Home and Away Football Tournament 2024 | Home and Away 足球錦標賽 2024

Date: 11 October 2024 | 10月11號

Time: 8:30am – 5:30pm | 上午8點半至下午5點半

Venue: King’s Park Sports Ground, Ho Man Tin | 何文田京士柏運動場

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Since its inception in 2012, Branches of Hope has organised an annual charity football tournament to bring together our community and raise awareness and support for the organisation’s work assisting refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of human trafficking.

由非牟利機構「希望枝子」舉辦的「Home & Away慈善足球錦標賽」將於今年10月11日（重陽節）載譽回歸，希望以足球比賽連繫香港市民和居港的邊緣與弱勢群體。透過公平競賽，無分國界，一起享受足球樂趣，從而提升社會對難民、免遣返聲請人和人口販運倖存者的關注。

“Home & Away” is a football term that refers to whether a team is playing at ‘home’ in their own venue, or away in someone else’s. With this event, we share a message that while the community we support are away from home and separated from their families, our city is one that cares. This event will provide a safe place for the marginalised and vulnerable to enjoy football with the diverse and inspiring individuals that call Hong Kong home and, as a result, form genuine friendships. Through this event, we aim to facilitate social integration across the city where all can feel cared for and experience a “Home away from Home”.

「主 / 客場」是指在足球比賽中球隊在自己的「主場」或對手在「客場」作賽的術語。我們希望，即使居港的邊緣與弱勢群體因種種原因而被逼離開家園，來到香港這個充滿關愛的城市後，透過平等及公平的比賽讓以香港為家的不同群體建立友誼，促進社會共融，讓所有人都能感受到「家外之家」的感覺。

This friendly 7-a-side tournament will pit 20-30 teams all vying to be crowned the ‘Home & Away’ champion! Whether you’re a corporate hotshot or a casual player, we want YOU on our teams! So, gather your colleagues, friends, and neighbours, and get involved! Please click the link below to sign up before 31 August 2024.

活動將有企業隊伍、公眾隊伍以及由難民、免遣返聲請人所組成的社區隊伍，報名期由即日起至2024年8月31日結束。組成12人為一隊的企業隊伍或公眾隊伍即可透過以下連結參賽：

TEAM SIGN UP:

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LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

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SPSONOR COMMUNITY TEAM:

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SIGN UP AS VOLUNTEERS:

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IMPORTANT NOTES TO PARTICIPANTS 

1.  All footballers must be aged 16 years old or above. 
2. Players should be aware of their own physical fitness. For the sake of safety, persons with health problems such as asthma, heart and lung diseases, plantar fasciitis should seek medical advice before entering for the tournament.  
3. Players taking part in this event are acting solely on his / her own discretion and at his / her own risk. The organizers accept no responsibility, nor liability, for accidents of any kind, resulting in death or injury, nor for any damage or loss of personal property during the event. 
4. All registration fees and other donations are not refundable. 
5. The Organiser (“Branches of Hope”) reserves the right to restrict or reject any application.

參賽者注意事項：

1. 所有參賽者需滿16歲以上
2. 參賽者需確保其身體狀況良好才參賽。為了安全起見，建議患有哮喘、心肺疾病、跟腱炎等健康問題的參賽者在比賽前先徵詢醫生建議
3. 參賽者需自行承擔風險，主辦方無須為任何損傷、意外或任何其他經濟損失索償負上法律責任
4. 所有報名費用或捐款均不可退還
5. 如有任何爭議，主辦方將保留最終決定權

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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

1. Cup Champion
2. Cup Runner-up
3. Highest Fund Raising Team

報名費及捐款：

公眾隊伍：港幣7,000元 / 隊

企業隊伍：最少港幣25,000元 / 隊

足球錦標賽分別設有賽事及籌款獎項，包括冠軍、亞軍以及最高隊伍籌款獎等。希望枝子將提供豁免繳税收據，歡迎公眾於GIVE.Asia的活動頁面捐贈以支持希望枝子對難民、免遣返聲請人和人口販運倖存者社群的支援項目及社區工作。

