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Newsletter
Growing Together Newsletter Volume I, June 12007
On Friday March 23rd, Growing Together held its first advocacy meeting at the Hong Kong Police Officer's Club in Causeway Bay. This meeting gathered many family members of people with special needs, as well as other professionals and community members whol are concerned about equal rights for everyone regardless of their abilities.
Member announcements
Daddy Daughter Ball 2010
Opening of CDC’s New TSK Centre
In order to meet the increasing demand for specialist services for children and young adults with developmental needs, a new Wan Chai centre opened its doors on 15th April 2010 to provide early intervention programme for both Chinese and English students and families.
Address: Tang Shiu Kin Hospital, G/F Community Ambulatory Care Centre
Matilda Sedan Chair Race and Bazaar 2010
Each year the Centre assists the Matilda Sedan Chair Race and Bazaar in their fundraising efforts for Hong Kong charities, of which we have been a grateful beneficiary. The funding that CDC has received from the Sedan Chair Charities Fund has helped the organization to continue to offer much needed services at the CDC. The CDC staff ran in the race beating its previous record by finishing the race in 18 minutes 12 seconds!
Every year during the Matilda Sedan Chair Race and Bazaar, CDC participates not only in the race, but it also runs stall games and turn their playrooms into a bazaar where CDC sell goods which have been kindly donated through the organization’s generous sponsors. Proceeds from the games and the sale go towards the Sedan Chair Charities Fund. CDC is also grateful to have the MTR volunteers reach out to its community in helping CDC set up and run the games and the bazaar with the CDC staff. CD would also like to thank Allied Pickfords for helping them protect the floors in the CDC playrooms in preparation for the bazaar.
Celebrating CDC’s 35th Anniversary and search for a new home initiative at our Gala Dinner
CDC is currently planning for their relocation project as they received notice from the Matilda International Hospital that CDC will no longer be able to utilize the site it currently occupies due to the Hospital’s need for expansion. The major challenge CDC faces is raising funds for the relocation and the renovation works for the future premise. CDC hopes that it can find a new home where the organization can replant its roots and expand its services at a more accessible location, as well as raise public awareness of special needs children throughout the community.
Given the urgency and the need to raise funds for the relocation, CDC is arranging a string of events this year, which will include celebrating CDC’s 35th Anniversary at the Gala Dinner held at the end of September 2011. More details will follow, please check CDC’s website for updates on such upcoming events.
Grand Opening of Britto in Hong Kong
September 15 was an educational and fun filled day for the children at Springboard! Springboard Primary and Middle School students painted with the world famous Brazilian Neo- pop artist Romero Britto at a children’s workshop organized by Opera Gallery. He encouraged children to engage in the arts and expand their knowledge and interest. Springboard students finished three canvases which were on display throughout Britto’s Hong Kong exhibition at 1881 Heritage from 15th September to 7th October 2010.
As a grateful beneficiary charity, the Springboard Project would like to give out a sincere thanks to Romero Britto, 1881 Heritage and Opera Gallery for their kind support.
Springboard Project: Fundraising Ladies Doubles Tennis Tournament & Charity Luncheon 2010
Over the week of May 24th to May 28th in 2010, the Springboard Project held its annual Tennis Tournament and Charity Luncheon in order to raise funds to maintain and expand its programmes.
During the Tennis Tournament, each division was allocated one morning of play based on an American Style Round Robin system. After four days of exciting matches, they had the ladies finals tournament on the last day, which was followed by the Ladies Luncheon for Charity at the Hong Kong Country Club. With the generous support of the tennis ladies, parents, friends and sponsors, the Springboard Project managed to raise a total of $326,628.74. The fund raised went towards the PoST (Post Secondary Transitional) programme for young adults with special needs aged 16- 21. This programme supports young adults with special learning needs through education, life skills and training, integration in the community and community- based activities.
Springboard Project: Fundraising Ladies Doubles Tennis Tournament & Charity Luncheon 2011
To carry on the tradition, the Springboard Project Ltd. will be holding the annual Tennis Tournament and Charity Luncheon in May 2011. The organization’s success depends on your support! Please help the Springboard Project make a difference to the lives of the special needs children and youths by joining them at the Tennis Luncheon!
