2020 has been a challenging year, but we have been living up to our corporate social responsibilities by providing sites for the government’s quarantine centre and assisting in site conversion during the past few months. Although we faced many obstacles and technical challenges during the process, we all worked towards one goal. Stretching with our full strength, we have risen to every challenge and tackled the immense difficulties with full confidence, always aiming to meet the tight project deadline. The keys to our success are threefold: firstly, always being well-prepared for every possible scenario, so we could react swiftly; secondly, keeping all staff abreast of the situation and familiarising them with our contingency plans; and thirdly, thinking innovatively, such as when our technical team faced difficulties procuring certain products in sufficient quantities, so they assembled the required equipment using spare parts and existing provisions, transforming a limitation into an advantage

It was an unprecedent challenge for the team. Converting a MICE facility into a community treatment centre required a lot of studying and modifications behind-the-scenes, yet time was not on our side. We spared no effort in any of the key areas, such as air filtration and hygienic set-ups like the mobile hand washing stations and shower cubicles. Thanks to our resourceful team, we accurately sourced high-quality equipment under an extremely tight deadline.

There can never be any compromises on health and safety. As the gatekeeper for the company and visitors alike, we need to ensure everything complies to our safety protocols. Apart from facility check-ups, training is equally important. We developed clear procedures and dedicated routing to help everybody work with peace of mind. In preparation for the return of MICE events, we have also strengthened the venue sanitisation with innovative and bio-tech solutions, adopting a holistic approach to individual health to ensure air quality and hardware surfaces are safe and hygienic. By addressing all touch points, we can deliver a customer experience of the highest standard and, most importantly, in a sustainable way.

As an event planning manager, we are used to handling shows with innovative new formats and short lead times, but this time the event wasn’t just new to AWE, it was also a first for the whole medical system. In addition to coordinating resources and meeting stringent requirements, we also needed to gather professional medical advice, keep abreast of the social situation, and coordinate with the relevant authorities. It was a complex task that kept the whole team working day and night. As a mother of two, I am thankful that my family supported me in this meaningful work.

Our team was thrilled to learn from the media that many of the patients highly praised the catering at the community treatment facility. This was a precious experience that was very different from creating sumptuous feasts for over 4,300 diners, as we have in the past. Healing the soul is always part of any cure, and we are proud to have played a part in that. We eased the residents’ stress by designing a variety of healthy yet tasty meals, making the whole experience as nice as usual at AWE. For the elderly residents of the temporary quarantine centre, we specially prepared ingredients that are soft, boneless and easily digestible, and personalised different tiers of meal boxes according to the specific nutrition and dietary requirements of people requiring intensive care. For instance, we prepared eight different meals for a group of 20 elderly people.

The creation of a temporary quarantine centre for elderly residents of residential care homes was an emergency task not only for our team, but also for Hong Kong's whole social welfare sector. Different from the large-scale events we normally handle, the quarantine centre was a dedicated facility for the elderly who required special care and high-level medical attention. From layout design to the catering and ancillary facilities, all preparations and arrangements needed to be elderly-friendly and to meet rigorous standards of infection control. Despite the limited time available, we were honoured to take care of every little setup at the venue to join the fight against the virus.

The anti-epidemic projects, which are an important milestone for AWE, not only showcased the versatility of the venue, but also demonstrated the team’s unity to support the seamless operations of the various testing and treatment centres. Based on the solid experiences gained from past successful events, AWE was more than a venue provider in this instance, we also took up a key role in mastering project coordination, so every challenge was a testament to our professionalism. To prepare for the return of MICE and concert events, we have now introduced advanced sanitising and preventive measures, and have embarked on a series of facility upgrades. We are ready and looking forward to seeing an exciting line-up of events at AWE!