XN000022-1974-08-14 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1974.

GRANTS TO TTALLING OVER $1.5 MILLION

AWARDED BY SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION

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ANNUAL REPORTS FOR TWO TRUST FUNDS PROVIDING GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION AND THE SIR ROBERT BLACK TRUST FUND FOR THE YEAR 1973/74 WERE TABLED AT TODAY'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

IN HIS REPORT, THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL, MR. DOUGLAS BLYE, WHO IS ALSO TRUSTEE OF THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION, SAID THAT DURING THE YEAR GRANTS TOTALLING $693,500 WERE APPROVED. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL GRANTS APPROVED SINCE THE FUND WAS SET UP IN 1970 TO OVER $1.5 MILLION. THE FUND BEGAN WITH A DONATION OF $3.2 MILLION, AND NOW STANDS AT $5.40 MILLION, AFTER ALLOWING FOR GRANTS OF $500,000, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED BUT NOT COMPLETED.

THE GRANTS WENT MAINLY TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF

SPORTS EQUIPMENT, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND BOOKS, PROMOTING SCOUTING ACTIVITIES, AND TRAINING CLASSES.

THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE AIM OF THE FUND TO PROVIDE OR ASSIST IN RECREATIONAL, SPORTING, CULTURAL OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES WHICH CATER FOR LARGE NUMBERS AND TOUCH THE WIDEST POSSIBLE CROSS-SECTION OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

THE SIR ROBERT BLACK TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED IN 1960 HAS THE PRINCIPAL OBJECT OF PROVIDING FOR PERSONS OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER STUDIES OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER STUDIES OR TRAINING IN ORDER TO DEVELOP CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP.

MORE THAN $180,000 WAS AWARDED BY THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE DURING THE YEAR TO PROMOTE POSTGRADUATE STUDIES AND TO SUBSIDISE FUNDS FOR ATTENDING SEMINARS AND STUDY TOURS.

THE BIGGEST SINGLE VOTE WAS THE CONTRIBUTION OF $40,000 TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS AT THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL.

TWELVE YOUTH WORKERS FROM THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE WERE GRANTED $20,250 TO GO ON A STUDY TOUR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

A SUM OF $118.500 WAS ALSO APPROVED TO ENABLE 16 STUDENTS TO UNDERTAKE TRAINING OR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES ABROAD.

THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE TRUST FUND WHAS CONTINUED ITS POLICY OF NOT AWARDING NEW SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES, SECONDARY OR TECHNICAL STUDENTS IN VIEW OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE.

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