XN000022-1979-02-09 — Page 10

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1979

SIR ROBERT HO TUNG CHARITABLE FUND ALLOCATIONS

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THE ANNUAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FROM THE SIR ROBERT HO TUNG CHARITABLE FUND HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND GRANTS TOTALLING $2.1 MILLION TO 83 CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS MADE.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY MR. JOHN CHAMBERS, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE WHICH ADVISES THE GOVERNOR ON FUNDS ALLOCATION.

THE FUND, ONE OF THE LARGEST CHARITABLE TRUSTS IN HONG KONG, WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE LATE SIR ROBERT HO TUNG BY A BEQUEST MADE ON HIS DEATH IN 1956. ITS ASSETS ARE ADMINISTERED BY HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK HONG KONG (TRUSTEE) LIMITED, TRUSTEES OF SIR ROBERT HO TUNG'S ESTATE.

MR. CHAMBERS SAID THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION HAD INCREASED FROM $33,500 IN 1960-61 TO $1.9 MILLION LAST YEAR. HE POINTED OUT THAT, SINCE 1970 ALONE, OVER $16 MILLION HAD BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG FROM THE FUND.

HE SAID GRANTS INCLUDED $465,000 TO THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS $215,000 TO PURCHASE AN IMAGE INTENSIFIER FOR THE TUNG WAH EASTERN HOSPITAL AND $250,000 TO MEET PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF A CARE AND ATTENTION HOME FOR THE AGED AT TAIPO.

THE PO LEUNG KUK HAD RECEIVED A DONATION OF $140,000 TOWARDS THE COST OF RENOVATING ITS MAIN BUILDING. THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION AND BRIGADE HAD BEEN GRANTED $114,240 TO FURNISH THREE NEW CENTRES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, TO BUY TRAINING EQUIPMENT AND TO EXPAND DENTAL PATROL SERVICES.

THE HONG KONG RED CROSS HAD BEEN GIVEN $100,000 TO PROMOTE PUBLICITY FOR ITS BLOOD COLLECTION SERVICES AND TO BUY ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR DISABLED CHILDREN.

A TOTAL OF $100,000 HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO SUPPLY MILK AND ARRANGE EDUCATIONAL OUTINGS FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN 33 SPECIAL SCHOOLS. THE HONG KONG CHINESE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES UNION HAD ALSO RECEIVED THE SAME AMOUNT TOWARDS THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME IN KWUN TONG.

IN ADDITION DONATIONS OF ABOUT $90,000 EACH HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION, THE SALVATION ARMY, AND THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN TO FURTHER THE IR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

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