Balloons, art and on-board fun at floating Christmas party for Hong Kong children
Melco Group staff and Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Association members light up the festive season as volunteers
More than two dozen children were given a chance to experience being on board a ‘boat’ for the first time in their lives, as part of a Christmas party last week to cap off an annual charity campaign.
Accompanied by their parents, youngsters aged two to six from Benji’s Centre, which offers speech therapy for underprivileged children, travelled from Sha Tin in the New Territories to the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant in Aberdeen.
The party was organised by entertainment, gaming and leisure company Melco Group, which is a donor to Operation Santa Claus – a charity campaign organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK. This was the third year in a row the group has participated in the campaign.
Four-year-old Ching-man from Benji’s Centre was among those who were elated by the opportunity to explore the iconic seafood barge.
“She has always been afraid to talk to and would often avoid eye contact with strangers, but when she saw the boat, she was so excited and left everyone behind,” mother Luo Qiuyun said.
For staff from Jumbo Kingdom – which is under Melco – and the Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-bodied Association, it was also their first time volunteering.