COVID-19 Hong Kong Virtual Marathon

Get ready to run your own course at the FringeBacker COVID-19 Hong Kong Virtual Marathon. Choose your own challenge, from stretching your skills to a 42KM Full Marathon, 21KM Half Marathon, to trying out a 3KM/5KM /10KM Fun Walk or Run. With social distancing in place, you can complete it remotely and creatively in whatever ways convenient for you, such as run your neighbourhood, local trails, treadmill, stairs, walk the dog in parks, anywhere!

FringeBacker has partnered with a record-breaking of over 35 Hong Kong charities in this event. These include:
Aids Concern
Aids Foundation
Asian Charity Services
Changing Young Lives Foundation
Children’s Heart Foundation
Ebenezer School and Home for the Visually Impaired
Renaissance Foundation
Food Angel
Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong
HandsOn Hong Kong
Heifer Hong Kong
HER Fund
Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation
Hong Kong Children In Need Foundation
Hong Kong Dog Rescue
Hong Kong Outward Bound
Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation
ImpactHK
InspiringHK Sports Foundation
Justice Centre Hong Kong
Kely Support Group
Kids4Kids
LAP Lifelong Animal Protection Charity Limited
Lok Sin Tong
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong
Oxfam Hong KongPathfinders
Plan Internationa;
Resolve Foundation
Ronald McDonald House
Run HK
Sai Kung Stray Friends
SoapCycling Hong Kong
The Boys’ Brigade Hong Kong
The Conservancy Association
The Hub
World Vision
Each of them will be sharing how COVID-19 pandemic has affected their cause and how we can all help in a meaningful way.

This initiative will provide a positive channel for all to know more about Hong Kong charities. To make each step count, participants choose from the 35 Charity Partners they want to support.

For those already active in the running scene, it’s a great way to keep yourself motivated while exercising on your own and to prepare for events ahead.

For beginners, introduce your family and friends to running and to jumpstart some physical training from Couch to 3KM!

Participants will also get a finisher’s meal, e-goodie bag overflowing with cash coupons and wonderful gifts from everyone’s favourite shops.

How to complete a virtual marathon:

Time: Sign up and complete your run by June 30!

Register Now: To register, please follow this link to FringeBacker

For enquiries please email cs@fringebacker.com

Buy Limited Edition Postcards and raise money for Plastic Free Seas

Squid for lunch by Penny Creedon

Simple acts can have big impacts.

With these uncertain times upon us now, we can choose to slow down reconnect and take on the things that really matter. Making time for the little things like the old-school joy of sending a handwritten note to a friend.

Now you can send your love and share your dreams in aid of Plastic Free Seas on a Paper-Roses for Plastic Free Seas postcard.

In the drink by Penny Creedon

Paper-Roses have produced three 3 stunning marine life artworks, which highlight the impact of our plastic pollution crisis on our local marine species: green sea turtles, whale sharks and Chinese white dolphins.

By supporting this collaboration and purchasing a set of postcards, you can help fund the work of Plastic Free Seas and share your concern for our plastic-polluted water with your friends.

To find out more about this fundraising campaign and how you can support please follow this link

The pink pull by Penny Creedon

About the Artist: Artist, Penny Creedon, is a nature lover. She was lucky enough to grow up in the English countryside and now lives in Hong Kong. One of the things she likes most about living in this vibrant and exciting city? The fact that it’s so easy to get out from between the skyscrapers and into nature, whether it’s into the rainforests or out onto the water.

Penny wanted to create the artwork for Plastic Free Seas because of the undeniable impact that pollution and our over-reliance on single-use plastics is having on our surroundings. While updated regulations are likely to be a factor in helping to end this, education is vital to bring about the changes in attitude needed to break our bad plastic habits. Penny freely admits that she is not perfect and knows that we can all make changes to the way we think about and use plastic. The education programme that Plastic Free Seas has put in place, and the passion and perseverance they have in delivering the message, will empower this change.

About Plastic Free Seas: Plastic Free Seas is led by a small team of passionate and focused individuals committed to reducing the scourge of plastic pollution in Hong Kong.

Hoi Ha Biodiversity Excursion – 23 Feb

The new year is a good time for hiking and exploring Hong Kong wildlife.

In this excursion, EncompassHK will first lead you to experience one of the most innovative outdoor water stations by Urban Spring at the Park Tam Chung Sai Kung Country Park visitor center. They’ll also teach you how to make use of iNaturalist and compete in the April’s worldwide City Nature Challenge.

