The Foreign Correspondents' Club Hong Kong

FCC Clare Hollingworth Fellowship – Applications Open

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong is accepting applications for the Clare Hollingworth Fellowship, named after the preeminent and path-breaking journalist.

Ms. Hollingworth had a remarkable career as a foreign correspondent with the scoop of the century as a 27-year-old when she reported on Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939. Ms. Hollingworth was also a treasured member of the FCC for more than 40 years who made significant contributions to the intellectual and professional life of the FCC.

The Hollingworth Fellowship honours early career journalists and current journalism school students in Hong Kong. Journalists and journalism students from all fields of professional study are eligible. Applications close on 14 October. The fellowship will run for one calendar year, 1 November 2022 – 31 October 2023.

Overview of key features of the fellowship:

Complimentary access to all FCC professional talks, official gatherings and conferences (subject to pandemic restrictions);
Unlimited access to the FCC facilities including the gym and workroom;
FCC monthly dues and the membership fee are waived for the fellowship period; and
Networking opportunities with senior newsroom leaders

For details on past fellows, please see below:

Fellows Requirements and Expectations

Produce and contribute a piece in their field for the FCC (e.g. long-form article for the FCC magazine, The Correspondent (see examples here and here); photographic exhibition for the Bar, video piece for the website)
Assist in the organization of virtual and in-person events for journalists
Actively contribute to the intellectual and professional life of the FCC

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must meet all of the following criteria to apply:

At least two years’ journalism experience with a proven track record of developing stories in any sector or medium. Applications are welcome from candidates from foreign news organisations as well as local news organisations in Hong Kong
Be 30 years of age or under at the time the fellowship begins
Be a resident of Hong Kong at the time of application and a resident of Hong Kong for the duration of the Fellowship

Application Process and Material

Applications must be submitted in English by 14 October, 2022; late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Only chosen candidates will be notified by writing. All files must be submitted in either PDF or MS Word format to [email protected] with the subject line Attn: first name/last name of applicant, Clare Hollingworth Fellowship application. Applications should include:

Two pieces of published work, or in the case of a journalism student, two essays of no more than 2000 words each
A 500-word statement of intent for the piece that the Fellow will contribute to the FCC
Please send via post two sealed written references from suitable referees, e.g. senior editor or journalism school dean again with the same subject line: Attn: first name / last name of applicant, Clare Hollingworth Fellowship application. The reference letters should be sent to The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong, North Block, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong. When submitting your application, please note in the covering email that the references have been sent via post. Reference letters should specify how long the referee has known the applicant and in what capacity, comments on the applicant’s potential to make an impact in the field of journalism, and any relevant prior experience.
Recent resume of no more than 2 pages
Provide a valid HKID card number.

Update on entry to Private Functions: Negative RAT test/ PCR test required

With the number of COVID-19 Omicron cases in Hong Kong continuing to rise, the Government has announced a new measure starting from Sunday, 28 August 2022.

All Members holding a private function or joining a Club event, and any Members’ guests joining these activities, must before entering show our staff photographic proof of a negative RAT test. The RAT test must be taken within 24 hours of joining the function and must show the person’s name, date, and time the test was taken, as per photo sample. Alternately an SMS notification can be shown containing the result of a negative PCR test received within the 48 hours preceding his/her entry to the Club.

(Sample of RAT test result)

For reasons of hygiene and the safety of all Members and staff, RAT tests must be conducted prior to your arrival at the Club. Tests cannot be taken here at the Club.

If Members are in any doubt as to whether their event or booking is affected by these new conditions, please contact the office at 2521 1511 or email [email protected]. Those who do not follow these measures will not be admitted to the event.

Thank you for your continued support of the Club. Please take care, stay safe and healthy.

Keith Richburg
President
30 August 2022

LeaveHomeSafe App Update: “Red and Amber QR Codes”

LeaveHomeSafe App Update
“Red and Amber QR Codes”

Dear Members:

I would like to update you that the government has announced a new Vaccine Pass Color Code System — blue, red and amber codes. Under the regulations, any persons with the red or amber codes will not be allowed to enter the club. You can find more details here:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202208/08/P2022080800771.htm?fontSize=1. Please also be reminded to update your LeaveHomeSafe app to version 3.4.0 to access your coloured Vaccine Pass QR Code in the “Vaccination Record” section.

The Club restrictions will remain in place. Feel free to visit our site at: https://www.fcchk.org/fcc-restrictions-update-on-2-june-2022/ for more information.

