XN000022-1980-10-09 — Page 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1980

HIKING SCHEME TO START NEXT MONTH

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THE GOVERNMENT'S RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE IS ORGANISING A 14-MONTH HIKING SCHEME STARTING NEXT MONTH (NOVEMBER).

THE +CHONG HING HIKING SCHEME+ IS BEING ORGANISED BY THE RSS AND SPONSORED BY LIU CHONG HING BANK. IT WILL BE HELD EVERY SUNDAY STARTING NEXT MONTH UNTIL DECEMBER 1981.

THERE ARE 16 ROUTES WINDING THROUGH THE MOST SCENIC AREAS IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. JOURNEY TIMES RANGE FROM THREE TO SIX HOURS.

THE ROUTES ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS, WITH FOUR GRADINGS OF DIFFICULTIES. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE LED BY EXPERIENCED TEAM LEADERS WHO WILL ALSO INTRODUCE TO THE HIKERS THE SCENIC SPOTS ALONG THE ROUTES.

RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICER, MR P.H. TAM, SAID THE HIKING SCHEME WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO TAKE PART IN REGULAR HIKING TO PROMOTE THE CONCEPT OF WALK FOR YOUR HEALTH.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SPECIAL FEATURE OF THIS SCHEME WAS TO IMPLEMENT A +MEMBERSHIP SCHEME TO ENABLE MEMBERS IN A HIKING GROUP TO PLAN OUTINGS TOGETHER WELL IN ADVANCE.

THE SCHEME IS A NEW VENTURE AND MR TAM EXPECTED ABOUT 5 000 PEOPLE WOULD BE REGISTERED AS +MEMBERS+ AND THAT THE WHOLE SCHEME WOULD ATTRACT 40 000 PARTICIPANTS.

TO PROMOTE INTEREST, THOSE WHO COMPLETE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF ROUTES WILL BE PRESENTED WITH A MEDAL. THOSE WITH AN OUTSTANDING RECORD WILL BE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN A SPECIAL OUTING TO BE HELD AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE SCHEME. ON COMPLETION OF THE WALK THEY WILL RECEIVE A SPECIAL AWARD.

THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE SCHEME HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR 10 AM ON OCTOBER 26 (SUNDAY) AT THE WAN CHAI GAP PARK.

ENTRY FORMS FOR THE HIKING SCHEME ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT ALL OFFICES OF THE RSS. COMPLETED ENTRY FORMS SHOULD BE RETURNED, TOGETHER WITH TWO PHOTOGRAPHS AND AN ENTRY FEE OF $10, TO THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE, 111 CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, WING ON CENTRE, 11TH FLOOR.

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