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Hotel leads aid drive for expat labourers

Manama, August 17, 2011

A five-star hotel in Bahrain is leading a collection campaign aimed at providing expatriate labourers with basic necessities.

The Box Appeal is being spearheaded by the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa, which hopes to help more than 1,000 foreign workers in need of support.

It involves people filling small boxes with a list of 14 everyday items, such as a T-shirt, cap, disposable razor and shaving cream.

Members of the public can collect empty boxes from participating outlets, fill them with a designated list of items and return them to the collection point or directly to the hotel.

Boxes will be available from early next week at the hotel, Al Jazira Supermarket in Juffair and Zinj and Virgin Megastore in Bahrain City Centre.

The campaign runs until September 15 when all the boxes will be distributed to expat labourers in Bahrain by hotel staff with assistance from volunteers at the Helping Hands group.

"We know in this part of the world there are a lot of poor Asians in the community," said hotel human resources head and responsible business co-ordinator Denise Al Meer.

"They need any little help they can get, some of them are on BD40 ($106) or BD50 a month and these bare essentials will benefit them and let them know there are people that care about them.

"It's a moral support as well. It's a small box, but it makes a big difference,” she added.

Each box should include a NEXT calling card powered by Rawabi NGNS, a T-shirt, cap, disposable razor, shaving cream, aftershave, talcum powder, toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers, small hand towels, comb, anti-bacterial soap and shampoo. No money, food or used items should be placed in the box.

The campaign is supported by NEXT, United Media Advertising, Virgin Megastore and Al Jazira Group.

"We hope to collect 1,000 boxes," said Al Meer. "They are not costly items, but they will make a big different to the lives of these labourers. We have Nadeem School and Al Hekma School taking part and we hope more schools will get involved.”

"Within Rezidor Hotel Group we have Responsible Business Action Month every September so the Box Appeal is linked to that."

The Box Appeal was initially founded by Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai, Media City.
It was such a success that it was adopted by Radisson Blu and Park Inn Hotels in Abu Dhabi Yas Island.

Over the four years, the appeal has collected more than 20,000 boxes, worth the equivalent of about BD200,000.

This is the first time all seven Radisson Blu and Park Inn Hotel in the UAE will take part. They be joined by three others in Oman, Egypt and Bahrain.

Radisson Blu and Park Inn Hotels are managed by Rezidor Hotel Group. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | campaign | expatriate | Labourers |

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