Chairman's Report
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Staff Club
Chairman’s Report 2024-2025
Introduction
This year has been one of exceptional growth and vibrant activity, marking a significant chapter in our Club's history. We have been energized by the unwavering support of our longstanding members and are delighted to welcome so many new faces into our community. Together, we are building more than just a calendar of events; we are building a lasting community.
Our commitment to fulfilling the recreational and sports needs of our members has never been stronger. This year, we delivered 301 events, engaging 4,264 individuals and achieving an outstanding 29,033 participations. These figures are a clear reflection of our dedication to providing exceptional experiences and fostering a dynamic, inclusive environment.
We extend our profound appreciation to all our stakeholders whose contributions have been instrumental in our progress. This report will provide detailed summaries of our past events and activities, as well as comprehensive reports on our operations during the year of 2024/25.
| Fitness and Sports |
Regular Fitness and Exercise Courses
The Club continues to demonstrate its commitment to member wellness through a diverse and expanding schedule of fitness and exercise courses. Our foundational Fitness Room Introductory course remains in high demand, with three monthly sessions consistently reaching full enrolment.
This year, we sustained a full and active schedule of twenty-three weekly exercise classes, maximising our available timeslots and venues. Long-standing favourites like lunchtime Yoga and Pilates continued to attract strong attendance. In direct response to member feedback, we significantly diversified our offerings by introducing Qigong, Singing Bowl Yoga and Pickleball. We also launched elementary courses for Squash, Badminton, and Table Tennis, alongside novel experiences like Bungee Fitness, Bollywood Dance, Skateboarding, Indoor Golf, and Indoor War Game. These strategic additions are designed to cater to a wide range of interests and enhance overall member engagement.
Social Sports Hours
The Social Sports Hours programme operated successfully throughout the year, consistently welcoming participation from both new and existing members. We have maintained seven core sporting activities: Badminton, Basketball, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Football, and Volleyball. We extend our sincere thanks to our members for their ongoing support and enthusiastic involvement, which were instrumental to the continued success of these sessions.
Staff Competitions
This year's President’s staff competitions were well-supported and smoothly executed, culminating in a successful Prize Presentation Ceremony in September 2025 to honour the winners.
The Club also proudly extended its sporting spirit beyond our community through various inter-university friendly matches. Our commitment to competitive excellence was demonstrated by several key achievements, including securing the Second Runner-up position in the Men's division and 5th Place in the Women's division at the Inter-University Staff Table Tennis Invitational Championships 2025, and achieving the First Runner-up position in the Women's Doubles events at the Corporate Games 2025 Tennis Competitions. These outstanding results are a testament to the talent, dedication, and hard work of our participants, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all involved.
| Member Benefits and Activities |
Recreation Activities
The Club continues to provide a diverse range of recreational activities, sustaining popular programs in Chinese Painting, Chinese Calligraphy, and musical instruments such as guitar and harmonica. A significant addition this year was the introduction of a Japanese Language Course, offered at both elementary and intermediate levels in response to member interest.
Our schedule was further enriched by a monthly series of D.I.Y. workshops, designed to deliver unique and hands-on experiences. These sessions covered a wide spectrum of interests, including cooking, pastry baking, wine and tea tasting, floral arrangement, perfume creation, and massage techniques.
To cater to a broad range of interests, the Club also organized supplementary events such as movie nights, local tours, and guided hiking trip, strengthening community bonds among our members.
Monthly Birthday Stars Events
A new round of the Monthly Birthday Stars Events started in April 2025, introducing several new elements. These included coffee vouchers and a Gacha Machine offering small gifts for all birthday stars, as well as light refreshments for all participants. These additions directly contributed to a significant increase in member participation. This initiative also serves to welcome new staff to our PolyU community.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Hotel ICON for their generous sponsorship of coffee vouchers and their invaluable support towards the event.
Internal Collaborating Activities
This year, we have continued to strengthen our collaborations with various units to deliver valuable activities for our members. We collaborated with the School of Optometry (SO), the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN), and the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS) to organize a series of health talks. These sessions featured specific topics designed to deliver essential health knowledge and practical tips to our members.
To engage new members, we collaborated with the Human Resources Office (HRO) to include a small introduction session during their quarterly orientation program. This brief presentation allowed us to introduce the Club’s activities, and we distributed a small gift as a welcoming gesture.
In response to the growing community of research staff members, we collaborated with the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) to support their "PAIR Researchers Corners" for 19 Research Institutes and Research Centres. Additionally, we held a tea gathering at the Staff Club Restaurant, U.Green, which featured a short talk, providing a valuable networking and informational activity for research staff members.
