Ascott Celebrates 25th Anniversary by Making a Difference

The Ascott Group is celebrating 25 successful years as a leading international serviced residence owner-operator with over 25 community initiatives worldwide.

The activities range from supporting the educational needs of underprivileged children to funding their medical treatment.

Ascott launched its serviced residence business with one property each in Singapore (The Ascott Singapore) and France (Citadines La Défense) in 1984. Ascott has since grown to be one of the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operators with 190 properties spread over three brands – Ascott, Somerset and Citadines – in 66 cities and 22 countries.

Mr Lim Chin Beng, Chairman of The Ascott Group said, “We are commemorating Ascott’s 25th Anniversary in a meaningful way with over 25 charity initiatives worldwide to give back to the communities where we operate. In particular, we have raised funds to build a school dormitory for hill tribe children in Thailand and will support a French charity which sponsors heart surgery for children. In Singapore, our staff have donated Sin$25,000 to provide for the educational and developmental needs of children under Chaoyang School, Pertapis Children’s Home, and TOUCH Young Arrows, a service of TOUCH Community Services. Through these efforts, we hope to create a brighter future for the children of these beneficiaries. CapitaLand Hope Foundation has also extended a Sin$25,000 top-up for the three Singapore charities.”

For a start, the funds have enabled Pertapis Children’s Home to upgrade its computer laboratory with new equipment and software. The donations will also go towards sponsoring computer literacy and conversational mandarin programmes for children of Pertapis Children’s Home; supporting TOUCH Young Arrows’ services and programmes such as tuition and mentoring for needy and disadvantaged children; and funding the core programme for children of Chaoyang School which develops their literacy, numeracy and vocational skills.

Outside Singapore, Ascott has embarked on the following initiatives, among others, to extend assistance to various communities:

In Thailand, Ascott, together with CapitaLand Hope Foundation, raised about Sin$25,000 to build a school dormitory for hill tribe children in Chiang Rai. Ascott’s staff will also help to paint the dormitory.

With the facility, the children will no longer need to walk for hours from their home in remote villages to their school and will have more time for their studies.

In Europe, Ascott is raising funds for Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque, a French non-governmental organisation (NGO) which sponsors cardiac surgery for children with severe heart malfunctions. The children come from countries where appropriate medical treatment is not available.

Ascott will raise funds for the NGO through the sale of collectible Citadines teddy bears at its 41 Citadines branded properties across major cities in Europe. Ascott will also provide accommodation for visiting doctors whom the NGO trains to treat the children.

Staff and guests of Ascott Kuala Lumpur and Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon in Malaysia will make donations to Yayasan Sunbeam Home, which takes in orphans and children from broken families, and looks after their developmental and educational needs.

Reaching out to communities is one of the ways Ascott is celebrating its 25th Anniversary. In April, Ascott launched a series of attractive promotions and rewards to thank customers for their support. In particular, one lucky customer stands to win a complimentary three-night stay every year for the next 25 consecutive years.

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