NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) will be partnering with Singapore’s first Olympic medalist Tan Howe Liang to promote active ageing. Mr Tan was unveiled as FairPrice’s Ambassador for Active Ageing at the “Celebrating Active Ageing” event at FairPrice @ City Square Mall today, where he led a group of 50 seniors from South East CDC and 35 FairPrice management team and staff in a mass workout.
“Mr Tan is the ideal ambassador for active seniors as he embodies the efforts that we have undertaken for the seniors – encouraging active living and healthy eating. He is also a homegrown icon that Singaporeans remember and respect. As an athlete, his attitude, active lifestyle and drive will be an inspiration to many of his peers,” said Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO (Singapore), NTUC FairPrice.
Mr Tan Howe Liang, 77 years-old, lifted his way into Singapore’s history books by winning the country’s first Olympic medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He attained the silver medal in the lightweight category for weightlifting. Today, Mr Tan continues to stay active as a gym supervisor. He hopes that this athletic spirit will encourage the active participation of seniors.
“I’m delighted to be a part of FairPrice’s efforts to encourage Seniors to stay active and healthy,” said Mr Tan. “Sports has been a way of life for me. Some people may think that it’s easier for me to stay active today, but it takes effort and discipline. I try to walk whenever I can. Grocery shopping is also one way seniors like me can include in our daily routine. Not only does it give you a reason to step out of the house, it also keeps you active and enables you to consider home cooked food which can be a more affordable and healthier meal. Furthermore, as a Senior, I get another 2 percent off my grocery bill on Tuesdays.”
Every Tuesday, seniors aged 60 and above enjoy an additional 2 percent discount off their purchases at FairPrice. Launched in 2002, the FairPrice Seniors Discount Scheme not only helps seniors save on their grocery bills, it also serves to encourage seniors to lead an active lifestyle through grocery shopping. Some 80,000 seniors visit FairPrice every Tuesday to enjoy the additional discount. To date, senior shoppers have saved S$8.3 million with the scheme.
To further encourage seniors to lead an active lifestyle, FairPrice has also launched a pilot project for seniors above 60 years old to seek employment as Customer Relations Officers. For a start, FairPrice will hire up to 20 seniors as Customer Relations Officers, where they will be dedicated to assist customers with their needs and queries and actively gather feedback from customers so as to improve the offerings at FairPrice.
FairPrice has been an advocate for active lifestyle and works with partners including the Council for Third Age on the Active Aging Festival and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) on the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme. FairPrice is also a familiar name at family sports events like The New Paper’s Big Walk. Through the FairPrice Foundation, it has sponsored sports such as the NTUC FairPrice Foundation Nations Cup and handed out the NTUC FairPrice Foundation Sports Scholarships to Singapore medallists at the Youth Olympic Games in 2010.
