In a busy city like Hong Kong, people can rarely enjoy a meal with their families without interruptions, let alone more quality time to show their love and care to each other. Seeing this growing trend, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has funded the Happy Family Kitchen project, hoping to bring about the message of caring for one’s family through spending more time to cook and dine with them.
Launched in September, the project is run by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) in partnership with the School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong. It aims to encourage residents in Yuen Long district to treasure the cooking and dining time with their families through a series of community family activities, education and promotion programmes to help build positive ways of communication and enhance family harmony.
Today (18 December), the Club’s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So joined Director of Social Welfare Patrick Nip, HKCSS Chief Executive Christine Fang, FAMILY Project Principal Investigator Prof T H Lam and renowned gourmet and author Chua Lam to perform the official launching ceremony of the project at Shun Tak Fraternal Association Yung Yau College in Tin Shui Wai.
Mr So said, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club believes prevention is the best cure, that’s why we initiate the FAMILY Project which includes a series of public education programmes. We hope to strengthen family communication and raise awareness of the importance of family life in a hectic city like Hong Kong.”
Prof Lam revealed the project team has developed a series of strategies using positive psychology to encourage happy family dining. The “Five-Taste Model” strategies comprise “Eat happily”, “Eat with flow”, “Eat with gratitude and praise”, “Eat healthily” and “Eat enjoyably”. He called on families to adopt these strategies during meal time so as to enhance communication and foster health, happiness and harmony (3Hs).
All the activities designed for Happy Family Kitchen are family-based, public health-focused and supported by evidence-based scientific research. They are conducted by local community groups and the welfare and academic sectors, involving 23 service units in all. Professionals such as clinical psychologists, veteran social workers, registered dieticians and academics will provide trainings for frontline social workers to help them organise various family activities, estimated to benefit about 1,000 families in the district.
FAMILY: A Jockey Club Initiative for a Harmonious Society is a citywide project launched by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with HK$250 million funding, in collaboration with the School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong. The project aims to identify the sources of family problems, devise suitable preventive measures and promote the “3Hs” through a citywide household survey, intervention projects and public education programmes. Further details of FAMILY are available at www.family.org.hk.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of Hong Kong’s best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city’s major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects. It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city’s growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.
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Photo 1:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So hopes to strengthen family communication and raise awareness of the importance of family lives in a hectic city like Hong Kong through the FAMILY Project. Cooking with family members is one of the methods to foster the relationship.
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Photo 2:
Director of Social Welfare Patrick Nip says that the FAMILY Project promotes the 3Hs in the community which helps enhance family communication.
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Photo 3:
HKCSS Chief Executive Christine Fang introduces the !ĦħFive-Taste Model!ĦL strategies comprising !ĦħEat happily!ĦL, !ĦħEat with flow!ĦL, !ĦħEat with gratitude and praise!ĦL, !ĦħEat healthily!ĦL and !ĦħEat enjoyably!ĦL to the audience.
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Photo 4:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (left) presents a souvenir to Yuen Long District Council Chairman Leung Che Cheung.
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Photo 5:
Photos 5&6: Renowned gourmet and author Chua Lam (Photo 5) shares his dining experiences with the audience. He addresses the importance to dine with the family members.
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Photo 6:
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Photo 7:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (back row, 3rd from right), HKCSS Chief Executive Christine Fang (back row, 2nd from right), FAMILY Project Principal Investigator Prof T H Lam (front row, 1st from right), Chua Lam (front row, 6th from right) and participants of the workshops.
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Photo 8:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (2nd from right), HKCSS Chief Executive Christine Fang (1st from right) and Chua Lam (3rd from right) visit the workshop of !ĦħCha Kwo!ĦL.
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Photo 9:
The Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (centre) and HKCSS Business Director Dr Timothy Chan (right) learn how to make a !ĦħCha Kwo!ĦL.
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