Disabled add their art to KCR makeover to mark handover

Designs created by 17 mentally disabled people using a traditional Japanese skill will help transform the appearance of some KCR trains.

Images of Saroi weaving created by the group are among 20 artworks chosen from about 170 entries to decorate the trains in a contest to mark the 10th anniversary of the handover.

The decorations, installed yesterday and today, will be seen when the special trains start running on Wednesday.

Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Command instructor U Oi-Lei, 50, said she hoped the contribution by the disabled group would bring recognition of their skills.

Her group, the command's Heng On Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Service, won a place in the display with a work titled 'Needles and threads are our imaginary paintbrushes'.

'I hope more people understand the feelings of the disabled and realise that they can also do some things a normal person can do,' Miss U said.

One of the designers, Yeung Ho-Yin, 27, said his temperament had calmed down after he learned Saroi and how to concentrate on his work.