The Malta Business Weekly

HSBC Malta joins global toy drive to bring children a festive spark

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HSBC Malta is inviting the public to join its employees and their families in a toy collection drive to help spread a little happiness among children in less fortunate circumstan­ces over the festive period. HSBC Malta is joining 18 other countries around the bank’s network for this initiative which has been held regularly since 2007. Last year 18,166 toys were collected and distribute­d.

Activities around the participat­ing HSBC countries were launched on 20 November to mark United Nations Universal Children’s Day. Each year, this date promotes internatio­nal togetherne­ss and improves children’s welfare. It was also on this day in 1989 when the UN General assembly adopted the Conven- tion on the Rights of the Child.

In Malta, the bank has decided to donate the toys to the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), which incorporat­es Aġenzija Appoġġ, Aġenzija Sedqa and LEAP, as well as the Angel Three Club.

FSWS coordinate­s the Children’s Dream project for children whose families face various social difficulti­es, while the Angel Three Club supports children and relatives of inmates, ex-inmates and victims of crime.

Toys can be dropped off at the customer area of all HSBC branches as well as at HSBC Head Office in Qormi and HSBC headquarte­rs in Valletta during opening hours until 12 December. For health reasons, only new toys should be donated and these should not be gift wrapped for security reasons.

HSBC has been involved in community projects throughout its 150-year-long history. Helping young people reach their potential is the primary focus of the Group’s Future Skills programme. In 2016, the Group donated $137m as part of its sustainabl­e communitie­s’ programmes, while employees gave over 255,000 hours of volunteeri­ng during working hours and over 439,000 hours of their own time.

In Malta, the HSBC Malta Foundation runs a number of programmes focused on helping children from disadvanta­ged background­s.

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