Program

⁃ Introduction to iNatrualist and City Nature Challenge

⁃ Introduction to Sustainable Development Goals (especailly on responsible consumption) and Urban Springs outdoor wells.

⁃ Introduction to marine fauna with expert guide Dr. Cynthia Yau

⁃ Marine naturalist ID with a demonstration of the iNaturalist app

⁃ Guided walk along Hoi Ha Nature Trail and Marine Park area, including visits to Hoi Ha’s Antiquities Monument, Hoi Ha ecologically sensitive stream

⁃ Introduction to developmental issues at Hoi Ha Wan (by Friends of Hoi Ha chairperson Nicola Newbury)

With an AFCD-estimated 45,000 visitors in 2015, Hoi Ha Wan is Hong Kong’s most accessible Marine Park and is a popular destination for day-trippers. Watch out for monkeys in the trees, cows on the road, and a stunning view over Long Harbour as the road drops down from Pak Tam Au. With a wealth of corals, including 64 of the 84 species of stony corals found in Hong Kong, Hoi Ha Wan has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1986 and was gazetted as a Marine Park in 1996. We will explore the diversity of marine life in the mangrove and sandy shore habitats at HHW.

The City Nature Challenge is a friendly international competition that encourages people to go outside and discover the local wildlife. Simply observe and take pictures of plants and animals in natural areas near you on the free app, iNaturalist. No prior experience necessary – anyone and everyone is welcome to participate!

Who: Everyone! Families including accompanied children over 3 are welcome.

What to Wear: Closed-toe shoes (no sandals or flip flops please, as the beach may have sharp dangerous items including broken glass, oyster shells), comfortable clothes, hat. Do be warned you may get your footwear wet on the shore, so please bring your own change of dry shoes if needed.

What to Bring: Water (minimum 0.5 L in reusable container – Bonaqua bottle, Watsons bottle etc. are not allowed). Water refill during the trip is possible. Sun screen, hat and insect repellent. Small umbrella for shade.

Not allowed: No flip flops or open sandals during intertidal excursion. No one-time-use plastic bottles or food containers/wrappers! Other remarks: There is no wheelchair access anywhere in Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park.

Date: Sunday, 23 February 2020

Time: 10:30am – 5pm
(Coach will return to Kowloon Tong with drop off at Choi Hung station by 5 pm)

Place: 10:30am outside Kowloon Tong Exit C

Price: $280 (including coach fee, guided walk, light lunch, handouts about Hoi Ha Wan, donation to Friends of Hoi Ha) to register please follow this link to EventBrite

*No parking available for external guests in Hoi Ha Village, so we do not advise you to drive there.

About Encompass HK: Encompass HK, a local social enterprise promoting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

New Year Beach Cleanup! 26 Jan

Join Green Hour for their first clean up drive of 2020, the first in the Year of the Rat in Sham Tseng. There will be plenty of fun with music, games and more!

Date: Sunday, 26 January 2020

Time: 10am-3pm

Place: Sham Tseng
18 Castle Peak Road (Tsing Lung Tau)
Opposite Sea Crest Villa Phase 3

Price: Free, to register please follow this link to EventBrite

About Green Hour: Green Hour is a local organisation dedicated to fighting the war against waste in Hong Kong through several initiatives. Through bread run programmes, Green Hour works to fight food waste whilst giving back to those in our community in need, running cleanup events across Hong Kong to raise awareness as well as workshops that are not just only informative, but also fun!

Plastic Free Seas Volunteer Recruitment

Do you want to help save the ocean and the marine animals? Are you passionate about reducing our plastic consumption here in HK?

Plastic Free Seas is recruiting volunteers who want help lead beach cleanups and/or to get involved in their community outreach. English speaking and bilingual (English/Cantonese) volunteers who are available on weekdays and maybe weekends are welcome. Plastic Free Seas will be conducting 2 one-day training sessions this month. The morning session will be held at their office in Sheung Wan, and after lunch you will head to a beach (location yet to be determined) for on-site training. Plastic Free Seas is looking for both adults and teenager volunteers. Minimum age is 15.

Rundown of the day:
10:30am – 12:30pm (in office training)
12:30pm – 1:00pm Lunch (Please bring your own lunch, no single-use plastic packaging please)
1:00pm – 3:30pm (Beach training)

Further information on what to wear and bring will be shared by email.

Join Plastic Free Seas! Be part of the local solution for this global problem!

