51 groups to raise funds in January
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    Fifty-one organisations have been granted permission to raise funds during January, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) spokesman said today (December 29).

     The organisations will sell flags, tokens or similar items, or place donation boxes in designated public places.

      Special arrangements apply on January 7 and January 21, when three organisations will conduct sales of flags on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories respectively.

      With the endorsement of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee, flag sales have been allowed from 7am to 12.30pm on the allocated flag days starting from September 2005.
       
      Any organisation planning to hold activities involving collection of money or sale or exchange for donations of badges, tokens or similar articles in a public place for charitable purposes should apply for a public subscription permit from the SWD.

      Activities covered by public subscription permits are listed on the department's website http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew/ and on the ESD Life website http://www.esdlife.com.

      People are welcome to call the department's hotline at 2343 2255 or department headquarters at 2832 4311 for enquiries.

      The spokesman urged people to visit these websites or to call the hotline if there was any doubt regarding the fund-raising activities and he appealed to organisers to take precautions against any possible fraud.

      "Fund-raising volunteers should display the permit, or in the case of mobile fund-raising, carry copies of the permit for inspection upon request," he said.

      The spokesman also advised organisations to prepare guidelines for volunteers, setting out the places and the schedule for fund-raising and the collection points for bags.

      "Organisers should inform the Police in the case of loss of property, and seek their help when fraudulent acts, such as tampering with collection bags or unauthorised selling, are found," he said.

      Permits were given to the following organisations for fund raising in January:

Flag Day
---------

Event Date              Organisations
----------              -------------

January 7   #(HKI)      Barnabas Charitable Service
                        Association Ltd

January 7   #(KLN)      Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare
                        Advancement Association

January 7   #(NT)       Hong Kong Employment
                        Development Service Ltd

January 14              The Hong Kong Society
                        for the Aged

January 21   #(HKI)     Chinese Evangelical Zion
                        Church Ltd

January 21   #(KLN)     Mission Ark Ltd

January 21   #(NT)      Hong Kong Movie Star Sports
                        Association Charities Ltd

January 28              Lok Kwan Social Service Ltd

#Regional flag day

Public Subscription
-------------------

Event Date              Organisation
-----------             -------------

January 1               Lions Club of Tuen Mun
                        Limited

January 1-2             Theatre Ensemble Limited

January 1-2&4-31        Make-A-Wish Foundation of
                        Hong Kong Limited

January 1,4,6,11,       Hong Kong Society for
20,23&25                the Aged


January 1-7             Hong Kong Buddhist Chi Sau
                        Garden Limited

January 1-8             Buddhist Navigation Vihara
                        Limited

January 1-31            Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital

January 1-31            Yan Chai Hospital

January 1-31            Wong Chuk Hang Hospital
                        - Hospital Authority

January 1-31            Haven of Hope Hospital

January 1-31            Castle Peak Hospital

January 1-31            The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent
                        Society, Kowloon

January 1-31            The University of Hong Kong

January 1-31            Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole
                        Hospital

January 1-31            United Christian Hospital

January 1-31            Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin
                        Hospitals

January 1-31            Queen Elizabeth Hospital

January 1-31            Airport Authority

January 1-31            Kadoorie Farm and Botanic
                        Garden Corporation

January 1-31            Tuen Mun Hospital

January 1-31            Duchess of Kent Children's
                        Hospital

January 1-31            Pok Oi Hospital

January 1-31            Hospital Authority Charitable
                        Foundation

January 1-31            MacLehose Medical
                        Rehabilitation Centre

January 1-31            Prince of Wales Hospital

January 1-31            Tseung Kwan O Hospital

January 1-31            North District Hospital

January 1-31            Cheshire Home, Chung Hom Kok

January 1-31            Shatin Hospital
                        - Hospital Authority

January 1-31            Princess Margaret Hospital

January 1-31            Caritas Medical Centre

January 1-31            ADPL Social Service Centre
                        Limited

January 1-31            Hong Kong Blood Cancer
                        Foundation

January 2-31            Rehabaid Society
(Mon-Fri)

January 4-31            Suicide Prevention Services

January 6-7             Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
                        Limited

January 7,14-15&        The Boys'& Girls' Clubs
21-22                   Association Of Hong Kong
                       

January 8               1st Step Association

January 15              International Christian
                        Assembly of God Limited

January 15              Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare
                        Association

January 20-22           The Hong Kong Ballet Limited

January 20-24           Her Fund Limited

January 21-22           Power of Love Limited

January 22              ACCA Charitable Foundation
                        Limited

Ends/Thursday, December 29, 2005
Issued at HKT 10:01

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