Green Kindergarten Network V visit to plant nursery (19 December 2005)

As part of the Green Kindergarten Network's environmental education programme, NWS Holdings arranged students and teachers from three kindergartens to visit the nursery of HKIL at Sheung Shui. The staff introduced different plants to the students and let them understand the importance of a green environment. Each student received a small plant after the visit.

A training workshop for kindergarten teachers was conducted in Hong Kong Park, the first of its kind, as part of Green Kindergarten Network, jointly launched by NWS Holdings and Green Power. Trained up as instructors, 12 volunteers of NWS Volunteer Alliance led about 50 kindergarten teachers and principals to visit the greenhouse and demonstrate games for environmental education as supplement of the teaching materials provided to the kindergartens.

Subsequent to world-record-breaking handprint painting event with over 3,100 school children participated in April 2005, NWS Holdings and Green Power joined hands with NWFB and Citybus to unveil two green education buses. It aims at delivering green messages to the public across the territory.

Ms Maria Cheung, Senior Manager of Corporate Communication of NWS Holdings, Dr Man Chi Sum, Chief Executive Officer of Green Power, unveiled the "Green Bus" together with 100 kindergarten students and teachers who are members of Green Kindergarten Network. They also visited the environmental friendly facilities of NWFB depot. The representatives of kindergarten children received the "Green Seeds" from four Green Ambassadors, symbolizing the relay of green messages through generations.

The bodies of the buses are decorated with clear blue-sky, green grass and lovely animals. The beautiful environmental settings continue inside the buses, with ceilings and staircases covered with natural scenes and seat backs stuck with interesting knowledge about wild life.

In a joint effort, Green Power and NWS Holdings Limited launched the Green Kindergarten Network, the first environmental education programme for pre-school children in Hong Kong. By providing kindergartens with free materials and training on environmental education, together with field trips for both students and teachers, Green Kindergarten Network aims at nurturing environmental awareness among the young generation. All local kindergartens are eligible to join the network.

Apart from being the sole sponsor of Green Kindergarten Network, NWS Holdings has turned a New World First Bus and a Citybus into "green education buses" to deliver green messages to the public across the territory. Visits to bus depots, laundry plant and plant nursery will also be arranged to help children understand environmental practice in business.

During the launching ceremony, more than 3,100 students and teachers from 65 kindergarten members of Green Kindergarten Network produced the world's largest handprint painting on a 370 sq m canvas (about 3,800 sq ft), targeting to break the Guinness World Record. The painting design was based on Vincent Van Gogh's magnificent Wheatfield with Mountains in the Background to highlight the theme - We Love Nature. More than 60 volunteers from NWS Volunteer Alliance assisted during the printing work and the ceremony.

Officiating guests of the ceremony included Mr Tsang Yam Pui, Executive Director of NWS Holdings and Chairman of the Group's Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, Mr Eric Chan, Acting Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Department, and Mr Cheung Wing Hung, Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Moral and Civic Education) of Education and Manpower Bureau, and Dr Man Chi Sum, Chief Executive Officer of Green Power. They put their finishing touch on the handprint painting, which is displayed outside New World Centre from 27 April to 30 May 2005.

NWS Holdings sponsored three teams to join Green Power Hike in support of environmental conservation. Though participating for the first time, the teams attained satisfactory results. Besides, UPML's team won Property Management Cup for the second consecutive year.