Once again, I want to thank all Members for your continued patience, understanding and your support.

Keith Richburg
President
12 August 2022

FCC Minimum Spend

Dear Members,

With the lifting of many of the restrictions which have limited FCC activities for so long, we have been delighted to welcome back more members to the Club’s expanded offering of speaker events, film nights and our extensive F&B promotions. As a result of the Club being more accessible, please be advised that FCC Minimum Spend, which was rolled over from March means $1800 requirement (from January to June), will now appear on members’ June statements which will be sent in early July. We will continue to offer the opportunity for Members to purchase vouchers to be used in subsequent months if you are unable to utilise the Club before the end of June.

23 June 2022

FCC restrictions remain in place

FCC restrictions remain in place

Dear Members,

The Government announced an extension of the existing social distancing measures. Please note that showing proof of a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) result obtained within 24 hours before entering the relevant premises WILL NOT be applied to our club members and guests. This new measure is only applying to bars, pubs and nightclubs but the FCC is not affected because we operate as a clubhouse catering premise.

The Club restrictions and vaccine pass implementation will remain in place, feel free to visit https://www.fcchk.org/fcc-restrictions-update-on-2-june-2022/ for more information.

We thank all Members for their understanding and your continued support.

Keith Richburg

President

16 June 2022

FCC restrictions update on 2 June 2022

FCC restrictions update on 2 June 2022

Dear Members:

The current precautionary measures will be extended from June 2 until further notice. The current policies will continue as follows;

•	All restaurants will be open until 11:59 p.m. every day. Last orders for food will be at 10:50 p.m., while last orders for drinks will be at 11:30 p.m.
•	Maximum number per table is 8 now, each member can bring 3 guests.
•	Private functions and meetings can accommodate up to 120 persons. Please contact our team at [email protected] to discuss.
•	Still there is no music performances at Bert’s will be held at this time.
•	The health club continues to open, although the sauna and steam room will remain closed. No more than 6 people are allowed in the health club at a time and masks are no longer required while exercising. Pre-register is required with the gym attendant at 2844 2849.
•	All persons must wear a face mask at all times within Club premises, except when eating or drinking at the table.
•	Staff continues to complete a COVID-19 rapid test every 3 days.

The Club continues to implement the government’s “Vaccine Pass”. Anyone who is unable to provide valid proof of vaccination will be denied entry to the Club. Please be reminded that you and your guest are required to complete the 3rd dose starting from May 31. Please remember to upload your 3rd jab record to your LHS app and make sure you’re using the latest version of the app. See below for more details on the number of doses the pass requires and arrangement for recovered persons.
(https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202203/20/P2022032000438.htm?f_ontSize_=1)

Please be aware that mask wearing is a government requirement except when eating and drinking, and anyone not wearing a mask faces a $5,000 fine. In case of an inspection and a fine being issued, the Club is not responsible.

We thank all Members for their understanding and your continued support.

Keith Richburg
President

2 June 2022

FCC AGM on May 30

FCC AGM on May 30

Dear Members,

We’d like to remind everyone of Monday’s Annual General Meeting which will start promptly at 6pm in the Main Dining Room. We are aware there is additional interest this year so to help facilitate a smoothly-run meeting, here are some answers to questions members have asked recently:

How many people can attend?

Our capacity is 150.

Why can’t we get a bigger venue?

The location must be included in the official AGM notice, per our Articles of Association, and cannot be changed without restarting the AGM-holding process. Our Articles also compel the Club to hold an AGM between 15-31 May each year, so we can’t restart the process either.

Can motions be put forward at the AGM that were not included in the AGM notice?

No. However, under Any Other Business (AOB), members can bring up any issue for discussion. If there is a request for a vote, the Chair can allow a vote to get a sense of the membership’s views, but the result of any vote is not binding on the board because the issues were not included in the AGM notice. This is common corporate AGM practice around the world to allow members to be notified in advance of issues to be discussed.

Who can vote at AGMs?

All voting Members – that is, Correspondent, Journalist and Associate Members. Please note the capacity constraints on attendance.

What if I can’t attend but want to vote?

You can arrange a proxy – that is, nominate a Member attending to vote for you – by filling in a form and getting the original to Reception by Saturday, May 28 at 6pm. We are still looking into whether we can accept electronic versions and hope to have an answer later today. Please contact the concierge at 2521 1511 or email [email protected] with your email details if you’d like to be informed once we’ve clarified that.

What if Members want to compel the Board to do something not already on the AGM agenda?

