The city’s philanthropists came out in droves for Sensational Foundation’s inaugural fundraising gala, which took place at the Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong on June 1
When: June 1, 2024
Where: Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
Who: Faride Shroff, Jamling Tenzing Norgay, Lonnie Bedwell
Here’s what you missed: Sensational Foundation, a Hong Kong charity established by Faride Shroff which provides equal employment opportunities to people with disabilities and individuals with special educational needs, held its inaugural fundraising gala at Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong on June 1. The glitzy affair welcomed the city’s philanthropists and raised over HK$1 million for the charity, exceeding its target. It also hosted a panel discussion, featuring the environmentalist Jamling Tenzing Norgay, the son of Tenzing Norgay, who along with Edmund Hillary famously became the first person to summit Mount Everest in 1953; and the blind outdoor athlete and US veteran Lonnie Bedwell, moderated by Tatler’s social impact editor Khoa Tran.
The gala kicked off with a cocktail session, where guests mingled and enjoyed live music from Happy Go Lucky, a band that features people with disabilities. Guests also took to a photo booth and browsed through items up for auction, which included signed photos from Rafael Nadal and donated artwork by friends of Sensational.
At dinner, live music and auction, with Phillips’ own Gertrude Wong at the helm, also took place, which saw enthusiastic bids from guests. Members of the disability community then took to the stage to share their stories, which left not a dry eye in the room. Shroff presented tokens of recognition to individuals who have made a positive difference for people with disabilities and have promoted disability inclusion. The recognised individuals were Boden Cheung—who also performed songs during the dinner—Julie Aswani, Jonathan Mok and Kim Mok. Sensational also recognised HSBC as an inclusive employer partner at the gala.
Guests pose with Jamling Tenzing Norgay (fifth from the left)
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