servers to Caritas-HK: KT Poon, Director (Government & Community Engagement) (left), Alison Ng, Project Leader of Caritas-HK Computer Workshop (middle), and Jackey Chan, IT Manager (right) attended the donation ceremony.

捐贈電腦予獅子會中學：於分享會後，學校代表致送紀念旗予資訊科技部經理陳志傑(左二)。

Donation of computers to Lions College: Representatives from Lions College presented a souvenir as a token of thanks to Jackey Chan, IT Manager (second from left) after a sharing session.