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	       Sixty-three organisations have been granted permission to raise funds during March, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) spokesman said today (February 27). 
     The organisations will sell flags, tokens or similar items, or place donation boxes in designated public places.
     Special arrangements apply on March 4 and March 18, when three organisations will conduct sales of flags on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories respectively. 
     With the endorsement of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee, flag sales have been allowed from 7am to 12.30pm on the allocated flag days starting from September 2005.
      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 http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew/ and on the ESD Life website http://www.esdlife.com. 
      People are welcome to call the department's hotline at 2343 2255 or department headquarters at 2832 4311 for enquiries. 
      The spokesman urged people to visit these websites or to call the hotline if there was any doubt regarding the fund-raising activities and he appealed to organisers to take precautions against any possible fraud. 
      "Fund-raising volunteers should display the permit, or in the case of mobile fund-raising, carry copies of the permit for inspection upon request," he said. 
      The spokesman also advised organisations to prepare guidelines for volunteers, setting out the places and the schedule for fund-raising and the collection points for 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 selling, are found," he said. 
      Permits were given to the following organisations for fund raising in March: 
Flag Day
---------
Event Date            Organisations
----------            -------------
March 4  #(HKI)       The Hong Kong Society for 
                      Rehabilitation
March 4  #(KLN)       Operation Dawn Limited
March 4  #(NT)        End Child Sexual Abuse 
                      Foundation
March 11              Hong Kong Federation of 
                      Handicapped Youth
March 18 #(HKI)       Hong Kong Neuro-Muscular 
                      Disease Association
March 18 #(KLN)       International Church of 
                      the Foursquare Gospel-Hong Kong
                      District Limited 
March 18 #(NT)        Asbury Methodist Social
                      Service
March 25              The Society for the Aid
                      and Rehabilitation
                      of Drug Abusers
#Regional flag day 
Public Subscription 
------------------- 
Event Date            Organisation 
-----------           -------------
March 1-3&6           Harmonevergreen Service 
                      Association Limited
March 1,3,6,8,10,     Everbright Concern Action
13,15,17,20,          Limited 
22,24,27,29 & 31
March 1,3,6,13,15,    Hong Kong Society for the Aged
17,22,24,27 & 31
March 1 & 4-12        Helping Hand
March 1-9             The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent
                      Society, Kowloon
March 1-31            Castle Peak Hospital
March 1-31            The University of Hong Kong
March 1-31            Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole
                      Hospital
March 1-31            United Christian Hospital
March 1-31            Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin 
                      Hospitals
March 1-31            Queen Elizabeth Hospital
March 1-31            Airport Authority
March 1-31            Kadoorie Farm and Botanic 
                      Garden Corporation
March 1-31            Tuen Mun Hospital
March 1-31            Duchess of Kent Children's 
                      Hospital 
March 1-31            Pok Oi Hospital 
March 1-31            Hospital Authority Charitable
                      Foundation
March 1-31            MacLehose Medical 
                      Rehabilitation Centre
March 1-31            Prince of Wales Hospital
March 1-31            Tseung Kwan O Hospital
March 1-31            Rehabaid Society
(Mon-Fri) 
March 1-31            North District Hospital 
March 1-31            Cheshire Home, Chung Hom Kok
March 1-31            Shatin Hospital-Hospital
                      Authority
March 1-31            Princess Margaret Hospital
March 1-31            Make-A-Wish Foundation of
                      Hong Kong Limited
March 1-31            Caritas Medical Centre
March 1-31            ADPL Social Service Centre
                      Limited 
March 1-31            Suicide Prevention Services
March 1-31            Yan Chai Hospital
March 1-31            Grantham Hospital
March 1-31            Hospital Authority Charitable
                      Foundation 
March 1-31            Lok Chi Association Limited
March 1-31            The Hong Kong Life Saving
                      Society
March 1-31            Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital
March 1-31            Bradbury Hospice
March 1-31            Haven of Hope Hospital
March 1-31            Wong Chuk Hang Hospital
                      - Hospital Authority
March 3-7             Her Fund Limited
March 4-5,11-12,      The Federation of New 
18-19 & 25-26         Territories Youth
                      Foundation Limited
March 4-5,11-12,      Vajradhara Buddhist Meditation 
18-19 & 25-26         Centre Limited
March 4-5 &           Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
24-25                 Limited 
March 5,12,           Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong 
19 & 26                  
March 7               Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare
                      Association Limited
March 9               Yan Oi Tong Limited 
March 10-11           Chinese Christian Herald
                      Crusades Limited
March 12              Hong Kong Kidney Foundation
                      Limited
March 12              The Kowloon Tong Church of
                      the Chinese Christian and
                      Missionary Alliance
March 17-19           The Hong Kong Ballet Limited
March 17-19           Sowers Action
March 17-19           Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease
                      Association
March 18              Wah Fu Swatow Christian Church 
                      Limited
March 19              World Wide Fund for Nature
                      Hong Kong 
March 19              Society for the Prevention of 
                      Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong)
March 26              Action for Reach Out
	  
  
	  Ends/Monday, February 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:03
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