(14 July 2016 – Hong Kong) New World Department Store China Limited (“NWDS” or the “Company”; Hong Kong stock code: 825), one of the largest owners and operators of department stores in Mainland China, organized its third nationwide “Volunteer Month” in June. Themed with “Let’s Get Going - Happy Young Carpenters”, the activity embodied New World Development’s new corporate personality of “The Artisanal Movement” and exemplified the spirit of caring for under-resourced children and cultivating the next generation. All NWDS’ stores and offices joined forces with educational institutions, art centers, catering and baking groups to organize a variety of art-related activities for over 730 under-resourced children. The activities were designed to stimulate children’s creativity whilst producing artisanal handicrafts. More than 250 volunteers participated in the activity and contributed nearly 1,000 service hours. 

During the “Volunteer Month” this year, the volunteer teams of multiple NWDS’ stores and offices organized various activities such as “Creative Young Painters”, “Young Masters of Handicrafts” and “Young Guru Bakers” for over 730 under-resourced children in a bid to unleash their creativity. For instance, Hong Kong New World Department Store - Shanghai Tianshan Road Branch Store’s volunteer team accompanied the children to create hand-painted fans, and guided them with utmost patience and attention to complete a number of childlike fan pieces. On the other hand, Chongqing New World Department Store’s volunteer team visited the children at a child welfare organization during the Dragon Boat Festival, guiding them to create artistic clay pieces with care and patience. In addition, following the grand opening of NWDS’ private label “n+ Natural Taste Plus” in May this year, Hong Kong office’s volunteer team treated under-resourced children from Kwai Tsing District to a tour of bakery workshop, and provided them with one-on-one guidance to bake low carbon bread, spending a joyous and fulfilling weekend together. 

Ms. Violet Chan, Assistant General Manager of Corporate Communication and Chairman of Sustainability Steering Committee of NWDS, said, “The New World Department Store Volunteer Team has been expanding rapidly to a scale of 2,400 members since its establishment in 2013. ‘Volunteer Month’ activities in the past two years were based on sporty themes in a bid to promote good health. Alongside, NWDS is committed to showing its dedication towards children’s cultural and spiritual development. To this end, NWDS deliberately adopted the theme of ‘Let’s Get Going - Happy Young Carpenters’ to cultivate the creativity and responsibility of children via creations of art pieces. Looking forward, NWDS will continue to actively promote corporate volunteering work, providing greater care and support and passing on our love to the needy in the future.”

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