Space is limited and registration is required. To register, please contact Mimi at mimi@plasticfreeseas.org

Date:
Training session #1: Friday, January 17, 2020
Training session #2: Thursday, January 23, 2020
(Both sessions will be conducted in English)
Please indicate the date you would like to attend.

Time: 10:30am– 3:30pm

Place: 21/F Chun Wo Commercial Centre
23-29 Wing Wo St.
Sheung Wan (MTR Exit E2)

About Plastic Free Seas: Plastic Free Seas is a Hong Kong based environmental charity dedicated to advocating change in the way we all view and use plastics in society today, through education and action campaigns.

One last word before Christmas…give generously

This will be the last blog post of the year. As we dive into the Festive Season, spare a thought for those less fortunate. With the continued social unrest, it’s been a particularly difficult year for nonprofits to raise funds with many fundraising events either postponed or cancelled. They need your help more than ever.

So please spare a thought for them and donate generously. The organisations listed under Volunteer Opportunities on this blog would welcome your donations.

Happy Holidays, posts will resume in the New Year!

WWF Connect2Nature 4 Kids

Through outdoor experiential learning at WWF learning centres, children learn about the link between humans and nature, nurturing a positive attitude towards our natural environment.

Features
Explore incredible natural environments
Learn about nature at Mai Po Nature Reserve, Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park and Hoi Ha Marine Life Centre, Tai Po natural coastline & Island House Conservation Studies Centre

Enjoy nature in a FUN way
Children develop an appreciation for nature through experiential learning and citizen science activities in natural habitats

Enhance collaborative skills
Group missions encourage active communication and collaboration among children

Learn from experienced educators
Facilitate children’s experience that can be applied to their daily life

Programme starts in January — book your place now!

JUNIOR ORNITHOLOGIST

Ever wondered why Mai Po Nature Reserve is called a bird paradise?

Join WWF’s Junior Ornithologist programme and let your kids view first-hand the thousands of migratory birds that pass through the reserve each year. Kids ages 6-12 will discover the world of ornithology while developing patience and observation skills through bird watching, games and a variety of other activities, including keeping a “wild journal”. Limited capacity.
Age: 6-12
Activity Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm

Date: 11, 12, 18 January 2020

Time:
Morning
Explore Hong Kong’s only wetland nature reserve
Fun games about birds
Lunch @ Mai Po Nature Reserve (provided by WWF)
Afternoon
Observe and record migratory birds

Place: Mai Po Nature Reserve

Price: HK$ 900/child
For more information and to register please follow this link.

JUNIOR URBAN ECOLOGIST

Be one of WWF’s Junior Urban Ecologists and discover Hong Kong’s rich and extraordinary urban biodiversity at city parks and natural coastlines. Through games and observation at Tai Po Waterfront Park and Island House Conservation Studies Centre, children and parents will learn about the relationship between organisms and the environment, while nurturing interest in local species. They will also create their own urban “Pokédex” for recording urban wildlife encountered.

Date: 8, 22,23 February 2020

Time:
Morning
Learn about urban ecology through interactive games
Discover urban biodiversity
Lunch @ Island House (provided by WWF)
Afternoon
Natural coastal exploration
Create urban “Pokédex”
Age: 6-12 (must be accompanied by at least 1 adult)
Activity Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm

Place: Tai Po Waterfront Park and Island House Conservation Studies Centre

Price: HK$ 1350 (1 Child and 1 parent) ,
HK$ 900 for 2nd Child,
HK$ 450 for 2nd parent
For more information and to register please follow this link.

JUNIOR OCEANOGRAPHER

Kids will explore a marine environment and experience the work of an oceanographer at Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. They will learn to observe beach organisms as well as microscopic plankton and investigate seawater quality and its relationship with marine life. The programme content aligns with General Studies curriculum and STEM education.

Date: 19, 25, 26 April 2020

Time:
Morning
Coastal exploration
Use of scientific equipment to find out characteristics of seawater
Lunch @ Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park (provided by WWF)
Afternoon
Plankton observation & art workshop
Coral observation on glass-bottom boat
Age: 6-12
Activity Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm

Place: Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park

Price: HK$ 900/child
For more information and to register please follow this link.

About WWF HK: WWF-Hong Kong was founded in 1981 and is an integral part of WWF’s global network. Their work began with managing Mai Po Nature Reserve and conserving iconic species. Over the years, they have expanded and adjusted their mission to better serve Hong Kong’s conservation and education needs and align themselves with WWF’s global strategy.