WELCOME
On behalf of the Directors, we would like to welcome you to the July issue of your Newsletter, M.E.F. At long last, the Inland Revenue Department has granted us our Chapter 88 or Charity Status. It has taken us nearly 4 years to get it. Special thanks must go to Delphine Tse, an Associate at EllAlan who drafted the application and altered it every time IRD demanded even the slightest change. Our Directors Pater Manktelow who has been working hard coordinating with IRD and answering their queries although it appeared as if they were asking for the same documents over and over again. Our latest Director, Mr. David Strestfield has been doggedly chasing IRD and answering all their questions. We owe these people and to you all a great deal of thanks. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IMPORTNANT NOTICE ABOUT JOYOUS PARTIES IN JULY
After 4 very long years, the Directors have decided to suspend all joyous parties for July and concentrate 100% on securing our future. We must raise awareness of your mission in society and most importantly money. We hope to have an official launch with the Ovolo Group (https://ovolohotels.com/) We will hopefully have the media in attendance and all tax-free donations will be accepted. We will send the invitation later and hope that you will join us to have fun and help us raise lots of awareness and donations!!!
JOYOUS PARTIES IN JUNE
Our first joyous party saw us return to Harmony House’s Domestic Violence Prevention Centre. Because of their resources and budget constraints, this was the first time we had returned to Harmony House for over a year. A few days before the joyous party Ms. Florence Leddet Cheung arranged for a delivery of Kaloo gifts for each Celebrants and expensive items for the Participants as departure gifts. The joyous party was flying even before it officially started with Joey from Yo! Face Painting Studio painted the arms of the Children and soon their Mothers wanted their arms decorated also.
As some of the women and children were the victims of abuse, Ms. Pei Ying (P.Y) led an all-female Team of Volunteers and one mature male Volunteer, Ryan. There were meant to be 5 male Celebrants but regrettably one of the Celebrants was too unwell to attend his joyous party.
P.Y. introduced the 4 Celebrants and everyone sang Happy Birthday to them in English and Cantonese. She then had 3 fun games; Charades, Pass the Balloon Race and to cool all the Participants down, Simon Says. Ryan raised the level of fun when all the children were better than him at this game!!
The Celebrants then made a wish, blew out the football shaped candles and cut the beautiful yummy cake created by Aisha. Then the Participants ate nourishing food including spaghetti, fish balls and shumai. Ruth brought with her a popcorn machine and homemade cookies. The participants were invited to help themselves from a buffet and when they sat down to eat the Volunteers gave them more food and cake. Nothing was wasted, especially Aisha’s cake.
The Celebrants were each given 3 gifts, a box of goodies containing a towel and biscuits from Harmony House, a gift from Florence and one from you. Each one loved their gifts. Their Guest got a bag of goodies from Harmony House, Florence and you. A truly enjoyable party that will live long in the memory, especially of the Celebrants.
Our second joyous party of the month saw us return to the Society for Community Organization (SoCo) in Sham Shui Po. It was a first on many counts. It was Jenny Yuen’s first time as a Team Leader and she was coordinating with a new Social Worker, Ryan who just joined SoCo. Thankfully the heavy rain abated before the joyous started and only started again once the joyous party began.
Jenny was joined by her 2 friends who have been to joyous parties as Volunteers. They kindly donated 2 banners that were used in the joyous party. There were 5 female Celebrants and same number of boy Celebrants ranging in age from 6 to 12 years old. Sadly, one of the male Celebrants came to his joyous party very sad and despondent and refused to participate in anyway. Later Ryan told us that he invited his mother to be his Guest but she did not come. Instead his Grandfather brought him to the Centre and sat outside waiting for him.
Prior to the joyous party starting, Celia painted the faces and arms of the Participants that included many of the mothers. Jenny began the joyous party by introducing Spiderman, Jaden. One of the little girls was so excited when she saw Spiderman that she nearly fell over!! Jenny had traditional games like Musical Chairs, Red Light, Green Light, Musical Statute and Simon Says. She then arranged for Spiderman to bring in the yummy cake that Jeremy made.
