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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1989
BY MARCH THIS YEAR HELPING HAND WAS RUNNING SIX CARE HOMES WITH ACCOMMODATION FOR 228 OLD FOLKS.
HELPING HAND. WHICH STARTED OUT AS A SMALL CHARITABLE ORGANISATION RELYING ON ITS OWN RESOURCES. IS NOW STRONGLY BACKED BY MANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.
ONE OF THESE IS THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WHICH HAS INTRODUCED THE SUBSIDISED PLACE SCHEME. UNDER THIS SCHENE THE DEPARTMENT SUBSIDISES 80 PER CENT OF THE PLACES AT NEW CARE HOMES IN LAI YIU, CHAK ON AND TAI WO HAU AT THE RATE OF $1,545 PER PERSON PER MONTH.
THESE HOMES HOUSE PEOPLE IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION WHO ARE DRAWN FROM THE CENTRAL WAITING LIST OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT OR ARE REFERRED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THE PUBLIC HAS ALSO RESPONDED WELL TO HELPING HAND AND LAST YEAR ITS LAISEE COOKIE CAMPAIGN, ITS MAIN FUND RAISING DRIVE, REALISED $1.4 MILLION.
FROM AN ORGANISATION OPERATING FROM A DESK IN THE FOUNDER'S HOME HELPING HAND HAS GROWN SO THAT IT NOW HAS A STAFF OF 160, HEADED BY AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AFTER THE BRIEFING, THE PRINCESS OF WALES SAT WITH ELDERLY RESIDENTS AT A TABLE WHERE THEY WERE WERE WORKING.
THE CHAIRMAN OF HELPING HAND'S FUND RAISING COMMITTEE, MRS DANIELA SHANNON, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE HOME, MR FUNG AND HIS STAFF WERE PRESENTED TO THE ROYAL VISITOR.
THE PRINCESS OF WALES WALKED ACROSS THE HOUSING ESTATE TO THE WING CHAK HOME WHERE SHE SAW VOLUNTEER MEDICAL OFFICER, DR STEPHEN TSE, GIVING A MEDICAL CHECKUP TO ONE OF THE RESIDENTS. THE ALSO CHATTED TO RESIDENTS TAKING PART IN THEIR NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITIES.
HELPING HAND'S SECRETARY, MRS JILL JAMES; TREASURER, MR DAVID MACE; ZONTA CLUB PRESIDENT, MISS JANICE CHAN AND HEAD OF SECRETARIAT, ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB, MR
N.C. SUTHERLAND, WERE PRESENTED TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.
THE PRINCESS OF WALES UNVEILED A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL AT ABERDEEN.
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