SAFRA to launch own version of 'Hyrox' fitness festival & extend engagement beyond active NSmen: Desmond Choo

SAFRA will transform to strengthen Singapore's defence ecosystem and adapt from its original role as a clubhouse for the National Service (NS) community into a bridging organisation that empowers NSmen to build trust and community-wide support for defence.

On Feb. 27, Minister of State for Defence, Desmond Choo stated the decision to transform SAFRA from a "social club into a vital part of a nationwide defence movement" in his Committee of Supply (COS) speech.

Drawing on its deep association with NS, Choo outlined the need for SAFRA to evolve amidst the rapidly changing security landscape, which is no longer confined to conventional battlefields.

Choo announced that in the coming years, "SAFRA clubhouses will house defence heritage galleries" and an inaugural "SAFRA Community Defence & Resilience Festival" will be launched in early 2027.

Hyrox-like SAFRA Community Defence & Resilience Festival in 2027

Choo said that SAFRA will "go beyond lifestyle offerings to bridge defence and community".

SAFRA's first clubhouse opened in Toa Payoh in 1975.

SAFRA started in 1972, "when social amenities remained modest, and country club memberships were exclusive, expensive and out of reach for most Singaporeans".

From the start, it made its membership accessible to every NSman, and its network now serves 400,000 members, including full-time national servicemen (NSFs).

He said that fitness enthusiasts "can look forward to an NS-inspired Fitness Festival in the later part of this year, complete with NS-themed obstacle courses, it is our version of Hyrox".

The SAFRA Community Defence & Resilience Festival in 2027 aims to engage up to 80,000 participants and comprise a fitness race for 3,000 participants.

New & Current initiatives

Choo said, "In the coming years, SAFRA clubhouses will house defence heritage galleries that tell the stories of our Services and Formations through its walls and spaces".

Club tenants will also be engaged and invited to become defence advocates through exclusive programmes.

SAFRA will also support the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in scaling up its SAF-School Partnership Programme (SSPP).

Current initiatives include SkillsFuture@NS Fairs that are hosted by SAFRA, that connects NSmen as they transition into further education and the job market.

SAFRA will also be developing a new initiative to expand peer-to-peer platforms whilst continuing to deliver accessible and quality lifestyle offerings and recreational facilities.

Support across life stages

For pre-enlistees, SAFRA has helped support them by holding engagement events such as water confidence courses and Pre-NS talks, building confidence.

To help men transition out of full-time NS, SAFRA also hosts quarterly SkillsFuture@NS Fairs, which serve NSmen who are seeking new employment.

Choo said SAFRA will "enhance partnership with agencies such as NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to strengthen career support for our NSmen".

For NSmen with young families, SAFRA runs two NS Experience Camps: the BMT Kids Camp and the NS Family Experience Camp.

These camps introduce children to the concept of total defence while providing families with a glimpse into the NS experience, creating opportunities for NSmen fathers to share their NS journey.

New variants of the NS Experience camp are being developed by SAFRA, including a one-day NS for everyone programme, and a two-day Empowering NS for Women camp.

Top photo from Rodney Lim/Google Maps and MDDI/YouTube