The two-day carnival, named the Police Arts and Sports Festival, was jointly organised by the Police Arts Council, Police Sports Council and the Personnel Services Branch.

The event, with its emphasis on parent-child interaction, was aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle within the Force, and to encourage Force members and their families to develop an interest in arts and sports.

Participants were captivated by numerous exhibitions, game stalls and demonstrations staged by nine arts clubs and 18 sports clubs as well as by a number of organisations including Department of Health, Council on Smoking and Health and Hospital Authority.

Connoisseurs of the arts took in numerous exhibitions and demonstrations by Force cultural clubs while music lovers tuned-in to the Police Pop Music Club, Police Choir, Police Children Choir, Chinese Culture Club's Chinese Orchestra and Canton Opera.

Sports lovers and their energetic kids were busy too, watching astonishing Wushu, Tai Kwan Dao and Karate Dao demonstrations, testing their strength and courage by joining an overnight camp, crossing a monkey-bridge, diving in the swimming pool and joining in lots of fun games.

The festival reached its climax when Deputy Commissioner (Management), Mr Lee Ming-kwai, led the chairmen of Police sports and arts councils, chairpersons of all arts and sports clubs as well as a number of guests, in pledging to promote a culture of healthy lifestyle within the Force by organising more arts and sports activities in the future.

Woman Police Constable So Siu-ping told OffBeat that she and her family had a great time at the PSRC grounds.

"My family and I seldom joined the activities organised by the Force arts and sports clubs. However, the Arts & Sports Festival publicity sparked our interest. My husband and I were particularly interested in the Chinese traditional word-guessing games and javelin throwing, while my 3-year-old son was most fascinated by the picture-colouring competition."

An enthusiastic supporter of Force cultural activities, Sergeant Pang Wai-tong and his wife noted that the carnival gave them a better understanding of the wide variety of cultural and sports activities available within the Force.

Mrs Pang said: "We did not know that there were so many arts and sports clubs within the Force until we went to the festival. After the first day of the event, my son and daughter kept on talking about their festival experience and new-found knowledge on painting and calligraphy, philately and pottery."

"My little boy even asked me to take him to the PSRC grounds again the next day so that he could have some lessons from Boxing Club instructors on how to become a top boxer!" Mr Pang added.