NEWS

One last ride

Mine Train, Raging River and Abyss at Ocean Park will permanently close this month. While Mine Train and Abyss have been in operation for 20 years, Raging River has been around since 1984. These closures come after Ocean Park received a hefty bailout of billions of dollars from

Cathay launches lifestyle brand

Hong Kong is set to welcome the launch of Cathay, a premium travel lifestyle brand, offering members an eclectic range of travel, spending and wellness benefits. Simply named “Cathay”, the new membership programme aims to simplify interactions with customers, while expanding the ways in which they can earn status and use miles. The new brand will cover everything from hotels and wellness breaks, to restaurants and retail therapy. Cathay will begin by launching their own credit card in Hong Kong this year which will be followed in 2022 by “a refreshed customer relationship programme”, the details of which are yet to be announced. the Hong Kong government, as the company gears up for the opening of the long-awaited water park that’s set to make its debut in the coming months. Ocean Park has also decided to scrap the entry fee and instead implement a pay-per-ride system.

Anti-wildlife bin rollout

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has recently unveiled a set of animal-proof rubbish bins. In recent years, there have been reports of rubbish bins being turned over or rummaged through by wildlife. Rats, monkeys and even wild boars have been known to try their luck, leading to pollution and potentially dangerous encounters with the public. In an attempt to combat this problem, the government has joined forces with the Public Design Lab of Hong Kong Polytechnic University to design three anti-wildlife rubbish bins to combat against different animals. “The Government placed the three newly designed types of bins and containers at over 70 locations across 14 districts in Hong Kong where wild animal nuisance is commonly found,” explained an AFCD spokesman.

AISHK alumni head to Olympics

This month, Australian International School Hong Kong (AISHK) are proudly supporting two alumni competing in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Extraordinary young athletes Bill Thorley, aged 18, and Stephanie Norton, aged 20, have trained tirelessly, defeated all odds, overcome global challenges and made history to represent Hong Kong SAR on the world stage. As the youngest Olympian representing Hong Kong, Thorley will compete in the marathon swim event taking place on August 5. Norton, who is the first female single-handed dinghy sailor to represent Hong Kong at the Olympics, will compete in the laser radial sailing competition which will kick off on July 25. We join AISHK in cheering them on later this month.

Schools announce IB Diploma results

IB results for the May 2021 session were released on July 6, with 130 students in Hong Kong attaining perfect scores, compared to 55 students last year. This is despite a smaller number of local candidates this time around, with 2,193 students from 31 schools sitting the exam in 2021. The average score of Hong Kong students also went up to 38.93, which is higher than the global average score of 32.99. “The last 18 months have been incredibly challenging for students, teachers, and schools throughout the world as Covid-19 has undermined much of what we had come to take for granted. I salute their spirit and dedication to our shared mission: education for a better world,” says Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate.

Bake for good

To celebrate Cookie Smile’s first anniversary, the social enterprise will kick off their first Cookie Smiles Bake Challenge this month. Baking hobbyists, aspiring bakers and culinary students of all levels over 16 years old are invited to create a cookie recipe from a list of ingredients specified on the website. Bakers will compete through three rounds at Hong Kong New Oriental Culinary Art in North Point and Complete Deelite in Central. The first round will take place on August 25 with subsequent rounds on September 25 and October 30. The first place winner will receive a cash prize of $3,000 plus other prizes. Entry fee is $350 plus an additional $150 for the final 20 participants. For more information visit

cookiesmiles.com.hk

To the moon and back

Until December 31, the F&B Run Club wants to cumulatively run 384,400 kilometres, the distance from Earth to the moon. The initiative aims to promote wellbeing and mental health within the F&B industry. Raising money for two charities, participants can add their steps through the Strava app to reach the campaign’s goal. As well as promoting an active lifestyle, there will be prizes and awards throughout the year. Individuals can take part in any form of steps, whether it be hiking, running or walking on a treadmill. PURE Group has also joined the rally as a wellness partner and is recruiting corporate sponsors to donate $1 per kilometre to InspiringHK Sports Foundation and Lifewire Foundation. Joining the “run to the moon” are influential F&B professionals, such as Syed Asim Hussain of Black Sheep Restaurants, Manuel Palacio of Pirata Group and Agung Prabow of Penicillin.

Hong Kong Living launches podcast

To showcase and highlight the value of Hong Kong’s entrepreneurs, professionals and their contributions to the city’s culture and economy, Hong Kong Living will be launching Who’s Killin’ It in Hong Kong? this September. The podcast will focus on those who stand out among 7.5 million Hongkongers, whether it’s because they own a talk-of-the-town business or have lived an extraordinary life. The podcast will be available on Apple podcasts and Spotify and will be hosted by our Features Editor, Cheyelene Fontanilla.