捐贈連結：https://give.asia/campaign/event-branches-of-hope-footy2024#/story

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METHODS TO FUNDRAISE:

Method 1: Donation Form

1. Fill out the Donation Form (DOWNLOAD THE DONATION FORM)
2. Collect donation from donors
3. Payment methods:

• Cheque – Payable to “BRANCHES OF HOPE LTD”. Please mail cheque together with this registration form to “Branches of Hope, 29 Burrows Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong” 
• Bank Transfer – Branches of Hope Ltd’s HSBC account (499-814499-838). Enclose the bank slips with this form, email to info@branchesofhope.org.hk. 
• Online Payment – Please make payment online at https://branchesofhope.org.hk/donations. Please email info@branchesofhope.org.hk your payment confirmation email together with this form.

All proceeds (minus administrative cost) help raise fund for our work and service towards the most marginalised and vulnerable community in Hong Kong.

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Method 2: Set-up fundraising account on Give.asia

1. Go to the event main page at https://give.asia/campaign/event-branches-of-hope-footy2024#/story
2. Click “FUNDRAISE FOR EVENT“
3. Register with your Facebook/Google/email account
4. Name your campaign name with your team’s name, e.g. Home & Away 2024 – Team A
5. Set your fundraising target and upload a picture related to the campaign
6. Write a short introduction about the fundraising activity
7. Create a short campaign URL, then click “PUBLISH YOUR CAMPAIGN”
8. Complete set-up and share campaign link with family and friends

Fundraising Guideline – Set up Your Own Fundraising Page for Branches of Hope

Please make payment or raised on your fundraising page at least HKD 7,000 (Public Team) / HKD 25,000 (Corporate Team) by 14 September 2024 (Sat) to complete the team enrollment process.

Our prize for highest fundraising team and individual will be presented on the event day. If you want to win a prize, please make sure all related donations be received by Branches of Hope on or before 10 October 2024, donation through online platform and actual donation will both be counted.

All teams are encouraged to continue fundraising through the fundraising campaign until 30 November 2024. One of our corporate partners will be matching all funds raised through this initiative so every dollar you raise will be matched by another dollar, doubling the funds raised through your campaign!

All funds raised will be matched by a generous corporate partner, so every dollar given will have double the impact! All proceeds from the tournament will be allocated towards Branches of Hope care programmes supporting our community members in Hong Kong. These programmes include:

• Child Education support
• Casework and Counselling
• Medical and Housing support
• Durable Solutions: resettlement and voluntary repatriation
• Adult Education classes

活動收益扣除成本後將會用於希望枝子的項目及社區工作，項目包括：

• 學生資助計劃
• 個案工作
• 醫療和住房支援
• 移居第三國和自願返回原居國支援
• 成人教育課程

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GAME RULES

1. The normal rules of football will apply except that there will be no offside. 
2. Shin-pads must be worn at all times. 
3. Maximum number of players on the field will be 6 + 1 Goalkeeper. The minimum number of players is 5. 
4. Each team must be ready to play at the appointed time. 
5. There is no limit on substitutions.  It is not necessary to request the referee’s permission before making substitutions.  Substitutes must enter the game from the half-way line and may not do so until the substituted player has left the field.  Substituted players may return to play. 
6. Any player receiving a red card will be suspended for a minimum of one game.  Any player receiving 2 yellow cards during the tournament will be suspended for the next match 
7. Points system for all games: Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 points, Lose = 0 point. 
8. All teams in the Group Stage will proceed to the Knock-out Stage.  Schedule of play in Knock-out Stage will depend on the Group Stage ranking by points.  In the event of a tie in points, it will be decided by goal average.  In the event of a tie in goal average, it will be decided by the goal average between the tied teams. 
9. In the event of a tie at Knock-out stage and Finals Stage, the match will proceed straight to sudden-death penalties. *Group Stage: 12 minutes one way (no half-time).
   *Knock-out Stage: 10 minutes each way with no half-time.
   *Finals Stage: 10 minutes each way with 2 minutes half-time. 

*Note: format subject to change according to total number of teams

We’re the non-STOP ROAD Stars!