Members can call for an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at a later date. The rules around holding EGMs can be found in our Articles of Association.

Can we stream the meeting to expand capacity?

No. It’s not possible to do that at this point, not least since votes in the meeting have to be checked by our auditors. This is a legal requirement and we’re currently not set up to do this remotely.

What if I have other questions?

Please contact the concierge at 2521 1511 or email me at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to answer before the meeting.

Keith Richburg

President

27 May 2022

FCC Board of Governors 2022-2023 Election Result

Congratulations to the new FCC Board of Governors for 2022-2023. They will begin serving after the Annual General Meeting on May 30.

We would like to thank the outgoing Board members for their service.

The new Board members are listed below.

PRESIDENT

Keith RICHBURG

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Hannamiina TANNINEN

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Tim HUXLEY

CORRESPONDENT GOVERNORS

Rebecca BAILEY
Jennifer JETT
Kari Soo LINDBERG
Kristie LU STOUT
Shai OSTER
Olivia PARKER
Peter PARKS

JOURNALIST GOVERNORS

Zela CHIN
Joe PAN

ASSOCIATE GOVERNORS

Genavieve ALEXANDER
LIU Kin-ming
Christopher SLAUGHTER
Richard WINTER

Further relaxation of restrictions starting May 19

Further relaxation of restrictions starting May 19

Dear Members:

Following the Government announcement of the further easing of pandemic restrictions starting May 19, the FCC’s policies will be updated as follows;

•	All restaurants will be open until 11:59 p.m. every day. Last orders for food will be at 10:50 p.m., while last orders for drinks will be at 11:30 p.m.
•	Maximum number per table is 8 now, each member can bring 3 guests.
•	Private functions and meetings can accommodate up to 120 persons. Please contact our team at [email protected] to discuss.
•	Still there is no music performances at Bert’s will be held at this time.
•	The health club continues to open, although the sauna and steam room will remain closed. No more than 4 people are allowed in the health club at a time and masks are still required while exercising. Pre-register is required with the gym attendant at 2844 2849.
•	All persons must wear a face mask at all times within Club premises, except when eating or drinking at the table.
•	Staff continues to complete a COVID-19 rapid test every 3 days.

The Club continues to implement the government’s “Vaccine Pass”. Anyone who is unable to provide valid proof of vaccination will be denied entry to the Club. Please be reminded that you and your guest are required to complete the 3rd dose by end of May. See below for more details on the number of doses the pass requires and arrangement for recovered persons.
(https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202203/20/P2022032000438.htm?f_ontSize_=1)

We thank all Members for their understanding and your continued support.

Keith Richburg
President

19 May 2022

FCC relaxes restrictions starting May 5 and continues to implement “Vaccine Pass”

FCC relaxes restrictions starting May 5
and continues to implement “Vaccine Pass”

Dear Members:

Following the Government announcement of the further relaxation of pandemic restrictions starting May 5, the FCC’s policies will be updated as follows;

•	All restaurants will be open for dine-in service until 10 p.m. every day. Last orders for food will be at 9 p.m., while last orders for drinks will be at 9:30 p.m.
•	Maximum number per table is now extended from 4 to 8, each member can bring 3 guests.
•	The takeaway menu is available from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. The menu can be downloaded from our website at fcchk.org. Please place orders with the FCC Restaurant at 2844 2806 or [email protected]. All orders will be confirmed by a phone call.
•	Private functions and meetings for a maximum of 20 persons can be arranged. Please contact our team at [email protected] to discuss.
•	No music performances at Bert’s will be held at this time.
•	The health club is open, although the sauna and steam room will remain closed. No more than 4 people are allowed in the health club at a time and masks are required while exercising. Please pre-register with the gym attendant at 2844 2849.
•	All persons must wear a face mask at all times within Club premises, except when eating or drinking at the table.
•	Staff will complete a COVID-19 rapid test every 3 days.
•	The Government also announced that from Thursday May 19, all restaurants can open until midnight and we can accept banquets up to 120 persons.

The Club continues to implement the government’s “Vaccine Pass”. Anyone who is unable to provide valid proof of vaccination will be denied entry to the Club. Please be reminded that you are required to complete the 3rd dose by end of May. See below for more details on the number of doses the pass requires and arrangement for recovered persons.
(https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202203/20/P2022032000438.htm?f_ontSize_=1)

For a full detail of the relaxation scheme please visit: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202205/04/P2022050300895.htm

We thank all Members for their understanding and your continued support.

Keith Richburg
President

5 May 2022