Dar tal-Providenza, the home for people with disabilities in Siggiewi, will hold its annual fund-raising marathon on New Year's Day.

The activity, this year called Festa ta’ Generosita’ (Feast of Generosity) will be centred around an Open Day of some of the facilities of the Home.

Fr Martin Micallef, Director of the Home, said visitors will be able to meet the residents, enjoy a varied programme of entertainment  and make their donations.

Dar tal-Providenza is the home of 98 persons with mental or physical disabilities who can no longer live with their families.

The Home also another two smaller homes - in Siggiewi and Qawra - for residents who can look after themselves with some help.

Dar tal-Providenza also offers respite service to members of families with persons with disability. 

Fr Micallef thanked couples who over the past year opted to send donations to the Home instead of producing wedding souvenirs.  €15,000 was raised for the Home by thirty-three couples through this wedding souvenirs scheme.

The January 1 activity is being coordinated by Radio RTK. Activities kick off at 9 a.m. with Mass .

The entertainment will feature Freddie Portelli, Ira Losco, Hooligan, J Anvil and Fr Karm Debattista, among others. There will also be an auction of art works. Seventy local and foreign artists have donated one or more pieces of art to be auctioned including a sculpture in bronze by the late Anton Agius. These works of art will be displayed at the Mdina Cathedral Museum between December 19 and 27.

The auction will be held online at www.dartalprovidenzaauctions.com.  On New Year’s Day there will also be the possibility to bid by phone or by visiting Id-Dar tal-Providenza in person. One can view a catalogue on www.dartalprovidenza.org

In order to avoid congestion of traffic, a Park & Ride service is being made available from Triq San Niklaw (the old airfield) to and from id-Dar tal-Providenza. This service will operate between 2.00pm and 10.00pm.