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UOB employees, clients raise over $1.2m for charity

UOB employees and clients savoured the joy of giving on the second day of the annual United Overseas Bank (UOB) Commercial Banking Lunar New Year dinner at the Pan Pacific Hotel last night.

More than $1.2 million was raised at the two dinners on Wednesday and last night, as more than 1,000 local and regional business leaders pledged their donations via their mobile phones. The money will be donated to The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, Fei Yue Community Services, and charity Very Special Arts Singapore Ltd.

Highlights during the dinner included a lion dance by UOB employees, and a mass "dabbing" session led by celebrity TV host Pornsak.

UOB's head of group commerical banking Eric Tham, 60, said: "In today's unpredictable economic environment, it has been heartening to see everyone give so generously." One of the lion dance performers was Mr Ku Tse Kian, in his 40s, who is UOB's executive director of group commercial banking. He said: "The hours of practice I had to do to lead the lion dance were worth it when I saw the funds we raised."

Ms Tan Bee Heong, 51, general manager of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, thanked UOB for its support. She added: "The contributions will go a long way in providing school pocket money to our students from low-income families."

The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.