Because of the very heavy rain the Caterer was late delivering the nutritionists food so the Volunteers served cake and soft drinks first. Eventually the food arrived and all the Participants enjoyed the food. Whilst everyone was eating, Jenny arranged for the Celebrants to get their gifts from you.
Jenny thought she could have run a tighter joyous party and felt it was not a great joyous party. However, all the Participants and Volunteers felt she did a great job and everyone had a great time. Even the Celebrant whose mother did not come admitted that he had a good time.
Click here for more photos of this joyous party.
Our third joyous party in June was in the Christian Pui Yan Primary School in Tin Shui Wai. This was the first time we have been to the School to deliver birthday happiness. The Principal, Ms. Sandy Cheung and Teacher Ms. Charlotte Li, were keen to have their trial joyous party with P1 pupils who attend the School. As there are so many Pupils who have their birthdays in May/June there were 14 Celebrants and about 40 Guests. Most were local children but some were born in far off places like the Mainland, Philippines and Ghana. Being so young all the Participants were very rowdy, especially when the Teachers were out of the Venue!! They were really happy when Jaden appeared as Spiderman from behind a curtain. He was joined by new Volunteers, Alan, Maja, Sofie and Lionel. ‘Old hands’ Sujomi and Joseph joined us to deliver birthday happiness. Before the joyous party began Alan lead everyone in Singing Happy Birthday to the Celebrants in English and Cantonese. Maja sang to them in Polish and Spanish. Lionel sang in French and Sujomi sang to them in Bahasa.
As there were so many Participants, the first game played was Musical Chairs with the boys going first followed by the girls. As time was short, the next game was Pass the Ball. With winners of each round getting a lot of chocolates.
The 3 yummy cakes were made by your Cake Maestros, Aisha and Radhika. They both went to the School the day before to give a group of P2 and P3 Pupils a Master Class in Baking. Please see below.
As the children had lunch before joining the joyous, they were served healthy snacks and fruit juices. The English Department bought shop cakes but all the Participants insisted on tasting the yummy creations of the Cake Maestros.
All the Celebrants got suitable birthday gifts from you. Before the Volunteers left, each one was given a Letter of Appreciation by the Principal. Charlotte later wrote that the “Students are very happy today!! Some of them told me that it was their first time to have a birthday party……….Everyone had a good day today!!! Thank you so much again and look forward to seeing you next time!!! Aa a gesture of appreciation, the Principal gave each Volunteer a Certificate of Appreciation from the School. Hopefully we will return in the new Academic Year and deliver birthday happiness to P3 & P4 Pupils.
This joyous party was sponsored by Mr. Ben Cooper and Ashford Benjamin . Their kindness and generosity brought a great deal of birthday happiness to so many less fortunate children. As a gesture of gratitude, a Certificate of Appreciation was later delivered to Ben and Ashford Benjamin. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Click here for more photos of this joyous party.
SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFITS
Our charity is dedicated to delivering birthday happiness to less fortunate children. There are other benefits also. The children can interact with the Volunteers and talk to them and learn new skills that will serve them well in the future – Supplementary Benefits.
The Directors would like to thank the Principal of Christian Pui Yan Primary School, Ms. Sandy Cheung for extending an invitation to our Cake Maestros, Radhika Vishwanath and Ms. Aisha Sumar to give a Master Class in Baking to 15 P2 and P3 Pupils the day before the joyous party was delivered in the School.
The first Master Class was so successful and enjoyable that the Principal has decided to invite our Cake Maestros back to the School on a regular basis to give Baking and Cooking Master Classes. The first of these was when Radhika came in to give a Master Class on how to make Vegetarian pizzas.
These Pupils do not have the opportunity to learn such wonderful skills from talented Bakers and Cooks and relished every moment of it. Maybe a future Master Baker or a Michelin Chef got their start in these Master Classes.
For more photos & videos of this first Master Class please visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-PVn7u0ZRWgHeujW8iS3aZw6Cx_IbT8C.
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