Force volunteer service gets into stride
The Force Volunteer Service Day is to be held at the Police Sports & Recreation Club (PSRC) on December 15 to mark the United Nations designated International Volunteer Day. There will be displays by outside voluntary service organisations and by Force volunteer groups.
The first stage in the Force Volunteer Service Programme is well underway (See OffBeat Issue 738, Page 3 article: Your community needs you). Well over 171 members of the Force have already enrolled and, on November 12, over 50 officers from different formations attended a meeting at the PSRC co-ordinated by Personnel Services Branch.
OffBeat attended the meeting and heard Mr Jawaid Khan, Chief Superintendent Personnel Services Branch, outline the overall programme and the principal outside organisations with which the Force would be working - Hong Kong Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Social Welfare Department.
Also present at the meeting was the Senior Force Welfare Officer, Mr Wong Wai-cheun, Superintendent, Mr David Lo Tat-fai, and Force Welfare Officer, Ms Shelley Wong. Between them they explained the programme and the volunteers' part in it, and the help that was available to them from the Force and the outside organisations. They then fielded questions from the floor.
After the meeting Woman Police Constable, Ms Gloria Pang Yee-man, told OffBeat that she was keen to offer comfort visits to the elderly at home alone and in hospital or hospices. "I am willing to spend some of my leisure hours with elderly folk who have no relatives in Hong Kong. "It is important for everyone to do their part as a member of the community in taking care of the physical and emotional needs of the elderly and to do it in a way that does not undermine their sense of dignity," she concluded. Other volunteers were offering to decorate the homes of the elderly and disabled, plant trees in sitting-out areas, teach the elderly to read, teach Cantonese to Mainlanders, coach children with learning disabilities, and much else.
Warm Clothing Appeal
Apart from the volunteer services they were organising, much work had been done in organising a Force-wide 'Collection of Warm Clothing for the Disadvantaged' campaign. Chairmen of the eight PMQ co-operative societies and residents' associations were helping to encourage members and residents to play an active part in the operation and man collection points.
The Campaign collection period is from November 23 to December 8 between 10am and 5pm daily. The collection points are at the PSRC, POC, the Police Married Quarters at Chai Wan, Ho Man Tin, Sha Tin, Tsing Yi, Tanner Road, Sheung Shui, and Kwai Chung and the Disciplined Services Quarters at Wong Tai Sin.
Blood Donors Wanted
Those willing to donate blood may complete pledge cards at the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) Counter at the PSRC on Force Volunteer Service Day (December 15) or from any HKRC Blood Donation Centre. The pledge is for a donation, at any centre, during the low-season for blood donations: December 23 to February 9. In addition a mobile blood donation centre will be set up in the PSRC Table Tennis Room from 2pm to 8pm on December 30 and 31.
PSB Chief Superintendent Mr Jawaid Khan briefs would-be volunteers