Usage of Fund

1. the setting up of a scholarship
2. the "Yat Pin Tin, Boon Mau Tien " (A Piece of Sky, Half an Acre of Field) slope-strengthening / mural project. This huge project is a much needed undertaking, and requires a sum of well over HK$100,000. Every dollar counts. So your generous donations will be greatly appreciated!
   

The simple criteria of selecting the recipient of the scholarship is set out below:

• It has been decided a scholarship of HK$500 (plus a certificate of award) will be awarded to a Secondary Three student who has shown the greatest improvement in English during the academic year. It has been decided not to award the top English student in Secondary Three for the simple fact that she might win the Silcocks Scholarship anyway in Secondary Four. We hope the Pilkington Scholarship - Best Improvement In English Award could inspire a lot of other students to work harder in this crucial year if they think they too could stand a chance of winning the scholarship. The sum of HK$500 is set in line with other scholarships now in force such as the Silcocks Scholarship. The subject English is chosen for obvious reasons.
• The student chosen must have good conduct. This condition is just added for good measure.

Donation & Method of Payment

Please write "Margaret Pilkington Memorial Fund" at the back of your cheque or money order and indicate your year of graduation, if applicable.  Here is a reply slip.

Donors

For every donation made through this account, it is important that the donor will mail, fax or e-mail the reply slip back to the school so that we can issue the receipt and souvenir. The school's address is:

Ying Wa Girls' School, 76 Robinson Road, Hong Kong
Facsimile Number: (852) 2858 8669
E-mail Address: school@ywgs.edu.hk

Details of the bank account are as follows:

For those who wish to make donations by electronic remittance to the account, please include the institution number as follows:

Encouragement & Support

The bookmarks are with the compliments of Karen So Ka Wah, alumna of ?8 and director of New Island Printing Co. Ltd . Mr Jason Bell also designed the bookmarks with his compliments. We are indeed very grateful for their encouragement and generous support.

As Christmas is approaching, I'd like to share with you a Christmas story happened over 30 years ago? It was a few days before Christmas and several of us Ying Wa girls who were members of the then Melba Girls' Choir (founded by our former music teacher and choir conductor, the late Prof. Chao Mei-Pa) decided the choir practice that afternoon wasn’t quite enough and we went to a classmate's place in Robinson Road for more songs. After dinner, we started singing Christmas carols and sure enough we soon took our songs to the streets, starting from Kotewall Road eastwards. Carol singing was nothing new but singing merrily in a quiet residential area could be a Hong Kong first, like our sponsored walk which made the headlines in SCMP a few years before. As we sang along, braving the winter chills, we drew smiles from the few passers-by who actually stopped to hear us sing. We didn’t stop walking though as we were eager to reach our unspoken destination. I guess you know by now where we were heading.

When we reached the front door of 76 Robinson Road, we sang at the top of our voice, hoping somebody was home. No sooner had we started singing the second carol than we saw lights coming on at the top floor and heads popping out of the balcony. Yes, our voices (and prayers) were heard! We could barely contain ourselves as Miss Pilkington appeared at the front door with a broad smile and ushered us in. The excitement was even greater than winning the Christmas singing competition, or did we lose that year! We were treated to tea and cakes in Miss Pilkington's flat that was warm, cosy and filled with laughter. Teachers' quarters were off limits to students, so in that wonderful evening, we felt we were the luckiest girls in the entire school. Miss Hepple (who later became Mrs Rice) from next door also joined in, offering more chocolates and cookies.

The "surprise" party gave us a memorable Christmas, not least because we were made to feel special. Those who had been taught by Miss Pilkington would agree that in her class, everyone was special. For example, we were all made class monitor, or row monitor in turn and learn to shoulder and share responsibilities. Today when we reminisce the past we still can’t help feeling that Miss Pilkington did love us much as she could even "forgive" us when the whole class actually pulled a disappearing act one April Fool's Day!

With a Thankful Heart

This is the first appeal outside the small circles of friends. Join the campaign. Help pass the word today. Make someone feel special! 

I'll keep you posted of the result of your efforts.

Have a peaceful and really special Christmas!
Class of '68
Rosanna MAK Wai Lim
8 December 2003