The Committee on Elder Academy Development Foundation (EADF) is inviting a new round of funding applications from school-sponsoring bodies of primary and secondary schools as well as post-secondary institutions interested in setting up elder academies (EAs) and organisations interested in organising activities that encourage elderly learning and inter-generational harmony. Applications should reach the secretariat of the Committee on EADF by October 31.

     The Elder Academy Scheme aims to promote continuous learning for elderly people, active ageing and inter-generational harmony. The EADF mainly provides funding for primary and secondary schools as well as post-secondary institutions to set up EAs to provide learning opportunities in a school setting for the elderly. Funding is also provided for activities that encourage elderly learning and inter-generational harmony.

     Each approved EA in a primary or secondary school will be provided with funding of up to $122,000 for implementing a three-year programme. EAs which completed the first three-year programme may apply for funding of up to $60,000 for running a two-year programme.

     As regards applications for organising EA courses in post-secondary institutions or other applications, the Committee on EADF will assess and decide the funding amount according to the merits of individual proposals.

     Details of the funding applications may be downloaded from the website of the EA Scheme (www.elderacademy.org.hk). For enquiries, please contact the secretariat of the Committee on EADF (3655 5861/3655 5007).

     In support of World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present a free screening of "Feast of a Rich Family" (1959) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Culture Centre (HKCC) at 7.30pm on October 27 (Wednesday). The film stars Ng Cho-fan, Cheung Ying, Lo Duen, Cheung Wood-yau and Mui Yee.
      
     In "Feast of a Rich Family", Fung, a nouveau-riche man, attempts to show off his wife's new diamond ring by hosting a banquet in celebration of his father's beard. The man, however, is embarrassed at his impoverished father's thinness, and force-feeds his father to a ridiculous degree. His father eventually exposes the lie by ripping off his fake beard during the banquet. Centred on the Fung family, the movie describes the conflicts between families and the states of mind of people in different economic strata. 

     The movie gathered a group of Cantonese and Mandarin film stars who volunteered their services for the film-making as a fundraiser for establishing a permanent office of the South China Film Industry Workers Union (SCFIWU). To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the SCFIWU deposited the film with the HKFA as a testament to the co-operative spirit of filmmakers. The film is in Cantonese with no subtitles. Admission is free with tickets.

     Tickets will be distributed at the box office of the HKFA starting from October 2 (Saturday), from Mondays to Sundays (except Tuesdays) from noon to 8pm, as well as the enquiries counter of the HKCC starting from October 4 (Monday), from Mondays to Sundays from 9am to 9pm. Each person can receive up to two tickets on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

     For programme enquiries, please call 2739 2139 or visit www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en_US/web/hkfa/pe-event-2021-ths-fs-film24.html.

     In 2005, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated October 27 of every year as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. It promotes awareness of the importance of preserving audio-visual documents from the past, which play an integral role in recording local and regional cultures.

     In view of the latest COVID-19 situation, audiences should take note of the latest service arrangements for screening venues, admission and seating to be implemented.

     The eighth meeting of the Assessment Committee for the Funding Scheme to Support Transitional Housing Projects by Non-government Organisations, chaired by the Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Dr Raymond So Wai-man, was convened via video conferencing this morning (September 27). 
 
     The Assessment Committee agreed to subsidise the following transitional housing projects:
 
(i) Transitional housing development at the Junction of Po Yap Road and Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O, by Christian Family Service Centre. With total funding of $187 million, it is expected to provide about 340 units.
 
(ii) Transitional housing development at Lot No. 2160 (Part) and Adjoining Government Land in Kam Tin, Yuen Long, by New Territories Association of Societies (Community Services) Foundation. With total funding of $576.3 million, it is expected to provide about 1 020 units.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 27) that the Spiral Lookout Tower in Tai Po Waterfront Park will be temporarily closed from October 4 to 18 for repair works.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (September 27) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on October 9 (Saturday) in Meeting Room N101, L1, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 220 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(4) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(5) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

(6) In view of public health concerns, all persons entering the auction venue will have to undergo on-the‑spot body temperature checks arranged by the TD. Any member of the public whose body temperature is higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius or who refuses to undergo a body temperature check will be denied entry to the auction hall and the payment office. The TD also requests all persons entering the auction hall and the payment office to wear masks and clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser, and to wear masks throughout the duration of the auction and payment process.

(7) In order to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, the TD will adjust the distance between seats and the number of seats in the auction hall and the payment office, and implement crowd-control measures. The TD also appeals to the bidders to reduce the number of accompanying persons as far as possible. Furthermore, the auctions in the morning and afternoon will each be divided into two sessions so as to shorten the duration of crowd congregation. The first session of the morning auction will commence at 9.25am while the second session will begin no earlier than 10.35am. The first session of the afternoon auction will commence at 2.25pm while the second session will begin no earlier than 3.40pm. The auction venue will be disinfected before the commencement of the second sessions. Interested bidders may arrive at the auction venue in accordance with the time schedule for the auction of vehicle registration marks.

(8) In order to more effectively assist the Department of Health in epidemiological investigations and to protect the safety of members of the public and employees, members of the public will be required to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code or register their names, contact numbers and date and times of their visits before entering the auction venue (the auction hall and the payment office). As a result of the arrangement, members of the public are advised to remain patient as the waiting time for entering the auction venue may be longer.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.