The SHKP Reading Club, under Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), has provided continuous reading and sharing opportunities amid the pandemic while keeping up its efforts to promote reading on campus. In addition to flexibly arranging live webcasts, the SHKP Reading Club is once again organizing outreach activities, as schools in Hong Kong gradually resume face-to-face classes in phases. Many teachers expressed their delight at finally being able to hold reading activities during the pandemic.

For seven consecutive years, the SHKP Reading Club’s Read & Share programme has provided annual school-based support for teachers to promote reading through a diverse range of formats and activities. During this academic year, the programme has focused on offering reading promotion sponsorships and organizing school outreach activities. The former has enabled 31 primary and secondary schools, which proposed the best reading promotion ideas, to put their plans into practice with a maximum sponsorship of HK$30,000. 

This academic year, the school outreach activities of the SHKP Reading Club have been held in the form of dramas and board games, spreading the fun of reading in 25 secondary schools. For example, the LIVE THEATRE troupe was invited to put the sci-fi love story Welcome to Your Next Life, written by famous author Zita Law, on the school stage. The actors included TV artist Kelvin Yuen, online celebrity Melody Ma, and ‘Good Night Show – King Maker’ contestant Kento To, and the show was hosted by artist Gracey Fok. They put on a great performance, which helped the students become quickly immersed in the story. After each segment of the performance, the actors and author participated in discussions and guided the students to reflect on the messages of the story from the characters’ perspectives, including how to build self-confidence and cultivate inner beauty. They also shared how reading sparked their creativity and inspired them. Students who stayed home amid the pandemic were able to enjoy the drama remotely via Zoom, with as many as 500 students watching the live webcast at the same time. The teachers even played a part as DJs to stir up the atmosphere, enjoying a pleasant, one-hour reading experience with the students.

The SHKP Reading Club’s Read & Share programme recently staged Welcome to Your Next Life at Chan Shu Kui Memorial School. School Librarian Ms Miranda Wong was pleased that the activity offered her students a chance to watch a drama on campus, learn how to appreciate different works, and physically participate in discussions in an interactive session which is rare during the pandemic.

In addition to offline activities, the SHKP Reading Club’s online reading platform, ‘Read For More’, produces inspiring, down-to-earth multimedia content to introduce a wide range of books and interview various celebrities, such as singer-songwriter Panther Chan and television Best Actress Natalie Tong, to show their literary affinity. This helps extend the students’ reading experience from offline activities to the online platform, unaffected by the pandemic and class suspension. Students can also become ‘Read For More’ contributors by sharing their reading experiences in the form of articles or audio clips of book excerpts, inspiring more people to develop a passion for reading.

The SHKP Reading Club has collaborated with the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association (HKAPSHA) to organize the Read & Share programme since 2014, with over 250 primary and secondary schools taking part in it so far. All schools in Hong Kong are welcome to join the Read & Share programme and enjoy the activities free of charge.

About the SHKP Reading Club

SHKP believes in Building Homes with Heart while promoting reading and holistic development. The Group established the SHKP Reading Club in 2013 to consolidate its reading-related initiatives, such as seminars by renowned speakers and guided cultural tours, to inspire more people to enjoy reading and make it a habit. Those interested in becoming members are welcome to register for free at: www.shkpreadingclub.com.