Jockey Club Schools Sports Programmes foster excellence in inter-school sports contests

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting a major initiative to strengthen school sports development through the Jockey Club Schools Sports Programmes, launched last year in partnership with The Schools Sports Federation of Hong Kong, China (HKSSF). As the first HKSSF initiative to receive funding from the Trust, the programmes aim to support the continuous enhancement of inter-school sports competitions while improving the quality, accessibility and sustainability of school sports across Hong Kong.

Under the initiative, a ceremony for the Jockey Club Student Athlete Recognition Scheme - Laurel School Award 2025-2026 Presentation was held on 13 July at Diocesan Girls' School. The Laurel School Award is one of the most prestigious honours of its kind, recognising schools that have demonstrated outstanding all-round performance across a wide range of sporting competitions.

In 2025, the Trust approved a donation of HK$70.3 million to support the five-year Jockey Club Schools Sports Programmes, seeking to strengthen inter-school competitions at both primary and secondary schools through enhanced competition standards, athlete recognition, volunteer development and initiatives to sustain school sports. The programmes are expected to benefit more than 340,000 student participants, provide training opportunities for over 1,400 students, teachers and parent volunteers, and attract more than 540,000 attendances at programme-related events over the five-year period. The initiative also aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan's emphasis on talent cultivation, youth development, and the advancement of a strong sporting nation and a healthy China.

Over the past decade, the Club’s Charities Trust has donated close to HK$6.7 billion to promote sports development at elite and community levels. The Club’s support for the Jockey Club Schools Sports Programmes, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.