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Sixty-five organisations had been granted permission to raise funds during August 2011, a Social Welfare Department (SWD) spokesman said today (July 29).
The organisations will sell flags, badges or tokens, or place donation boxes in designated public places.
August 6,10, 20 and 31 are designated Regional Flag Days, with three organisations conducting flag sales between 7am and 12.30pm on each of those days on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories.
The department has also allocated three non-Saturday flag days which are school holidays on August 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 (all fall on Wednesdays).
Any organisation planning to hold activities involving collection of money or sale or exchange for donations of badges, tokens or similar articles in a public place for charitable purposes should apply for a public subscription permit from the SWD.
Activities covered by public subscription permits are listed on the department's website ( www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew/ ). For details, people can also call the department's hotline at 2343 2255 or SWD headquarters at 2832 4311 during office hours.
To enhance the monitoring of general charitable fund-raising activities in public places under the purview of the Social Welfare Department, six new measures will be implemented from August 1, 2011. For details, members of the public may visit the department's website ( www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_generalcha/ ).
"If fraudulent fund-raising activity is suspected, members of the public should not make any donation. They should report any suspected illegal activities to the police immediately," the spokesman said.
He also appealed to organisers to take precautions against any possible fraud.
Flag day organisers are required to put on the money-collection bags the name of the organisation and mark "This flag day has been approved by the Social Welfare Department".
Organisers of general fund-raising activities other than flag sales should prominently display the permit at the place where the fund-raising event is held. Proper identification, for example, name cards or tags should also be provided for staff and volunteers who are directly involved in the fund-raising activities.
The spokesman also advised organisers of flag days to prepare guidelines for volunteers, setting out the places and the schedule for fund-raising and the collection points for flag bags.
"Organisers should inform the Police in the case of loss of property and seek their help when fraudulent acts, such as tampering with collection bags or unauthorised fund-raising, are found," he said.
The Government has promulgated the "Reference Guide on Best Practices for Charitable Fund-raising Activities" for voluntary compliance by the charitable organisations. Members of the public may browse the Reference Guide on the SWD homepage ( www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_referenceg/ ).
Attached please find a list of organisations granted permission to raise funds in August 2011. The list only includes permits issued up to July 25, 2011.
Ends/Friday, July 29, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:01
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