SCC presented $300,000 cheque donation to SportCares at Distinguished Visitor’s Dinner

The Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) presented $300,000 to SportCares – the philanthropic arm of Sport Singapore (SportSG) at the Singapore Cricket Club Distinguished Visitor’s Dinner on 5 December 2019. The cheque presentation was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and received by Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO, SportSG.

Cheque presentation of $300,000 from Singapore Cricket Club to SportCares. In photo from left: Mr. Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore; Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; SCC president Mr. Sher Baljit Singh.

The charity fund-raising was conducted as part of the Club’s commemorative activities for the Singapore Bicentennial, as the Club shares the same sports master plan vision that goes beyond winning medals, and focuses on creating more sporting opportunities and access, greater inclusivity and integration, as well as broader development of capabilities.

SportCares was adopted at the suggestion of PM, particularly in view of the ethos which both organisations share of engaging the community through sports, and leveraging sports experiences to make a positive societal difference.

“Social sports and sporting excellence have been at the heart of the Club across generations of its members and we are committed to continue this tradition.  Through sports we connect with Singapore’s and the international sporting fraternity,” said SCC President Sher Baljit Singh.  “We are privileged to have a gazetted heritage building as our clubhouse and what will soon be a national monument as our playing field – the field that we treat as our temple.”

“The SCC represents the diversity of Singapore’s society and we are indeed honoured that PM has agreed to be our Distinguished Visitor.”

SCC president Sher Baljit Singh showing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong the SCC Distinguished Visitor Commemorative Window of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who was the first to be conferred the title of “Visitor” on 12 December 1970.

At the dinner, PM was conferred the title of “Distinguished Visitor”[1] upon his visit to the 167 years old club. The conferment of this title makes PM the Club’s third Patron – a title which was first bestowed upon the then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 12 December 1970, and upon then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on 2 February 2007.

PM was also introduced to Stalwart club members from different generations of sporting excellence, who represented Singapore at different international sporting events. Among them was Shermeen Lim, a national lawn bowler for more than 10 years and Asian gold medallist. She more recently participated in the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines along with 19 other SCC members.

To view the full press release and speech of SCC President Sher Baljit Singh, please click here. The video of his full speech can be viewed here.

To view Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s speech, please click here. The video of his full speech can be viewed here.

[1] The Visitor shall have a right of access to the President and Committee of the Club at any hour. He is welcome to state to the President his views on any aspect of the Club’s management and affairs at all times. The Visitor is also enjoined to inspirit the President – around matters of both domestic and of public weal – with the objective to ensure that the Singapore Cricket Club is an integral part of Singapore, cherishing the local traditions and standards.