Furthermore, the Club is honoured to serve on the 2026 PolyU Marathon Organizing Committee. We are proud to support this significant event, which is anticipated to be held in January 2026, and to contribute to its aim of fostering a stronger sense of community across the PolyU.
Christmas Party
The Club's Christmas Party was successfully held on 13 December 2024 in the Staff Club Restaurant – U.Green. The event welcomed over 70 members and guests and featured live band music, engaging mass games with prizes, and a delightful buffet dinner accompanied by wine. Building on this success, the next Christmas Party is scheduled for 12 December 2025.
Spring Dinner
The Club hosted its Spring Dinner on 22 February 2025 at the Silver Ballroom in Hotel ICON. The event drew over 270 attendees, including university senior management, staff, and other members. The evening featured a delightful dinner and a range of entertainment, including art and photo booths, a captivating flag performance, and the eagerly awaited Bingo game. The lucky draw served as the evening's highlight, adding a thrilling element of excitement for all attendees.
Group Sales and Privilege
In June 2025, the Club hosted a Group Sales event for members, featuring a diverse selection of skincare and cosmetics products at competitive prices. The event attracted orders from 451 members. Furthermore, the Club collaborated with 27 external businesses to provide members with exclusive privileges and discounts.
| Staff Club Restaurant |
The Staff Club Restaurant, U.Green, has maintained stable operations and demonstrated growing business. The à la carte menu is regularly updated for variety, recently expanding to include new, lower-priced dishes that cater to diverse preferences. A limited-time 20% discount was offered to promote the takeaway service. Evening dining was boosted by the continued popularity of the "Create-Your-Own Dinner" specials, while the "Saturday Elegance Afternoon Tea" has become a highly popular weekend offering.
The Staff Club Committee maintains a close working relationship with the U.Green operations team. Through regular bi-monthly meetings, the Committee gains valuable operational insights. This collaborative forum provides a consistent opportunity to share ideas and suggestions aimed at continuously enhancing U.Green's offerings and service quality.
| Membership Number |
As of June 2025, the numbers of Ordinary Members and Associate Members of the PolyU Staff Club were 7,832 and 40, respectively when compared the figures of 7,444 and 69 in 2023/2024.
| Office Staff |
The office team has demonstrated remarkable efficiency in managing the Club's day-to-day operations. The team currently comprises five full-time staff members and two part-time helpers, all of whom consistently provide exceptional service to members.
To address a temporary staffing shortage due to planned extended leave in late 2024, a temporary Accounting and Administrative Assistant was hired on a one-year contract. This contract is scheduled to conclude this month, after which the office is expected to resume its standard staffing structure.
With such a dedicated and capable team, the Club is well-positioned to continue serving its large Ordinary Membership and delivering a high-quality experience for all.
| Special Thanks |
The Club extends its deepest gratitude to our members for their continued support and active participation throughout the year. Your ongoing engagement is the foundation upon which we build our diverse and vibrant calendar of activities.
We are profoundly grateful to the PolyU senior management for their invaluable funding and resources. The University's continued financial backing is essential to our mission of serving both our members and the PolyU community.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to the various units whose collaboration has been vital to our operations, including the Alumni Affairs Office (AAO), Campus Facilities and Sustainability Office (CFSO), Campus Development Office (CDO), Communications and Public Affairs Office (CPA), Catering Committee, Finance Office (FO), Human Resources Office (HRO), Information Technology Services Office (ITS) and Student Affairs Office (SAO). We value this productive partnership and look forward to strengthening it in the year ahead.
As the Chairman, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Committee and Sub-Committee Members for their unwavering dedication in overseeing the Club's operations and for their invaluable guidance this past year. My thanks also extend to our Co-opted and Ex-officio Members for their significant contributions and encouragement, and to our Honorary Legal Advisor for his support over the year. Furthermore, I would like to offer a special acknowledgement to our Sports Coordinators for their exceptional efforts in organizing all sports-related activities and events.
The commitment of our office staff cannot be overstated. Their dedication and professionalism in overcoming challenges and fostering effective communication have been instrumental to our success.
Finally, we look forward to your continued support as we strive to foster community through a wide range of events. It is our hope that this report reflects our sincere appreciation for every contribution and inspires a future of continued growth for the Club. Thank you.
Ir Dr TL Yip
PolyU Staff Club Chairman
on behalf of the PolyU Staff Club Committee
November 2025