Branches of Hope was selected as a charity partner for the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Charity Programme 2024. We had a dedicated team of 30 charity runners who participated in the 10KM, half marathon, and full marathon races in the SCHKM 2024 (21st Jan 2024). 

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response from our community, as the team successfully raised a total of HK$260,661+ through 25 fundraising campaigns, with contributions from over 300 generous individuals. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved!

Don’t STOP, let’s run this ROAD together!

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Learn more about the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Charity Programme 2024:

Marathon Charity Programme – Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon (hkmarathon.com)

“FROM LITTLE SEEDS GROW MIGHTY TREES.”

Branches of Hope held its Seeds of Growth dinner on the 21 September, celebrating the achievements of our community members, staff, and supporters throughout a wonderful evening.

How incredible to be able to host our community of supporters, both new and old, for an evening of celebration and togetherness. We hope that everyone who could attend enjoyed the Seeds of Growth dinner as much as we enjoyed hosting you, and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for joining us.

We were blessed to have had amazing performances from Jolie Chan and Kel & Fidela. But the night could not have happened without the coordination of Summer Lam and her team, the great work of the production team, florist and photographer. We hope everyone enjoy the audio journey and put yourself into other shoes to understand how difficult refugee moving away from hometown to a safer but unfamiliar city.

Again, thank you for your support of the 1,200 community members that Branches of Hope assists through both our ROAD and STOP programs.

SPARK OF HOPE

“HOPE IS A DIFFICULT THING TO KILL, JUST A SPARK OF IT CAN START A FIRE.”

This year at the Branches of Hope Gala Dinner, we unite our supporters and donors to celebrate our achievements on this 10-year journey of restoration.


Through impact stories and program updates, we hope to encourage one another – We can all be a SPARK OF HOPE in someone’s life.

By the end of the evening, we hope everyone feels valued and equipped for their commitment to supporting the people we serve at Branches of Hope.

BRING JOY TO REFUGEE AND ASYLUM SEEKER FAMILIES ACROSS HONG KONG!

Together with Happy Baton and RedBox, we are helping to spread some festive cheer this holiday. We invite you to give a gift to children of refugee and asylum seeker families across Hong Kong.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. How old are the children?
   ⦁ The gifts will go to children with ages from 2 to 14 years old.
   
   
2. What should I give?
   ⦁ You may give a preloved toy or book (as long as they are in excellent condition) or purchase a new gift.
   
   
3. How do I donate?
   Drop off the gift at any of the collection points listed below during office hours:
   
   Central
   Central Smile – 12/F, Manning House, Central, Hong Kong
   Rebooked – 1/F, 9-11 Mee Lun Street, Central, Hong Kong
   
   Wan Chai
   Vine Church – 29 Burrow Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Tuesdays to Fridays, 9am-6pm at the Concierge; Sundays 9am-4pm on 1/F Children Area. Please call 94494363 for enquiries)
   Baumhaus – 1/F, Kar Yau Building, 36-44 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
   
   Chai Wan
   Redbox Chai Wan – 4/F, 20 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan Industrial Centre, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
   
   
4. When is the toy gift collection period?
   ⦁ 1st to 29th of November
   
   
5. When will the toys be distributed to the children of Branches of Hope?
   ⦁ 7 to 9th of December
   
   
6. How else can I help?
   ⦁ You can sign up to be a volunteer tentatively on 29 November to help sort, gift wrap and prepare the toys for distribution!
   
   
   Contact Branches of Hope’s colleague Deanna at 9406-9539 via WhatsApp or email at dkwok@branchesofhope.org.hk

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THIS EXCITING INITIATIVE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS:

Happy Baton

Happy Baton is Hong Kong’s first online toy subscription rental service! We provide fun and educational toy boxes for different age groups and development stages to promote learning through sustainable play. Play Smarter, Play Greener!

RedBox

RedBox Storage is delighted to yet again be supporting Happy Baton and Branch of Hope in their toy donation drive this year.


Not everyone gets to have a very Merry Christmas and this year has been full of challenges for many refugee families, especially those with young children. From now until 29 November, spread a smile and look out for our collection boxes around town.