Please stay tuned for further updates of the event or contact Springboard Project at kiu@springboardhk.org for enquires.
Watchdog Year in Review: 2010
Every year Watchdog organizes a variety of activities, to empower parents to enhance their children’s participation in the community and to have lots of fun while doing so! The ongoing programs include specialist led talks and workshops for parents and carers, visits to primary schools to facilitate future placements and relaxing family fun days too!
In 2010, Watchdog’s workshops covered several exciting topics of relevance to families with young children with special needs. Some examples were “To be Fit or Too Fit” and “How to play/Interact with your child”. Currently, Watchdog is in the midst of visiting 11 different educational services in the city to enable parents to learn about the options for primary school placement. Interested parents are welcome to contact the Watchdog staff.
Watchdog family fun activities over 2010 included a great day in the outdoors at Holiday Farm, Sheung Shui, Open Gym at Kinetic and of course our colourful End Term and Christmas parties. Families had a wonderful opportunity to meet one another.
Watchdog in 2011
In addition to the Watchdog’s Triple P Workshop on Positive Parenting Workshops, Watchdog will have their annual fundraising events which include the Charity Art Exhibition and Charity Luncheon on 24th & 25th and 31st of March respectively, aiming to help Watchdog raise much needed funds for the organizational funded works and programmes. Starting from January, Watchdog will have the Triple P Workshop (Positive Parenting Programme) for Watchdog parents, to promote positive, caring relationships between parents and their children; to help parents develop effective management strategies for dealing with a variety of childhood behavioral problems and common developmental issue. Also, Watchdog will have talks such as Sensory Integration, Articulation / Oral Motor, Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the year. Please visit the Watchdog website at http://www.watchdog.org.hk for updated information.
TNC’s Got Talent
The Nesbitt Centre hosted a talent competition that the students participated in 2010. Talents included poetry reading, drumming, dancing and singing. In likeness to the real TV show, there was a panel of judges who gave out marks to students in the form of a tick to indicate that would take one to the next round or a cross which eliminated the contestant from going further. Please got to the youtube link provided to view the winner and runner-up from the show: Camilla Bent and JR. Highlights respectively.
Sailability
Four students from Nesbitt Centre took part in two saiing courses in 2010. The first aim was to become competent crew, the second aim was to learn to be ‘assisted helm’. Four of staff members of the Nesbitt Centre also underwent sail training and achieved their level 1 & 2 grade. The staff accompanied students during their training and this led to the group to participate in the Hebe Haven Yacht Club 24hr Aquathon in support of Children’s Charities. The Nesbitt Centre students and staff were part of the Sailability Team and placed 2nd in their class in the race. The group sailed in a Laser Bahia dinghy. Students sailing video can be found on the Sailability Hong King website and the Nesbitt Centre website.
Coffee Shop at St John’s Cathedral
This is a project that has been funded by Operation Santa Claus. The Nesbitt Centre students will work in the coffee shop, but work placement opportunities will be open to other organizations based on their desire to join. The project launch has been slightly delayed due to logistical problems related to its location within the Cathedral grounds. However, the Nesbitt Centre is optimistic that the shop will officially open its doors by end of 2011.
Choir Concert at St John’s Cathedral
On Saturday, 22nd January 2011 proved to be a successful event in which four choirs were invited to sing in the choir concert. The event was led and organized by Wendy Nesbitt and due to the success of the concert, there are plans to make this concert an annual event.
Nesbitt Centre’s Work Placement Programmes
Currently, there are 32 employers supporting this programme, and a total of 25 students who are actually employed, experiencing a work placement, or volunteering with one of these employers. Work placements include employment at restaurants, nursing homes, gardens, offices, libraries, cookie factory, and bakery packaging plant, card packaging plant, and supermarkets. Videos are on the Nesbitt Centre website.
Art Projects
Currently the Nesbitt Centre has a Saturday volunteer run art workshop and have received funding to do a very special project based around Sai Ying Pun where the Centre are based with Lorette Roberts, an artist, who is very well known in Hong Kong. Her works included the Sketches of Stanley, etc and her cards are now sold in Bookazine (these are packaged by Nesbitt Centre students) Growing Together Ltd.
Member Organization Websites
Please visit our member sites below: