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World War One Chaplains Dealing with Death and Bereavement and Enjoying Life in Spain Bookshelf ABC COOKERY Diego Ramirez Awards Halloween Coastrider Awards Calendar 2015

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Nazi Victim They came for the communists, and I did not speak up because I wasn't a communist;

They came for the socialists, and I did not speak up because I was not a socialist;

They came for the union leaders, and I did not speak up because I wasn't a union leader;

They came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up for me ....

Originally a supporter of German Nationalism Pastor Martin eventually spoke out against Nazism: For his opposition to the Nazis' state control of the churches, Niemöller was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen

and Dachau concentration camps from 1937 to 1945. He narrowly escaped execution and survived imprisonment .

- Pastor Martin Niemöller aormi@icloud.com

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Poppies in the Moat

November 2014

From 5 August 2014 to 11 November 2014, a major artistic installation entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' will see the Tower of London's famous dry moat filled with over 800,000 ceramic poppies by artist Paul Cummins to create a powerful visual commemoration for the First World War Centenary."

The ceramic poppies are available to buy for £25 each since 5 August 2014 and the net proceeds, hoped to be in excess of £15 million if all poppies are sold, will be shared equally amongst a group of carefully selected Service charities. The British Legion is one of those charities."

There are 888,246 poppies installed, one for each known British and Colonial fatality during the First World War.

The Leader newspaper is selling the 2015 Torrevieja Calendar for the Poppy Fund.

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In this November edition of Torrevieja Outlook we would like to look at some memories of people who served in war in a non military capacity.

People who answered the call of their country to face the battle without firing a shot.

Men whose only concern was to help the soldiers, especially the wounded and dying.

Many of these particular men died in the line of fire or were wounded.

Most certainly the ordeal of facing death in all its grimness was a lesson that mostly strengthened their faith, often after anguished pleas to God to intervene.

These men served in every army on both sides of the conflict. often facing a fellow minded brother.

These particular men were men of peace, men dedicated to spreading the word and peace of a loving Father figure. So part of this edition is dedicated to war chaplains, many were decorated for their bravery, some died or wounded in action, several taken prisoner as they stayed with the wounded. Chaplains in all sides of warring nations.

!

Floral memorial arrangement by Sue Rogers

This month is a month in which we tend to remember our loved ones who have died, so we also have a look at life and how some people cope with tragic death. Focus is on associations and some volunteers profiles.The 1st November is a national holiday when the Spanish decorate cemeteries with flowers and quietly share memories.

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The Dead Centre of Town by Dave Stewart

Well kept Cemeteries are great places for meditating on life, reading tombstone messages, admiring marble statues, enjoying the deadly quiet and lovely flowers and gardens. Here lies stories about individuals, each one a world of their own, warranting a book about their experiences because each person is unique in many ways. Among the graves there are often links to history such as a soldier's death, a child snatched from a mother's breast, sometimes a flippant note about someone. I have even

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found a bottle of rum, with matching coke, left at a niche on New Year's Day, obviously a toast for the deceased.!

Torrevieja cemeter y is well kept and was originall y constructed in 1898, though there was a previous one roughly where the Rambla Juan Mateo is today, but as the town grew so did the need for a cemetery further away from houses. Previously it was customary to have burial places in churches, but as hygiene knowledge grew there was a realization of the dangers attached to rotting corpses. It may sound morbid, but cemeteries are of historic importance and ancient burial grounds being dug up by paleontologist and archeologists with a scientific intent, puts paid to the promise of eternal rest.!

Spain tends to use a niche in the wall system rented out for a long period and often the remains of more than one family member are placed here. Some families own their own mausoleums and burial plots. Most insurance companies have a burial policy that will cover all the details connected with a death, including a service and place of burial or cremation. This makes sense as often when a dear one dies it is a distressful time and people do not want to be encumbered with these kind of details. This is likely to include some sort of burial service depending on the religious beliefs of the family and they will contact a suitable member of clergy or person qualified to do so. The Tanatorio (morgue or funeral parlour/home) also offers a none religious service in the small chapel there. !

It was only with the introduction of the present morgue - Tanatorio - that the custom of having the deceased laid out in the home fell out of favour; I am told these overnight occasions were much like the Irish wake. Reminds me of the English couple who, flushed with the success of buying a new Spanish home, decided to celebrate and went into the plush Tanatorio looking for a nice Indian tandoori meal. Cross my heart - true tale.!

The present cemetery is undergoing a third enlargement, this time making use of around 3,000 square meters with enough niches to keep the town going for another twenty years. You may notice that the main entrance has been altered to facilitate heavy vehicles. The present project includes new toilets, an oven for burning rubbish such as flowers, more trees, new paving. Garden staff keep the place tidy and people continually renew flowers throughout the year. One of the young gardeners actually asked for the job asignation when his favourite uncle died, as he felt he could continue to be close to him, which I found very touching.!

It can be an uncomfortable feeling trying to show sympathy to relatives of a deceased person, so it is important that the right touch of sentiments is touched, so here are three phrases worth remembering that will be appreciated - "te acompaño en el sentimiento"; or ; "mi más sentido pésame" and "mis condolencias".! aormi@icloud.com

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Life is a game - Simulation or Stimulation

by Andy Ormiston !

Well that heading sounds better than death is a game. Some people are obsessed with the thought of death. A young physiotherapist asked me recently if I was afraid to die; I wondered if she knew something about my state of health that I didn't. " But now with all our modern technology death is a game, a game many people pay to play in South Korea, Taiwรกn and China. Samadhi - a 4D Experience of Death was released in China in September using special effects to take players into an experience of what the game developers pereceive as the act of dying, cremation and rebirth sensations. Not a game that attracts me as the 'dead' game player goes through a sense of death, onto a conveyor belt that takes them through a false incinerator complete with flames and a sense of burning: this leads onto a comfortable capsule signifying a rebirth. aormi@icloud.com

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Samadhi, is the ultimate stage of Yoga used in many Oriental philosophies, symptomatically re p re s e n t s i t s e l f a s t h e transcendental state, wherein even consciousness of the yogi might get detached from the body" Cistercian monks with a vow of silence are encouraged to think about death by digging a grave and sleeping in a coffin with the Biblical phrase, "Death, where is they sting?" for a meditation theme on the premise that they will enjoy a life after death. Incidentally, a lot of stuff you read on internet will possibly have been typed up by members of this spent order who were among the first to use the internet s a way of rising funds by using their typing skills."

Hospice workers face the reality of death as they try to comfort their dying patients and ease them into the afterlife. The two Chinese founders of the simulation death game are working with 'Hand in Hand', an organization that specializes in providing hospice support to dying patients in an oncology hospital. It is hoped that their joint enterprise of game and reality will assist families to come to terms with the loss of their loved one."

Doctors, as scientists, on the other hand have their own rules about what constitutes death. It means that there is no hope of resuscitation of a patient; in the past using the lack of pulse or heart beat as the sign that life had left the body. But there is a blurring point between life and death as many doctors are aware that they don't know everything.

A friend of mine was born, a long time ago, in a Lancashire hospital, but the medics declared that both mother and son were dead and their bodies moved to the hospital morgue. Much later a morgue cleaner heard a squeak from the baby and called a doctor.

It could have been escaping gases from a corpse, but in this instance both baby and mother were actually alive, though the mother was crippled from the waist downwards aormi@icloud.com

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for the rest of her life. My friend became a carpenter and in due time was married, but we lost contact when I moved to Spain although I learned through a mutual friend he has finally and definitely died. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from my first Spanish doctor, Dr. Molinero, who said, "It's your body, YOU look after it. I can only advise you what to take and do, but at the end it is up to you.""

A more recent case was a Brazilian man who was pronounced dead at a hospital on the 25th of August, 2014, but was found to be alive two hours after being placed in a body bag. The 54-year old was checked into a hospital outside Salvador, Brazil after being diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer. It was an uncle who noticed movement when he arrived to dress the body."

Nowadays scientist keep learning more and more about the human body and tests on animals have shown that by reducing the body temperature of an animal to 30 degrees the heart and other life functions slows down. Other experiments on animals have been able to place it in this state and a drainage of the blood, thus enabling a bloodless operation to take place and when the blood is introduced again the animal is reanimated. Last year a paper in the journal 'Resuscitation' suggested that 50% of surveyed emergency and accident doctors have witnessed ‘Lazarus phenomena’, in which a patient’s heart has begun beating again by itself, after doctors had given up hope. I am one of those fortunates whom hospital doctors continued to give CPR to as I was in A &E at the time and in doing so saved my life. The doctor in charge of my ingression came to see me a month later when I was being discharged as he couldn't believe I was walking out on my own two feet and not in a vegetive state..though some would argue with him on that point."

One New York specialist has said, “We’ve all been brought up to think death is an absolute moment – when you die you can’t come back; it used to be correct, but now with the basic discovery of CPR we’ve come to understand that the cells inside your body don’t become irreversibly ‘dead’ for hours after you’ve ‘died’… Even after you’ve become a cadaver, you’re still retrievable.”"

Personally I have an insurance policy that guarantees me two nights at least in the tanatorium..just to be on the safe side!"

! aormi@icloud.com

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Teenage Pallbearers for the Underprivileged by Pat Hynd We often hear bad tales of youth, but I have a lot of faith in the ones I know who seem to have a great fund of compassion, especially with the homeless. This was brought to mind when I was told by an American friend of some of the initiatives of some colleges in U.S.A." Saint Ignatius High Cleveland’s Student Pallbearers have been attending funerals for the forgotten over the past twelve years, carrying the coffin and walking with them to their final resting place. The Saint Joseph of Arimathea Pallbearer Ministry was founded in 2002, and since then more than 400 juniors and seniors have served as casket bearers at local funerals for deceased who were homeless, financially insecure or simply didn’t have anyone to give them a dignified burial. It’s the largest student organization at the school, and members have been present at about 1,450 funerals. “Each funeral is different, which is an interesting reminder that each person we carry is an individual,” said my friend."

The programme is making a positive impact on the community. When people see the young men dressed in sport coats and ties with their hair groomed and their shoes shined, it’s a visible sign of presence. Many people have said that it restored their faith in the future generation."

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Teleassistance for Norwegian Norman

by Dave Stewart The telephone is one of the most important connections many elderly people have. There are far too many of them isolated and living alone, with not much contact with the outside world including neighbours. " This is the tale of a neighbour and friend of mine, Norwegian Norman, who had a basic command of English, knew what was being said in Spanish, but tended to watch Norwegian TV channels. His family lived in Norway and Norman had a very had heart condition, so they were anxious about him living alone. Norman was adamant he didn't need anyone, but I spoke to his eldest son about the Red Cross Tele-assistance programme, so he paid for Norman to have a connection with a special receiver and a chain with emergency button around his neck. But being a very self contained character he refused to wear the chain and it was hung up in the bathroom, as it was reckoned if he fell it was likely to be there. The phone was put on a low coffee table on the premise that if he fell he could crawl and reach it. Every now and then the emergency centre phoned him to see how he was and check out the connection as without lifting the phone he could be heard by the centre almost anywhere in the flat. " But he got a fright on one occasion when he fell as he was getting himself ready to go out for his birthday celebration with many friends. I had a spare key and was the outside contact for the emergency centre, but for some reason they didn't contact me when he collapsed on the floor and activated the telephone. Fortunately I was at hand as I heard the commotion in the street and was just in time to stop the Red Cross personnel from breaking down the door. He was whisked off to the nearest hospital, which at that time was in Orihuela. " Before I had the chance to visit him he was back again, brought in an ambulance with a letter in Spanish for his doctor to say he had released himself. As there was a lot of medical parlance in the letter I phoned his doctor for him to visit and spoke to the receptionist, whom I knew, and had a battle of words with her over the fact that he had released himself and therefore the doctor could not be held responsible. After a lot of shouting at my end I spoke to the Doctor who repeated the same out, which made me explode asking if he had not taken an Hippocratic oath to help patients! He was around aormi@icloud.com

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within an hour and gave Norman a prescription and charged him for a house call. Norman, duly recovered, being the stubborn old man he was, and was soon again whizzing around the busy streets in his electric wheelchair."

A few years later he once again fell, but this time couldn't activate the telephone connection and for three days lay on the floor until I received a call from his son asking to check him out as he hadn't heard from him and the sons were in America on holiday. But another neighbour who had a key, was there before me and got an ambulance to take him to the same hospital much against his protests. I went to see him three hours later to be met by a doctor to say he had died just after arrival. A sad tale I know but there are lessons to be learned."

At the moment 13,500 people use the Tele-assistance system in Alicante Province and the Red Cross has agreed to raise the possibility to 17,000 thanks to backing from the Alicante Diputacion of 2,048.361 euros. There is usually a monthly charge.!

Various towns also supplement this valuable service and in Torrevieja the municipal social services cooperate with the Red Cross branch and Age Concern, as there are 423 citizens linked to the system, which has been extended to cut down risks in the home, including gas and smoke detectors, and some special necessities.!

If there is an elderly person near you living alone then why not pop in and keep in contact, and even do small errands to help them, and if needed contact the various agencies that may help in a particular case.!

Who knows one day you may need similar assistance?

Type to enter text

! aormi@icloud.com

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Matilde Sanchez with singers Ricky Valance and Shani Ormiston at a benefit fashion show in the Real Nautico Club of Torrevieja where both singers performed along with other performers who give of their time and talents so generously.

Matilde Sanchez is the driving force behind Torrevieja’s Alzheimer’s Association (AFA) which she was moved to do after a long and difficult time of caring for her beloved husband. This time last year she was nominated and awarded for the Coastrider Awards and also for the town’s prestigious Diego Ramirez Pastor Award, both which she definitely deserved. Here are some of her personal thoughts on the positive aspect of the final stage of this illness.!

! ! aormi@icloud.com

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A Little Light at the End of the Tunnel!

By Matilde Sanchez !

!

Alzheimer’s comes in four stages; I would like to write about the last stage.

But before I start writing about this last phase, I want to tell you how difficult this illness is."

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can have high physical, emotional and financial costs. The demands of day-to-day care, changing of family roles and so many difficult decisions about placement in a care facility, can be hard to handle. Researchers are continually learning a lot about Alzheimer’s caregiving and studies are helping experts develop new and fresh ways to support caregivers. " My husband, before becoming ill, was a wonderful person: he was loving, very polite and he had a wonderful disposition. All four stages of Alzheimer’s are difficult, but at the end the patient comes back to some of his or her nicer ways. My husband had Parkinson as well as Alzheimer’s so that made it even more difficult. He could not walk and he had to have a wheelchair. Before he used the wheelchair he had numerous accidents and was always at the hospital. When he would get up he could walk forward, but he was unable to turn right or left, so he was always on the floor. The results were broken arm, shoulder, cut his ear in half, had to have stitches in his head, and even ran away one day and was run over by a car. He nearly drowned in the swimming pool and lots of other dangerous incidents. " That was before the last stage that means that they have to stay in bed and this is when it becomes easier to have control over them. Having them bed bound is a bit better, but leads to more problems - pressure sores. How do we overcome that? By lots of cream applied and frequently moving the patient’s position to avoid these pressure points. But they can’t stay in bed all the time and they have to be fed and sit in a chair to have their meals. It’s important to keep them up and out of bed during the day as much as possible. " Alzheimer’s is not easy at any stage, but at least you don’t have to run after them all the time. So there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

!

aormi@icloud.com

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A Caring Path

by Pat Hynd

November 2014

Britain has a long history of using hospices for the dying and should be grateful for the support of groups like the MacMillan Sisters who do such daunting work dealing with dying patients.

When I was 21 I volunteered for a month living at Twyford Abbey run by the nursing congregation, the Alexian Brothers. Here I learned several lessons in life and of death. Not only giving out medication under supervision of a Brother, but laying out the dead for burial as inevitably patients were ingressed to die in a loving and caring ambient. It was a year with a strong epidemic of AsĂ­an flu which was killing off a lot of people in Britain and elsewhere. I caught it and was confined to bed, suffering a fever and terrible stomach pains..I thought I was dying. One of the younger Brothers told me to sit up higher in the bed and lo and behold I erupted back and front and the pain disappeared. Another lesson learned about gas building up when lying down and not to feel sorry for oneself as there are always others much worse off and smiling. But for some of the Brothers it was extremely difficult to be nursing only the dying as they were highly trained in many fields of nursing and this is where their sense of vocation is important that they are nursing each person as if he/she was Christ and in a loving way that JesĂşs himself would do. " In Scotland a friend of mine also a male nurse qualified in physchiatry, later a hospital matron then, after a back injury, trained as a social worker, became a member of the board of a famous Scottish hospice. I gleaned many insights from him about life on the seamy side of the street, as well as the difficulties of running a hospice and the great expense involved. St. Margaret`s Hospice, as it has been known since 1950, has changed its name to St. Margaret of Scotland Hospice. As Queen of Scotland, Margaret`s great influence was in the care of the poor and charity.

She founded several churches including the Abbey of Dunfermline. She was a famous philanthropist who was raised to Saintly status in recognition of her charitable work."

! ! aormi@icloud.com

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The Founding of the Hospice!

So many times in life great humanitarian works arise out of a need perceived by one person, who decides to do something about a particular situation. Over 60 years ago, a Sister of Charity who had fairly recently come to Clydebank to help with the work of the Parish and school, was approached by a gentleman with advanced throat cancer who told her that he had nowhere to go, and did not know what to do, as he felt he was growing steadily worse and had no-one to care for him. As a result of this, the Sister contacted Dublin to ask if it might be possible for them to send over a Sister trained in nursing who would look after this man and others like him – thus began the Hospice, growing steadily as the demand arose."

St. Christopher Hospice!

Another friend was a volunteer at St Christopher’s Hospice founded by the famous Dame Cicely Saunders in 1967. St Christopher’s Hospice was the first modern English hospice, now providing the highest quality care to over 2,000 dying individuals each year on the inpatient wards as well as in people’s own homes. Dame Cicely‘s vision and work transformed the care of the dying and the practice of medicine. The ongoing impact of St Christopher’s clinical innovations and the extensive programmes of education and research improve care for dying people well beyond Britain and influence standards of healthcare throughout the world. St Christopher’s Hospice offers 48 beds on four wards providing in-patient medical and nursing care led by consultants in palliative medicine and experienced and specially qualified nurses."

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In Spain, palliative care services take the form of Hospital or Home support teams, palliative care units, or comprehensive networks. There is undoubtedly the need for British style dedicated hospices, especially for the foreigners without family support and a limited knowledge of Spanish. But these are very expensive to maintain as regards professional staffing. Spain has had a reputation of families looking after their own, but in the present social structure this is fast disappearing and many more elderly people are being left to their own devices by their families. "

Spanish palliative care services

There is one dedicated “hospice” service, the CUDECA foundation in Malaga, based initially in the British experience of Hospices, and actually integrated as provider in the National Health care services in the region. " The Catalan Institute of Oncology is listed as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre (WHOCC) for palliative care, and hosts a palliative care demonstration project. The stated aims of this project are: “implementing specialist palliative care services, generating experience in this field, identifying areas for improvement, and introducing educative procedures (clinical and non-clinical).” In Catalonia, palliative care service provision has been evaluated, and research has been undertaken to identify areas for improvement and to address inequities in service provision among districts."

There are major differences between regional palliative care provision, despite the existence of the National Strategy. The regions of Catalonia, Extremadura, Madrid, and Navarra, are among the best served with specialist palliative care services." " The Spanish Ministry of Health published a national plan on palliative care in 2007. This plan focuses on improving the quality of care at the end of life and ensures that access to palliative care is recognised as a legal- as well as a human right. The plan also includes bereavement care for families of patients. Spain does have a national palliative care association, the Sociedad Espanola de Cuidados Paliativos (SEPCAL), founded in 1992 and which currently has 1800 members. The stated aims of the society are to consolidate and ensure aid for research, and facilitate participation in conferences by Spanish palliative care professionals. The society also aims to build good relations with all scientific societies related to palliative care."

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A majority of patients accessing palliative care services in Spain have a cancer diagnosis. However, palliative care researchers have developed the NECPAL (Necesidades Paliativas; Palliative Needs) programme to identify noncancer patients in need of palliative services."

SECPAL Sociedad Espanola de Cuidados Paliativos" Secretariat: Grupo Aran Ediciones C/Castello 128 1 Madrid Spain. Email:" info@secpal.com" Website:" www.secpal.com"

The website includes a Directory of palliative care services in Spain at http:// www.secpal.com/directorio/index.php!

Cudeca Hospice, Malaga Cudeca hospice was founded

by Joan Hunt in 1992 for the Málaga area and has since been recognised for her enterprise and unstinting work with an OBE. Cudeca is an acronym of Cuidados del Cancer (Cancer Care); its logo represents a human figure with extended arms reaching out and offering help - the motto is "a special kind of caring." There are over 600 volunteers helping in many ways.!

aormi@icloud.com

CLC World Resorts & Hotels organized a Sunflower Fundraising Day in their Coldline Office in aid of Cudeca Hospice.

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The current care programmes offered by Cudeca are completely free of charge to patients and their families. Cudeca's care programmes are characterised by their flexibility and adaptation to the priorities as they arise, in order to satisfy the problems of the individual patients, with assessment and palliative care in their homes; receiving treatment as outpatients; receiving rehabilitation in the day-centre or as residents in the Hospice. " It is well organised and publicised receiving support from many famous and well known people such as Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffiths, Carlos Baute, Diana Navarro, David de Maria, David Bisbal or Padion Vega. " "

Acompalia ! " Another successful caring association started by an Expat, Tina Emmott, is Acompalia in Granada. There is a Helpline open from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, on 634 302 225. Future plans include constructing a purpose designed 15-bed building in a garden setting as a hospice service and day centre with massage therapies, spa and other wellbeing facikities. The intention is to offer professional palliative care within the patient’s home, giving carers a much-needed break and support. Tina recognises that expats and Spanish residents of Granada are part of an ageing population. The traditional idea of family supporting their ageing and dying is no longer viable, especially in these crisis years when whole families are broken up by real poverty. It is an initiative to involve local public services.!

! aormi@icloud.com

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Gifts from the Heart - Searching to Ease the Pain Elche and Torrevieja..and Senegal

http://www.regalosdeamor.org Tel: 634 270 103 info@regalosdeamor.org

!

!

Unfortunately, Spain does not have the social services backup that the British have become accustomed to over the past sixty years. For many expatriates as they become older it can become a problem. This is especially exacerbated when an elderly person lives alone and is hospitalized.

It tends to become acute when that person is released from hospital and has to return to an empty house. Torrevieja Social Services does have a certain amount of aid available to those who have family or neighbors to care for them in the home. " Loneliness is a terrible burden and becomes even more acute when an individual is in the final stages of a terminal disease, requiring round the clock care and attention. But most important is that each feels that someone understands and cares."

This is the type of situation that volunteers attached to both Torrevieja and Vinolopo Hospitals try to bridge by offering 24/7 care for patients needing post hospital attention. The group is known as Regalos de Amor or Gifts of Love which they present straight from their hearts. Their work is approved by the two hospital authorities. The association was founded in February 2012

by MÂŞ del Rosario Cases who was a volunteer with terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients in Elche Hospital and appreciated the need for this type of caring association. " The aim is to provide an integrated programme of attention and care for those terminally ill and without family. This entails providing a foster home, or as we would say in U.K. a Hospice. Here those who are alone in the world can end their final days surrounded by care and loving attention in cooperation with the two hospitals."

With this in mind there is need for a place ideally about 10 hectares surrounded by nature with or without a house. This requires a great deal of initial financial investment as well as ongoing financial maintenance back up, for even though it is run by volunteers there are many expenses. " The first patient assisted by the association was a Senegalese man in Elche Hospital and from that initial contact another project began and is underway. This is to construct a similar home in Senegal where the land is already available and there is a mobile unit - a Ford Explorer donated by a local Business Autos Costamar.! aormi@icloud.com

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History in Black and White Diego Ramirez Pastor Award of Torrevieja

This month we will learn the identity of the person selected for Torrevieja's Diego Ramírez Award. This, the most prestigious award of Torrevieja, was initiated by the family of Diego Ramírez Pastor in his name and to commemorate the memory of this lawyer and writer who left his mark in so many enterprises that benefited Torrevieja. !

One of these was the Day of Absent Friends bringing together Torrevejenses and their families who were forced to leave their home town in the 1950's for lack of employment in the town. This now annual get together event was first held on 7th December, 1960, organised by Diego and his friend the Mayor Juan Mateo García. To the sound of ships' sirens, buses arrived in front of the Casino from as far away as Barcelona, as near as Alicante, by ship from Mallorca, Melilla and Málaga, where whole families had found employment. Many of these towns have associations formed by Absent Torrevejenses that retain the memory of the small town of their birth. That aormi@icloud.com

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night the first commemorative awards of the Torrevejenses Ausentes (street has the same name) were given out. " Ten years later the present Diego Ramírez Pastor Awards were introduced dedicated to individuals and/or entities considered by the judges to have made a significant altruistic contribution to the town. The first award went to the group Peña Diana in 1970; this now defunct association played an important role developing and renewing fiestas and cultural events and had a centre in what is now Avenue Diego Ramírez Pastor, that at that time was the main road in and out of the town between Alicante and Cartagena. " Next was musician Maestro Francisco Casanovas in 1971 jointly with the Parents Asociation of the only secondary education Institute at that time; in 1972 The Torrevejenses association of Barcelona that had an image of the town's patroness sculptured and shipped to Torrevieja; in 1973 it was given to the weekly magazine which was the idea of Diego Ramírez - Semanario Vista Alegre and still published weekly including on internet; 1974.- the local nuns Hermanas Carmelitas Teresianas as well as the trustee style bank Caja de Ahorros Monserrate that supported financially many activities in the town; in 1975 the medical family García; 1976.Ramón Torregrosa Chazarra; 1977 Ricardo Lafuente Aguado composer and musician as well as a founding member of the annual Habaneras competitions; the local football team and supporters in 1978; Maribel Vallejos Planelles in 1979; 1980 Juanita Samper Ruso; in 1981 - José Huertas Morión; in 1982.- Manuel Barberá Egío; there was no prize in 1983 due to the death of the mayor D. Juan Mateo García who also has a street named after him. " A well deserved award of 1984 to former lady mayor Rosa Mazón Valero who laid the ground work for a modern town, together with the organisation body of Holy Week procesiones - Junta Mayor de Cofradías de Semana Santa that also was the principal force behind the success of Torrevieja's Holy Week processions. 1985.- the associations of Torrevejenses Ausentes in Valencia

aormi@icloud.com

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and Alicante plus the individual José Samper; 1986.- local Televisión Torrevieja plus Tomás Lanzarote Llorente.!

In 1987.- a joint presentation to Carmen Alarcón and the last boatbuilders of Torrevieja Francisco and Idelfonso Rodríguez Ayala, the latter continues to build small boats;" 1988 Antonio Vicente Almagro; in 1989 Cayetano Bernabé Melendez; 1990 the A.L.P.E. college for disabled supported by many Brits, including Santa Claus of the RASCALS but previously by Peter Burnham of el Limonar Club; 1991.- Tomás Ballester and the Handball Club - Club Balonmano Torrevieja; 1992.- Antonio Rebagliato Fernández; 1993.- José Gómez Velasco; in 1994 Fernando García de Burgos plus the town's oldest band the Unión Musical Torrevejense (also with a street name) ; 1995.- an association that offers hope and support to addicts and their families - Esperanza y Vida; 1996 Antonio Boj Morales and also the Sociedad Cultural Casino de Torrevieja; 1997.- Televisión Española for its continued support of the Habaneras and also to Manuel Domínguez Agulló; 1998.- Vicente Onetniente Sala; 1999.- Rosario Soler and the local branch of the A.E.C.C. Cancer association including a special mention to the British couple Jaquie and James who were a driving force in that organisation. In 2000 businessman Tomás Martínez Domenech (also with street and plaza named in Los Balcones) heavily involved in cultural and sporting events; then in 2001 to Francisco Reyes Prieto Pérez a renowned local journalist and television presenter; 2002.Tomás Boj Andreu and also to local Cáritas for its work with the poor, immigrants, classes and workshops for unemployed, its support for the homeless; 2003.- Antonio Giménez Gil and the association "Hijos de La inmaculada" which is behind many of the local religious fiestas; 2004.Army band leader and supporter of the Habaneras Concerts, Francisco Grau Vegara who also had the idea of an International auditorium and Superior Music college; plus the parish Choir of the la Inmaculada Church; 2005.- Torry Army for its integration and also local photographer " el Cano" José María Andreu Montesinos; 2006.- Maximiliano Gutiérrez and the ALZHEISAL association; 2007.- Diego Pérez Relinque plus the local Protection Civil group whose members assist in policing Sporting and festival events; in 2008.- Mariano Galant Torregrosa and the association APAEX that successfully assists addicts; in 2009 Eduardo Gil Soto and also Age Concern; 2010 Vicente Gil and Torrevieja Salud; in 2011 Francisco Díez Martín plus Alimentos Solidarios providing food and meals to the town's needy; in 2012 Panadería Mudon Pan. Last year there was a joint announcement in mid-November of the winners and on 7th December, the vigil of the town's patrón saint, the presentation to Matilde Sánchez for her dedicated work with the local Alzheimers association and also a group award to the Real Club Náutico that not only organised náutical regatas and sports, but often has cultural exhibitions and charity fund raising events."

So before the annual patronal fiestas are underway we shall know who the latest nominees and winners will be, voted by present award holders selected from your Nominations for the Diego Ramírez Pastor Ward.!

! ! aormi@icloud.com

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"

Of Spanish Cookery

by Pat Hynd " The gastronomy of the Valencia and Murcia area is based largely on the produce of the sea, rice, pulses, rabbit and chicken. May seem like the ingredients for paella, and they are, but they form the basis of a great number of other dishes. It is a pity that the more traditional recipes of the housewives of the Vega Baja area does not find its way into restaurants. The area boasts a wide variety of excellent restaurants, Spanish style, international ones representing various countries and the inevitable pizza, kebabs, hamburgers, Chinese and the English Breakfast, which according to recent surveys few people have nowadays in U.K. Buffets are now well known where it is possible to eat as much as you like/can at a fixed price. "

Paella served at La Mata beach

One of the great successes of recent years has been the resurrection of the ubiquitous tapa by towns promoting Tapa Trails, rather like a bar crawl. The result has been a rise in the presentation of food, the introduction of fresh ideas and creativity. Along with this is the extension of tapeos where the diner chooses a selection of bite sized tapas, usually on a raft of good bread with a toothpick holding it together and which acts as a clue for the waiter as to how many have been consumed (who keeps a note anyway). It is one way to taste a variety of different dishes."

Most towns now also hold gastronomy weeks in which select local restaurants offer traditional meals accompanied by a good wine at a fixed price. Sometimes this may be in a central kitchen but at other times in each restaurant's own premises, each one having a aormi@icloud.com

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different day allotted. There is always a sense of competition in this - as there is in the tapas routes.

Prizes are often awarded for best meal decided by the diners' commentaries and voting. Nowadays with so many television culinary shows everyone appears to be an expert. " Some of these culinary seminars will focus on a particular subject, such as Guardamar and the local prawns and peppers. One of the best is the cuchara idea, the theme being traditional dishes that only require a spoon for meals like lentejas or fabadas.

Torrevieja considers cocidos as the principal local dish, being a boiled dish of vegetables and chicken, lump of ham or shin bone, with chick peas added. It results in a separate consommĂŠ soup for starters and a tremendous serving of meat and veg. Another common gastronomical event is a Rice Week where participating restaurants offer marvelous rice concoctions in a variety of ways."

Which brings us back to paella, which many consider to be Spain's national dish. But like so many other classic recipes from other countries, e.g. Lancashire Hot Pot, it was a poor man's meal using readily available ingredients; in Lancashire oysters were part of a poor man's diet. Paella comes in various recipes, using different ingredients and even cooked in different ways and there are always discussions among Spaniards just what constitutes the best paella. Some swear it has to be cooked over a wood fire, others it has to be cooked in a slow oven. In many restaurants factory made rice or noodle dishes are available as portions, but most restaurants only make rice dishes for at least two persons."

A point where many restaurants lose out is continually offering mass manufactured desserts although there are lots of good pastelerias around.

It's one area that towns could promote among their local restaurants - a best dessert competition."

! !

aormi@icloud.com

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Carne is a general term for meat. The cuts are similar to the rest of Europe. Most beef and lamb comes from northern parts of Spain as it tends to be a bit hot here for them in these regions.!

Some terms: Picada is minced, tritatura is shredded, ! estufado means you want it cut in cubes for stew. !

Chuletas is a general term for chops or cutlets. !

Chuleton generally means a T-bone steak, notably from Avila, but a decent steak is often hard to come by as the Spanish are, in general, not into hanging meat up. In Torrevieja almost thirty years ago it took an Irish chef to teach the Rios Butchers that he wanted to have his beef hanging for a few weeks before he would serve it up. Filete is not a fillet, but a thin piece of meat for frying. !

Entrecote is sirloin steak and lomo de ternera or solomillo is fillet; ! however, lomo de cerdo is porkloin so specify what you want:! ternera in the dictionary says veal but is usually beef, real veal is de lechal (veal). !

Pork is cerdo, ! cordero is lamb, ! very popular in this area and ale in the Balearic and Canary Islands because there are so many goats (Spain has over 30 varieties) a cabra is goat or cabrito a kid.!

Carbonada de Carne comes from Aragon and is a pot-roast beef served with a tomato, onion and often chocolate flavoured sauce" Carne d’Olla a la Catalana - large meat balls casseroled with pasta, mixed vegetables and often with chicken pieces."

Carne Machada a la Andaluza is pot roasted beef with almonds, tomatoes and onions."

Carnero con Ajo is a recipe for lamb steaks cooked with lots of garlic, peppers and tomatoes, often on Barcelona menus."

Cazuela a la Catalana is a recipe of minced beef and mixed vegetables with sliced chorizo."

Cazuela de Espinacas con Huevos a la Granadina is a mouthful to say, but is a distinctive spicy purée of spinach and almonds with baked eggs, another version of the classic Florentine Eggs which uses a béchamel or cheese sauce." aormi@icloud.com

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Cazuela de Habas Verdes a la Granadina features broad beans casseroled with artichokes, herbs, spices and baked eggs. Habas are a great source of protein, minerals and vitamins B1 and 3."

Cazuela de Merluza a la Doniastiarra - a popular dish which is casseroled hake with onions, peas, asparagus, and sherry, cooked in oil."

Cebollos Guisados is a local recipe of onions braised in oil and garlic."

Cebollos Rellanas a la Catalana is a dish of large onions stuffed with savoury rice and baked."

Centolla a la Vasca is a dish of crab shells stuffed with crab meat, chopped onions and tomatoes with brandy to flavour."

Chanquettes are often found on Costa Blanca menus being deep-fried whitebait."

Chicharos are sweet cakes made with dried pea flour, lemon and sugar coming from Zaragoza."

Chicharro is a type of mackerel."

Chipirones a la Plancha are small squid cooked on a griddle."

Chipirones en su Tinta are small squid in their own ink with tomato, garlic, peppers. " Chipirones Rellenos small squids stuffed with bacon, herbs, tomatoes and garlic."

Chocha a la VizcaĂ­na - a bit unusual and very regional is woodcock stewed with bacon, onions, turnips and sherry."

Chocos con Habas - cuttlefish cooked with broad beans and garlic."

Habas verdes full of proteins, vitamins and minerals

Cazuela de Merluza a la Doniastiarra

Chanquettes - deep fried whitebait

aormi@icloud.com

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Huesos de Todos los Santos

!

The All Saints’ Day, 1st of November, is a national holiday related to honoring deceased family and friends. It may seem a bit sad but as usual the Spanish are able to make a fiesta of it and ever fiesta has a relevant food. For this fiesta the most common pastry is Huesos de Todo los Santos - All Saints Bones, because they can be made in the shape of bones. They are rolls of marzipan with a very sweet filling. Here you can make your own marzipan or buy ready made.! " •!

Marzipan:!

! •!

4 1/2 oz (125 gr) ground almonds, raw, peeled!

!• !

1 1/2 oz (50 ml) water!

!• !

3 1/2 (100 gr) granulated sugar!

! •!

Filling:!

!• !

2 oz (50 gr) granulated sugar!

!• !

1 oz (25 ml) water!

!• !

2 egg yolks!

!

Purchase peeled, raw almonds at the supermarket, or blanch raw almonds and remove the skin. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Grind the almonds to a fine dust in a food processor. Lazy Mary can buy ground almonds but they can ooze a fair amount of oil if they have been lying around a bit. " Pour water and sugar into a medium size saucepan; then bring to a boil while stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the ground almonds. Set aside and allow to cool. Once cool to the touch, place in refrigerator to set for 30 minutes or more."

Take the marzipan from refrigerator. Dust a board generously with powdered sugar. and take the marzipan from the fridge aormi@icloud.com

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and lay it on top, dust it with more icing sugar to make it easier to roll. Ruse a rolling pin to flatten the marzipan out to about 1/4-inch thick using a rolling pin. Cut into squares about 1 to 1.5 inches square."

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, wrap marzipan around it and press the ends to seal, forming a little tube.

Carefully slide each tube from the handle, and place them on a baking sheet."

Prepare the Filling. Heat 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Pour water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil to form a syrup. While waiting for water to boil break the egg yolks into a bowl and beat the eggs. Slowly pour the syrup into the eggs while stirring with a fork or whisk. Place the bowl on top of the boiling water, to make a bain marie. Continue to stir the yolk filling until it becomes thick. Once it is cool enough to work with, spoon the egg-yolk filling into a pastry bag and squeeze the filling into each marzipan tube, from each end. You can decorate with the tines of a fork or gently squeeze the marzipan into the shape of bones. " Another way is to roll the marzipan into a long strip and pipe the filling along the center carefully bring the two sides together then cut into a couples of inch sizes.You can also color the marzipan with food coloring to give another color, or dip them in a melted chocolate bath, but this doesn't have the same resemblance to bones."

The whites can be used as meringue ghosts to go with the bones or topping for lemon meringue pie. "

aormi@icloud.com

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Here is a great idea for Halloween toffee apples by Nerdy nummieshttp:// www.youtube.com/ watch? v=JQ4n2pxWntw

!

Halloween has become a favorite Spanish holiday popularized by so many scary movies. Last year dance groups in Torrevieja had a flash mob event based on Michael Jackson’s Thriller and photographed by Keith Nicol, which is featured in next year’s Torrevieja Outlook charity calendar.

aormi@icloud.com

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A Christian Dilemma - love thy neighbor or kill him by Andy Ormiston One of the life experiences I had was writing a weekly internal Newsletter for the British Jesuits. It was entitled "Chaplains' Weekly" which was originally a report of priests serving in the British Forces as war chaplains in WWI, who kept in touch through letters. Afterwards it was discontinued then reborn in the Second World War and continued until about thirty years ago. From this I became interested in the lives of these men who served God in the battle front and this article is about the work of some of the chaplains’ work in the First World War, although I personally know chaplains of the second one and other modern conflicts.

The first English military-oriented chaplains were priests on board proto-naval vessels during the eighth century AD. Land based chaplains appeared during the reign of King Edward I, although their duties included jobs that today would come under the jurisdiction of military engineers and medical officers. A priest attached to a feudal noble household would follow his liege lord into battle. In 1796 the Parliament of Great Britain passed a Royal Warrant that established the Army Chaplains' Department in the British

aormi@icloud.com

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Army. The Department was awarded its "Royal" prefix in 1919 in recognition of their chaplains' service during World War I. Amport House is the present home of the Army Chaplaincy close to Andover and, apart from training chaplains in their duties, is also home to a very good museum with a unique collection dedicated to the work of Army Chaplains throughout history in peacetime, under fire and in captivity. There is also an opportunity to find out more about the four chaplains who have been awarded the Victoria Cross!

A basic dilemma consists in the fact that Christianity is committed to peace, flowing from the love of neighbour, and that Christians condemn the savagery of war and especially total war, the arms race and the deployment of weapons of mass destruction. There is a contradiction when any Christian is caught up in a war, even more so when he is mobilized on account of being a priest. Catholic Canon Law has reservations about priests becoming military chaplains and there are canonical penalties for priests who shed blood or cause bodily harm to others (something that has happened in modern conflicts). In World War II the Catholic theological concept of the “just war” did not imply that a Christian could invoke a “God of Battles” or call down a blessing on guns and tanks. War was a necessary evil, not an ideal. Nor was it at all clear that the military chaplaincy existed to ensure victory over the enemy. An army’s basic role is to keep the peace which sometimes means having to go to war."

A famous Irish chaplain was Father Willie Doyle

killed in the Battle of Passchendaele on 16 August 1917, having run “all day hither and thither over the battlefield like an angel of mercy.”

A dilemma for all Christians was and is Christ's injunction to "love your neighbour," and "turn the other cheek". War is aormi@icloud.com

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considered as a necessary evil, not an ideal and many Nations' armies consider their job is to keep the peace.

Nor was it at all clear that the military chaplaincy existed to ensure victory over the enemy, the chaplains were not there to condone war, but to spiritually support the men and women involved in it and also to help them die as decently as possible in the circumstances. There is the concept of a "just war" and the United Nations have laid out ground rules for what this means. But in 1914 the fight was clearly seen as fighting for family, God and country..on both sides of the trenches. In those years Britain, by and large, was a church going Nation, so men facing death wanted the spiritual assurance that whatever happened things would turn out all right. By the Second World War the tenets of the "just war" were written and the Allies recognized they were fighting for a civilization they acknowledged against the tyranny of a Nazi regime and its Axis allies."

The war brought denominations and faiths together as never before, and nowhere was this more pronounced than in the chaplaincy service of that great multi-cultural army. At the end of WWI there were 649 Catholic chaplains in the British Forces as well as Anglicans, Methodist and other denominations. Many of them were kept in safe headquarters, while others considered that their mission was to be there to offer spiritual assistance to the men facing death at the front and in a position to console them and administer the sacraments. Raising and maintaining the morale of the troops was a vital part of the chaplain’s remit: General, later Field Marshal, Haig asserted that ‘No one could do more than a chaplain to sustain morale and explain what our empire is fighting for’. !

A great number of them were decorated for their valour in getting wounded men to a safe billet. Among them were a number of Irish priests who felt it was their duty to be there for the many Irishmen who joined the army and had their own regiments. It was a political hot potato, especially after the 1916 Easter Uprising, which many felt was a stab in the back for the British, with distrust of the loyalty of southern Irish regiments. For the Irish soldier, it began a process which ended in the alienation of those who fought in the Great War, and many of them suffered at the hands of the Irish Nationalists on their return to Eire. The Irish Jesuit province provided thirty- one Jesuit chaplains in the Great War, the majority for the British army in France, but about four went to the Australians, two to Egypt and one to Mesopotamia. Four were killed in the war and two died while on active service. The contingent of secular clergy from Ireland totalled seventy-three priests, of whom twenty-two came from the urban centres of Dublin and Cork, the traditional recruiting grounds of the Dublin and Munster Fusiliers." aormi@icloud.com

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History always has to be viewed in the context of the circumstances of any particular time and event. In those days the perspective of the Catholic Church's teachings was very narrowed, centering on the need to administer the last sacraments to the dying, therefore it was paramount for a priest to be on hand to do so. For non- Catholics this was viewed with incomprehension - how could a loving God condemn a dying soldier just because he hadn't received the sacraments. It was really a sign of the times and earlier was not the case; an example being Ignatius of Loyola when seriously wounded at Pamplona in 1521 confessed to another soldier and that was considered as sufficient for absolution by a loving God. Fortunately today things are viewed altogether differently. Since its early beginnings the Society of Jesús that Ignatius founded has had many army/Navy chaplains, especially in the Spanish Navy. In the both World Wars Jesuits supplied many men to the armed forces of many countries, not only as chaplains, but as fighting men, stretcher bearers, ambulance drivers, depending on the rules of individual countries. "

Victoria Cross Padres!

Bishop Gwynne, the senior Anglican chaplain on the Western Front, was wont to dismiss chaplains who were lacking in what he called ‘spiritual force’; many chaplains of all denominations were brave as instanced by several VCs awarded to them. During the First World War some 4,400 Army Chaplains were recruited and 179 lost their lives on active service. " Among Victoria Cross holders are Rev. James William Adams, a Protestant chaplain with the Kabul Fiield Force during the 2nd Afghan War 1879. The Rev. William Robert Victoria War Cross as it appears on Fountains Addison was involved at Sanna-iCommonwealth War Graves Yat, Mesopotamia on 9 April 1916 ands Commission headstones earned a VC ‘for most conspicuous bravery’ with the wounded under fire. Canadian chaplain Rev. John Weir Foote at the time of the award of the Victoria Cross, he was a Honorary Captain, attached The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry during the landings at Dieppe, on 19th August, 1942, helping the wounded whilst under fire. The Rev. Theodore Bailey Hardy was considered too old for the job at 51, but was attached to the 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment as Temporary Chaplain and awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross and Victoria Cross. This is an extremely rare combination of gallantry medals for someone classed as a ‘non-combatant’ who put hiss own life on the line rescuing wounded men and getting them to safety. Edward Noel Mellish had enlisted in the Artist Rifles and saw action in the 2nd Boer War (1900) with Baden-Powell's police force. In WW1 1916, Reverend Mellish was attached to the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, in the Ypres Salient aormi@icloud.com

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and his bravery here wain him a VC: during the Second World War, Mellish served as an Air Raid Warden.!

World War One Jesuits!

In the First World War at least 2014 Jesuits served as chaplains in all the armies; as first aid and stretcher bearers, soldiers and seamen, including some famous figures like Fr. Willie Doyle. In 1912 before the war there were 16,545 members in all the Jesuit catalogues. In 1920 there were 17,250 members, a remarkable increase as so many died during the war. 8,458 priests, 4,819 scholastics and 3,977 lay brothers. Thirty-two Jesuit chaplains of the Irish Province served in the First World War. They served on the battlefields of France, Belgium, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Four Jesuits were killed: Frs. John Gwynn (12 October 1915), William Doyle (17 August 1917), Michael Bergin (12 October 1917) and John Fitzgibbon (18 September 1918). Two Jesuits died from illness:

The Last Absolution of the Munsters at the Rue de Bois 1915 is a painting by Fortunino Matania of Father Francis Gleeson (28 May 1884 – 26 June 1959) Frs. Austin Hartigan (16 July 1916) and Edward Sydes (15 November 1918). An Irish Jesuit, Michael Coleman, was appointed chaplain from Australia to Egypt, voyage only: embarked 21/09/1915 – terminated 30/12/1915. Approximately ten Irish-born Jesuit chaplains of the English Province served in in the First World War. They included Frs. aormi@icloud.com

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Timothy Carey (Limerick) and Walter Montagu (Cromore, Portstewart, Co. Derry) who both died on active service. Fr. William Keary SJ (Woodford, Galway) initially joined the Irish Province, but transferred to the English Province. The papers of the Irish Jesuit Chaplains in the First World War consist mainly of letters of individual chaplains to the Irish Jesuit Provincial Fr. Thomas V. Nolan SJ, (1914 – 1919). There are some postcards, photographs and medals, some are rich in details. Six Jesuits served with the Australian army. Of 83 British Jesuits, 5 died in service, 2 won The DSO, 13 The Military Cross, 3 The Order of The British Empire, 21 mentioned in dispatches. 2 were mentioned for valuable services, 4 received foreign awards.!

Looking at the Society of Jesus priests only during the the first world war Belgium contributed 165 Jesuit chaplains, France 855, Italy 369, England 83, Ireland 30, Canada 4, USA 50, Germany 376, Austria 82. Not all served as chaplains, but as stretcher bearers, nurses etc. At that time the Society of Jesús was banned in France and its dominions, but nevertheless every French Jesuit was called to arms and recalled from all parts of the globe where they were working as missionaries, teachers, etc. !

French!

The French Jesuits deserve to be singled out for mention. 855 eligible Frenchmen, Jesuit priests, brothers and scholastics studying to be priests, returned to be enlisted: a number of them had studied in Britain. Of these 107 were officers, 3 commandants, 1 lieutenant commander, 13 captains, 4 naval lieutenants, 22 lieutenants, 50 second lieutenants, 1 naval ensign, and 5 officers in the health department. The loss in the number of dead was 165 of whom 28 were chaplains, 30 officers, 36 sub officers, 17 corporals and 54 privates. The number of distinctions awarded is incredible - 68 received The Legión d'Honor, 48 Medal Militaire, 4 Medalle des epidemies, 320 Croix de Guerre, Moroccan or Tunisian Medal conferred on 3, 595 mentioned in dispatches, and 18 foreign medals received: all in all 1,056 medals shared among 855 men, quite an amazing record.

Among the stretcher bearers was the famous scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in the 8th Moroccan Rifles and awarded both The Legión d'Honor and The Medal Militaire.!

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest with some studies in England, who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took Pierre Teilhard de Chardin part in the discovery of Peking Man. Throughout these years of war he developed his reflections in his diaries and in letters to his cousin, Marguerite TeillardChambon, who later edited them into a book: Genèse d'une pensée (Genesis of a thought). He confessed later: "...the war was a meeting ... with the Absolute." He died in aormi@icloud.com

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1955. One of my favourite sayings of this extraordinary person is, "Someday, after we have mastered winds, waves, tides and gravity, we shall harness the energy of love; and for the second time in the history of the world, humanity will have discovered fire". He brought the experiences of science, religion and spirituality together, and reflected on what he described as the ‘cosmic’ nature of Christ, to sit alongside Christ’s human and divine natures. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience,” he used to say, “we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” !

Germans !

German military chaplains had grades of their own, they were not given any military rank and served both land and air forces. They wore chaplain’s badges and flashes on a plain uniform: Catholic military chaplains wore a regulation pectoral crucifix around their necks. The German navy introduced a full-time naval chaplaincy in 1937. In the Second World War the Nazi ideology was pagan at its core and the elite SS units never allowed chaplains.!

One of the most notable German priests was Rupert Mayer, S.J. A lot of his life's work was dedicated to helping immigrants.

From 1914, Fr. Mayer was a volunteer chaplain in the First World War initially assigned to a military hospital; however, he wished to be closer to the soldiers and was sent to the fronts in France, Poland and Romania as chaplain to a division of soldiers. He became a legendary figure, held in great esteem by both Catholic and nonFather Rupert Mayer was imprisoned by the Catholic soldiers. When there was Nazis but was not murdered as they were fighting at the front Fr. Mayer afraid he would become a martyr figure would be found himself crawling along the ground from one soldier to the next talking to them, listening to them and administering the Sacraments to them. When he was warned that he was putting his own life in danger through such activities, he replied simply, "My life is in God's hands". In December 1915 Fr. Mayer was the first chaplain to win the Iron Cross for bravery in recognition of his work with the soldiers at the front. In December 1916, he lost his left leg after it was injured in a grenade attack. He returned to Munich to convalesce and was nicknamed the Limping Priest. He worked with clerical retreats as a preacher, and as of 1921 as a leader of the Marian Sodality Congregation in Munich. In 1929 he was one of the first to aormi@icloud.com

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recognise the dangers of Adolf Hitler and Nazism and challenged Nazi policy with his preaching of Christian principles. It was inevitable that he would come in conflict with the Nazi movement. In 1937, he found himself in "protective custody" for six months, and for seven months after that, he was in Sachsenhausen concentration camp. He was released from there as he was so well known the Nazis did not want him to die and be seen as a martyr, and also on the condition of a broad ban on preaching. Until the liberation by the US forces in May 1945, he lived Ettal Abbey. An American Officer returned him to Munich, where he received a hero's welcome. Father Rupert Mayer died on 1 November 1945 of a stroke, while he was celebrating morning Mass, on the feast of All Saints' Day in St. Michael's in Munich. Facing the congregation his last words were "THE LORD, THE LORD, THE LORD". !

Army chaplains, although they are all commissioned officers of the British Army and wear uniform, do not have executive authority. They are unique within the British Army in that they do not carry arms - normally. At services on formal occasions, chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical robes (many chaplains have been decorated for bravery in action, including three Victoria Crosses: James Adams, Noel Mellish and William Addison). An Army chaplain is expected to minister to and provide pastoral care to any soldier who needs it, no matter their denomination or faith or lack of it. The RAChD's motto is "In this Sign Conquer" as seen in the sky before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Its regimental march, both quick and slow, is the Prince of Denmark's March, erroneously known as the Trumpet Voluntary. !

The two world wars brought together men of different denominations and faith, often administering spiritual aid to others who had other beliefs, but shared basic conditions, fears and a common deity. A good example of this was the true charity of four chaplains on board a US ship torpedoed in the second war by the Germans. There were 642 men on the sinking desk with no boats nor lifebelts, four of them were chaplains who had given away their lifejackets. One was Rabbi Alexander Goode, another a Methodist Rev. George Fox, Reformed church Rev. Clark Poling and Catholic priest, John Washington. !

aormi@icloud.com

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Torrevieja U3A

It is said that the best university is the University of Life Experience and many of the British expats living in Spain have Caring for Older People been through that. Retirement depends on an individual attitude - is it to be an extended holiday in the sun with a knees up at every boozer? Or could it possibly be an opportunity to do things we always wanted to do, but never had time or money? Of course it's possible to continue to learn and do useful things and still enjoy a pub life.!

It was this sense of opportunity that made the French begin extra classes in all sorts of subjects for retired or semi-retired, linking it into the Toulouse Social Sciences Faculty in 1973. The adopted title was U3A or University of the Third Age envisaging people discovering together new issues in their later years. France continues with this concept of linking U3A to a local university, Â but in Britain another approach was made.!

In Britain members tend to share their skills and life experiences: the learners teach and the teachers learn, and there is no distinction between them. Teachers will often say they can learn from their pupils and U3A underlines this. So it is aimed at those in a specific period of life - the third "age" of their life, which seems to ignore second childhood frivolities. Having said that there is no lower age band for membership.!

The bank of experience of members is a huge deposit of knowledge and each association uses this expertise to arrange a syllabus so that each meeting is led by a group member with specialist knowledge. It's a system that was often used in prison of war camps with lots of success. Each U3A member pays a fee to a national coordinating body with access to a vast range of resources including material, newsletters, interchange with other groups, and even summer schools. Each Group, therefore, is an absolutely autonomous entity, self-financing and self-managing. !

The Torrevieja group of the local branch of U3A began in October 2006 with 46 people and gradually attracted more people, so that by the following March plans were underway to officially register the association with Spanish authorities. There were seventeen activity groups with a planned social life and a trip to lovely hilltop fortress town of Lorca, later partially destroyed by an earthquake. The initial group had met at La Gamba Restaurant in Pilar de la Horadada and as numbers increased different venues were used until the Torrevieja town hall offered the use of the pensioners Ocio centre, which was able to offer food. An important part of the organisation is that members teach others their own skills and among the driving force were Bob and Jean Cook, Bob and Barabara Hill, then Andy Voaden who introduced an excellent webpage (now by Joe aormi@icloud.com

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Christie) that became the principal system of communication, apart Local Contact Details from word of mouth.!

Penny Godfrey - President Tel: 966 841 522# Penny Godfrey is currently President backed up by a email: president@torreviejau3a.org# committee and leaders of over Sue Kenyon - Secretary Tel: 966 844 349# forty classes of a wide variety of email: secretarytorreviajau3a@gmail.com# subjects, some at different levels such as learning Spanish. They Joe Christie - Webmaster Tel: 965 320 258email: meet regularly, some on a weekly webmaster@torreviejau3a.org# basis. Interest Groups offer the Postal address chance to study many different Torrevieja U3A , The Mail Room, Box 207 # subjects in varied fields and the U3A approach to learning is Calle Alhelies 1 Local 2-4, Playa Flamenca 03189 "learning for pleasure". !

Orihuela Costa(Alicante)# There is no accreditation or Contact details for other Committee Members may validation and there are no be obtained from “The Committee” page on website# assessments or ! qualifications to be gained.

Current activities include History of Spain, Art ! http://www.torreviejau3a.org Appreciation, Computing, Mah Jong, Bridge, Psychology, Book Reading, Cross !

Stitch, Spanish, Classical Music Appreciation, Creative Writing, Travel, Walking and lots of others. There is a general monthly meeting, usually with a guest speaker, and regular social events and excursions, including lunches that are ideal for anyone normally on their own.!

Although considered as a secular association members do act as volunteers in other organizations and also raise funds for them. !

If you like the idea of learning other skills or particular knowledge, or yourself have some speciality that you think may interest others and you are prepared to share, then the easiest thing to do is turn up at a monthly meeting and introduce yourself.Our monthly meetings are held at The CMO Building on the road behind the Carrefour, Torrevieja, !

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aormi@icloud.com

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!

Why Not Drop In or Call !

!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Samaritans UK celebrated its 60th Birthday in 2013.

It seems incredible that a service employing more than 21,000 volunteers in 210 locations could have grown from so small a beginning. Just 60 years ago on 2nd November 1953 Dr Chad Vara picked up that first phone call. He was, in his own words, "a man willing to listen, with a base and an emergency telephone", that number was MANsion 9000. Since that time the Samaritans have grown and changed with the times.!

Chad continued to lead many aspects of the service, including the selection and training of volunteer’s right up till 1974. His continued involvement with Samaritans through the years has included working on the development of a network of international support services which mirror the Samaritans' work in the UK. And it is through this support that Samaritans in Spain has grown. Sadly Chad died in a hospital in Basingstoke, on 8 November 2007 just four days before his 96th birthday.!

Samaritans in Spain began as an idea by Steven Ashley. The project began in September 2005 and, after many meetings and much correspondence between the originators and Samaritans UK culminated in the launch of the Costa Blanca Samaritans service in Spain in July 2008. The first branch opened in Benissa, for three evenings a week. This was followed by the opening of the second branch in Villamartin in January 2009. In March 2009 the service increased their opening hours to five evenings a week and this was further increased in January 2010 to seven evenings a week. In mid 2012 the service became centralised in Villa Martin, and in February 2013 the Samaritans moved to a joint centre of call centre, drop-in centre and charity shop at Punta Marina.!

From January 2013, the service increased to a full 24 hours a day service, 365 days a year. The service now also offers email support, mail support, prison visiting, two monthly drop-in centres one at the office for the Urbanisations in San Fulgencio in San Fulgencio on the third Thursday of each month from 10.00am to 1.00pm, and starting in November 2013, one at the library in Benijófar on the second Tuesday of each month from 10:30am to 1:00pm. And of course there is the drop-in centre at the Samaritans Drop-in centre, charity centre and call centre at Punta Marina, Punta Prima, near Torrevieja. This is open for drop-ins between 10:00am and 2:00pm Monday to Saturday.The name was changed to Samaritans in Spain to reflect the fact that the service is available to callers throughout Spain.!

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If you would like to help there are many ways to do this. You can volunteer to be trained and become a listener by filling out an application form at the drop-in centre, by filling out the application form on the website Samaritansinspain.com, or by sending an email to joinus@costablancasamaritans.com . You can also contribute items to the charity shop at Punta Marina. If you are a business and would like to support us in some way, please contact info@costablancasamaritans.com, which is also the address for further information. Further information can also be found at the website samaritansinspain.com and by searching on Facebook for Samaritans in Spain.!

If you need help or support the 24hr helpline is available on 902 88 35 35, and email support is available through pat@costablancasamaritans.com, or by dropping in to one of the drop-in centres.!

The Reverend Edward Chad Varah, CH, CBE (12 November 1911 – 8 November 2007) was a British Anglican priest. He is best remembered as the founder of The Samaritans, established in 1953 as the world's first crisis hotline telephone support to those contemplating suicide. Varah began to understand the problems facing the suicidal when he was taking a funeral as an assistant curate in 1935, his first church service, for a fourteenyear-old girl who died by suicide because she had begun to menstruate and feared that she had a sexually transmitted disease. He later said "Little girl, I didn't know you, but you have changed the rest of my life for good." He vowed at that time to encourage sex education, and to help people who were contemplating suicide and had nowhere to turn. It was an article in the Daily Mirror that coined the phrase The Samaritans. aormi@icloud.com

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Concerns over Samaritans in Spain using a 902 number.

Not all 902 numbers are premium rate numbers. Sadly Telefonica have lumped premium rate and premium service into the one 902 range. Whether the number is premium rate or premium service depends on the fourth number. 902 followed by 1,2,3 or 4 are premium rates costing up to four times the standard rate, and from which the receiving company benefits financially. !

902 numbers followed by 5,6,7,8 or 9 are to provide a premium service, from which the receiver gains no financial benefit, but does benefit from a premium service.! !

For example the charity Samaritans in Spain uses the number 902 88 35 35, hence the fourth digit is 8. This means that the number is not connected to any local telephone exchange. What this allows the Samaritans to do is have several phones in several locations attached to the 902 88 35 35 number. This means that whenever someone calls their number, whether they are calling from Madrid, Barcelona, Marbella, the Balearics or wherever, they are connected to a listener. And it doesn’t matter where that listener is physically located. All for the same fee!! !

All Samaritans in Spain calls to 902 88 numbers are charged at national call rates. From landlines and public phones the connection charge is € 0.08 plus € 0.04/min: Mon-Fri 20:00-08:00, weekends & public holidays and €0.07/min: Mon-Fri 08:00-20:00. Sadly calls from mobiles are considerably more. Each mobile provider sets their own rates and, sadly, they can, and often do, range from 0.20 cents per minute, to over 0.80 cents per minute, plus a connection charge ranging from 0.12 to 0.20 cents.

Unfortunately, Samaritans in Spain have absolutely no control over these charges, nor do they benefit from them. All aormi@icloud.com

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Could this be your face as a caller or listener?

the profit goes to the mobile provider.

Samaritans in Spain recommend that the caller bears these charges in mind and where possible use a landline or public phone!

!

It is so sad when we read that ALL 902 numbers are premium rate numbers when only some are. Many, like Samaritans in Spain are premium service numbers which actually benefits both the caller and the receiver.!

Further information and all the details about Samaritans in Spain can be found on their website at www.samaritansinspain.com or on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/pages/Samaritans-in-Spain/342312575891259!

The Samaritan service in Spain is provided by Costa Blanca Samaritans, a notfor-profit organisation registered with the Generalitat Valenciana, with the Registration Number: CV-01-042952-A and NIF: G54341466!

aormi@icloud.com

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Age Concern - we know how to live

The daycentre in La Siesta offers opportunities for socializing

Age Concern Costa Blanca Sur was formed in March 1998; its constitution was accepted and registered by the Generalitat Valenciana of that year. Its geographical area covers from south of the city of Alicante down to the Murcia border and inland to Vega Baja, and is centred in Torrevieja.!

Our mission is to make life a more enjoyable experience for older people by helping them in any way we can, we encourage people from other countries to integrate with the Spanish people and seek to establish relationships with Spanish associations that work for the benefit of older people.

Visitors are always welcome to our Day Centre in Calle Paganini, La Siesta which is open Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 1.30pm. Our volunteers are there to give a warm welcome and help with any problems; if they cannot help they will signpost to someone who can. We have all the local fact sheets on aspects of living in Spain, and a volunteer is always available to help aormi@icloud.com

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fill in forms. A cup of tea or coffee and a chat, or for a small donation choose a book from our extensive collection, we also have large print books and talking books.

Everyone, all nationalities, are given a warm welcome.!

The LIFELINE team is our welfare section, they will make a home visit, give advice on where to get nursing services, liaise with Social Services, match up beneficiaries with befrienders for long term support, give advice on care aids, which we can supply from our full range. They will also give information about residential care homes, and our Residential Visiting Team visit English speaking residents of one of the care homes. The team also arrange a monthly Luncheon Club for beneficiaries, which is an extremely popular event.!

The K.I.T scheme (keep in touch) is a free service run by the volunteers. If you have a loved one, friend or neighbour who is lonely or lives alone, who would benefit from a morning call and give you peace of mind, just call us and we will arrange this.!

All of our funds are raised by public donation, clubs and societies, who raise money for us, and by our two Charity Shops, one in Torrevieja the other in Los Montesinos, The shops are very important to us as they raise most of the funds for our advice and information service, our LIFELINE projects, and the purchasing of mobility equipment.!

Several social activities take place in our centre, Monday Knitting Club, Tuesday Rummikub, Foot Care, and Spanish lessons all levels, Wednesday bingo, and we have recently started English Lessons, which were requested by some of our local Spanish residents. Thursday gentle exercise class, all that is required is that you become a 'Friend of Age Concern' which costs 10 Euros per year. At least twice a year we organise coach trips for our beneficiaries and volunteers!

For more information call 966786887!

Age Concern volunteers raise funds through two charity shops

Age Concern, we know how to live! aormi@icloud.com

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Youth Chat Room Volunteers Once again English speaking volunteers are spending time chatting to youngsters intent on learning English. Hundreds of people have been able to improve their English through this activity organized by the Youth Council. The basic idea is that the young people can benefit by talking to someone whose native language is English, thus improving their knowledge of the language and at the same time go through some of the idiosyncrasies of English. #

There are almost twenty volunteers involved in this enterprise which started two years ago, so now beginning a third year. Crystal East is coordinator of this project which also promotes integration within a social ambience.

Councillor of Youth, Rosario The Councillor of Youth, Rosario Martinez Martinez Chazarra, is also Chazarra, indicated her satisfaction with the responsible for dealing with project, now part of Torreviejas Youth Programme. foreigner’s problems in Torrevieja Meetings are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, from 10:00 to 12:00 and Wednesday evenings and Thursday from 17:00 to 18:00 pm in the CIAJ on the Paseo Juan Aparicio nº5 Torrevieja - tel: 965074326.

aormi@icloud.com

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He lay back on the hospital bed, exhausted, face pinched, sunken cheeks, bright blue eyes and a wan smile. He looked every part of seventy years with death looking over his shoulder. He had loved football, was a goalkeeper being scouted by Glasgow Rangers. His father was proud of him, being a life long Rangers supporter. His mother had sat beside the hospital bed for long months, patiently knitting Arran jumpers that she would sell to raise money to take her to America to see her oldest daughter and grandchildren. Now and then she would stop clicking the needles, offer words of encouragement, looking after his every need; she would bustle around the ward serving tea and biscuits, a pleasant word for each patient.!

This was Robert, my fifteen year old nephew, suffering from bone cancer. Doctors suspected the shock of a knock on the goal post had ignited the cancer. For over a year he had been hospitalised receiving invasive treatment that had seemed to help and he had a reprieve, seemingly to respond, out of hospital in time for his sixteenth birthday and Christmas. He even did a little job as a messenger boy for the grocery across the road. The family were elated over the holidays, but their joy was short lived as he collapsed late February and soon died. !

His mother was placid, a calming presence in the bewildered emotions of the family, supported by her Catholic faith. A faith she had been turned away from when she married the man she loved who had been brought up to believe that all Catholics were evil and doomed to everlasting hellfire. Robert's father raged against a God who could let such suffering happen to a young boy, such deep emotional wounds, watching uncomprehendingly as his wife's Catholic family gathered round the young wasted bones praying the Rosary for the departed life and begging strength to carry on. We all face death in various ways, usually not understanding why a loved one had gone and left a distressing gap in each of our lives. Over the years his father gradually calmed down, coming to some sort of terms with the enigma of life and death. His mother continued to visit the hospital, working as an auxiliary nurse for many years. Both husband and wife ended their last days in the same hospital within a few weeks of each other.!

Since then several other family members have died of various types of cancer, suffering a long pain full battle which some have won and others have lost. Some continue the same battle of young Robert against what used to be referred to as the Big C. Fortunately since Robert's death tremendous strides have been made in detecting and preventing the spread of cancer. Most cancers can be treated if detected early on and when we get older it is a good habit to have an indepth health checkup at least once a year. I always do around my birthday with blood test and ECG.!

But the dead always leave behind memories that are revived at birthdays, anniversaries at Christmas. Memories of a loving person, hopefully joyful lessons learned from that person's life.! !

aormi@icloud.com

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AEEC is the Spanish anti-cancer association with an office in calle Torrevejenses.!

The Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cancer, known more commonly as AECC or 'Contra Cancer', is an independent, self funding national charity. The local branch at Torrevieja, which is run by a mixed Spanish and British committee, is situated in Calle Torrevejenses Ausentes, 33, between the Queen Burger Bar and the Plaza Oriente in Torrevieja. Torrevieja President is Dña. Manoli Flores Villaciervos.!

!

The primary objective is the prevention, by early detection, of three cancers - breast, cervix and prostate. A team of volunteers is based at Torrevieja Hospital visiting in-patients. There is also a Mobile Unit, dedicated to caring for the cancer related terminally ill and also give counselling to family members. The unit, which has three specialists on hand at all times, is available to all living in the Vega Baja region and is controlled by the Oncology Unit of Elche General Hospital. The funding of the unit is the responsibility of the AECC and without the donations from so many generous private individuals, clubs and societies this would be an impossible task. Orihueal office have 2015 Torevieja Outlook calendars for sale.!

For further please ring the office on 965 716 679.!

!

This year another branch was opened to cover the Orihuela Costa under the presidency of María Wilson who is well known for her fun loving, fund raisin’ Pink Ladies. !

Web - http://www.pinkladies.es. Tel: 603 292 963 !

Centro Cívico Alameda del Mar, Calle Paraná, 03189 Orihuela Costa, Alicante, España!

Maria’s Pink Ladies are well-known for fund raising and are behind the opening of a new branch of AEEC on Orihuela Costa

! aormi@icloud.com

! !

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The Spanish national association, apart from raising funding for investigation into cancer cures, also has several specific projects on the go.!

- to inform help and accompany the public about cancer and its prevention combined with investigation, influencing public opinion and close support for the volunteers. Target - 100,000 euros.!

- Assistance for families in the poverty zone by supplying the basic necessities Target - 125,000 euros!

- Attention to those recently diagnosed cancer patients with a support in what is a very hard time.

Target - 100,000 euros!

- No doubt the most heart tugging is the programme of support for children with some form of cancer. Each year in Spain around 1,000 children are diagnosed with this illness. Target - 300,000 euros.!

When you donate to the AEEC you are not only helping someone suffering, but assisting to defeat this dreaded disease. In September the national association awarded 5.2 millions of euros to 13 investigation groups aimed at battling cancer. !

Volunteers in various capacities are required - manning offices, hospital visitors, fund raising or maybe a supportive shoulder. Torrevieja has a trained professional and volunteer group based at the hospital with a mobile unit for hospital after care and psychological support. !

aormi@icloud.com

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Did you remember to change your clock backwards one hour

aormi@icloud.com

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Time on Your Hand

by Dave Stewart

"Time is always right now, yet time never stands still. All of what we! perceive as the present is already past. The present is a fleeting moment –! now, and now, and now – confined to an infinitesimally narrow point.!

In other words, time is the occurrence of irreversible events. An egg is an! egg, and then it turns into an omelet. But an omelet can never turn into an! egg. A leaf can fall from a tree, but it cannot fly off the ground and! re-attach itself. Time is irreversible."!

Ever wonder how you would react to the news of how long you would live? Go on a binge, a spending spree, travel round the world, or crawl into a hole and pull the shutters down? Once I drove a neighbour of mine to Alicante Hospital where she was seen by a nice young doctor who spoke English. She came out refusing to tell me anything, but wanted to visit El Cortes Inglés where she went on a spending frenzy loading my car with all sorts of ítems that caught her eye. As we passed a supermarket we had a further stop stocking up with booze. It was obvious even to an idiot like me that she had received bad news. She had cancer, but refused the aggressive, intrusive treatment then available, instead coming to face death in her own terms, in under a year.!

Technology has loads of new exciting gadgets and one of them is a watch that not only tells you the time, but calculates how long you have to spend that time. Tikker is a wrist watch that counts down your life from years to seconds, and motivates you to make the right choices. It does so based on the information you programme into it. We all know about the inevitability of life's end so it may not be a bad idea at all to know our sell by date and think positively how we are going to use our time. A blissfull week or two of happiness aormi@icloud.com

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spent with those we love might be a better alternative to worrying our self to death.

The advertising tells us that wearing a Tikker is a statement to the world that your biggest priority in life, is living.!

To set up Tikker, the wearer fills out a questionnaire by entering information about their medical history, including allergies or illnesses.!

They are also asked whether they drink or smoke and if there are any instances of cancer, diabetes and other diseases in their family.!

Wearers are additionally asked about how much exercise they do, as well as how much they weigh before receiving a score.!

Their age is deducted from the results to predict a death date and the Tikker begins the countdown. Tikker will be there to remind you to make the most of your life, and most importantly, to be happy.!

But personally I will wait till my doctor tells me my own ticker is running down, and continue to enjoy my life in sunny Spain, where I can always look on the bright side. Death may be inevitable but life is for enjoying and actually for LIVING.!

PS! Claire Flanagan, Cotton Traders’ international marketing manager, who was responsible for a survey of 3,500 expats said: ‘The expat life is a fantastic one for hundreds of thousands of Brits – not least because of the great opportunities it offers for making new friends and enjoying leisure time.

‘But at the same time, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.!

‘Being away seems to make people appreciate the things that make Britain great, including our culture, food, NHS and weather.’!

aormi@icloud.com

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The Coastrider 2014 Pride of Spain Awards

It was a privilege once again to attend this year’s annual Pride of Spain Awards that highlights the selfless work of so many individuals and groups that make this a better place and world in which to live.

Despite the absence of the principal organizer Jennie (who was rushed into hospital at the last minute) Aoife Leddy and Paul Jean Mulero compered the show to an enthusiastic audience. Those who were nominated have every reason to be proud of their achievements because just being thought of by someone that you are worthy of a mention is an award in itself. The photos are from Objectivo Torrevieja, a group of reporters and photographers, who are themselves deserving of an award as they attend almost every event in Torrevieja for the Spanish, so this is their coverage of the night. !

aormi@icloud.com

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!

!

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Young and old, healthy and sick, people of all walks of life are honored showing the diversity of social life on the Costa Blanca. !

! ! !

aormi@icloud.com

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! ! !

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rful the wonde d e d lu c in ent hael, Entertainm nd Paul Mic a n to is rm hani O port voices of S rvelous sup a m e th f o tives e to representa rtainers giv te n e l a c lo ny that so ma causes. charitable

adored my I ! aormi@icloud.com

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Another event in October was the presentation of the Torrevieja Outlook charity calendar of 2015. This was held at the offices of main sponsors Aroca Sequier & Associates in Rocajuna district.

This fiesta calendar is very popular as it supplies information about some fiestas and cultural events, not only in Torrevieja, but along the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida. It has space for notes for anniversaries or clinic appointments as well as lovely photos taken by Keith Nicols who does wedding photographs, calendar designer Carlos Garcia and photo aficionado Javier Torregrosa. Main holidays of Spain, United Kingdom and Ireland are listed as well as religious festivals and full moons, with reminders of clock changes.

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The calendar presentation was held on 23 October in the lovely grounds of main sponsors ArocaSequier in Rocajuna urbanization. Many volunteers from a variety of associations gathered and collected calendars which they will sell for their own funds. During the event Andy Ormiston presented a plaque to Fernamdo Guardiola of Objectivo Torrevieja for their work in supplying information, supporting and attending so many events of the associations. Keith Nichol also received a recognition for his untiring work as a reporter and photographer as well as his collaboration with the calendar.

Reach Out were also presented by MichaelAngel Aroca with a donation towards their work among the homeless and needy of our town. Those present were able to enjoy an agreeable time meeting volunteers of other associations and also the professional services of a ham cutter and lovely wine and refreshments supplied by the host and sponsor ArocaSequier. ASSOCIATIONS WITH CALENDARS

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RASCALS! REACH OUT . Nueva Torrevieja!

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP . La Siesta!

REUNITE- Villamartin!

SAMARITANS - Punta Marina CC! AGE CONCERN - La Siesta and shops!

AEEC - La Zenia!

HELP . Torrevieja!

RED CROSS RUTA DE SAL! REGALOS DE AMOR . Torrevieja!

BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL (THE LEADER NEWSPAPER La Zenia!

REACH OUT (THE COASTRIDER OFFICE at C. QUESADA)!

K9 ANIMAL RESCUE . La Marina and Almoradi!

AFA Day Centre!

ArocaSequier office Rocajuna!

Alamo Costa Blanca Torrevieja.!

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Reaching Out

by Aoife Leddy

I adored my day off. Glorious Tuesday; an unofficial day of rest and relaxation after a busy week. Until recently on a Tuesday, you’d find me strolling around the shops, reading a book, painting my nails or catching up on the housework (ok, so the last one is a lie!)!

However, earlier this year, I decided to give it up. After being invited to write a feature about it, I attended a workshop given by local life coach Nicola Fairnhill.

At the workshop, Nicola explained how we as humans achieve happiness or satisfaction through meeting six basic needs. The criteria vary slightly in priority for men and for women, but both sexes seem to be driven by the same six needs.

Certainty (a feeling of security and protection), Uncertainty (the need for variety and to be challenged), Significance (the need to feel special, loved and important), Connection/Love (feeling a connection with other human beings), Growth (to develop ourselves either emotionally, intellectually or spiritually) and Contribution (the desire to go beyond our own needs and give to others). I really took on board what Nicola said and took a good look at my life and where I was happiest and unhappiest. My wonderful family and my job as Editor of the CoastRider covered Certainty, Uncertainty, Significance and Connection/Love. I am secure, happy, loved, important and always being challenged. Thanks to constantly learning more Spanish and various training courses at work, I am developing and growing. The only aspect I hadn’t really covered well was Contribution. Throughout my life, especially while at school and university, I had always been involved in charity work. Even over the last few years, I would gather a few friends once per year for a Christmas Quiz and try to extort as much money out of them as I could to buy food for local church groups (a very humbling experience when you realize how far you can make your money stretch if you are only buying the basic food items and nappies!) But a once-a-

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year effort (as enjoyable as it was) wasn’t really good enough for me to feel like I was contributing so I decided to become a volunteer. !

I had met Karolina Leonard from Reach Out/Extiende la Mano before and decided that this was the charity for me.

Reach Out is a humanitarian charity which helps the homeless and families in poverty by providing the basics such as food, clean clothing, advice on dealing with social services and so on.

The drop in centre caters to around 80 homeless men and women, providing breakfast and lunch every day, cooked on the premises by the volunteer team. The homeless people who use the centre can have a shower and are given a clean outfit to wear. They can also shave, have their hair cut and attend to all the little things that (it is hoped) make them feel more human. The charity also helps homeless expats return to their homelands, if that is what they want – in some cases, they might have more support from family or friends at home. Reach Out also helps to find jobs for unemployed homeless people, helping them dress for interviews and prepare CVs, arranging bus fare and generally, being there to support them through the process.!

So, I waved goodbye to lazy Tuesdays and since March for the last nine months, I have been volunteering at Reach Out every week. Normally, I am put to use in the office, helping with publicity and translations but quite often, I deal with the individual cases and by simply speaking to people on a one to one level and letting them know that you are there to help – it is an incredibly rewarding experience. I started working at Reach Out thinking I had something to offer – that I could help them. It seems that Reach Out aormi@icloud.com

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has done far more for me. Every Tuesday as I drive away from the drop in centre towards home, I am reminded how LUCKY I am to have a home, a family, education, stability. The feeling of gratitude is something I will always cherish.!

Life at Reach Out is incredibly transient. People come and go. Just as you are getting to know one of the homeless people, they will suddenly go to ground and you might not see them for months again – if at all. Obviously, there are some who have problems with addiction so sometimes, we are greeted with sad news. If a homeless person dies, they often don’t have an official ‘next of kin’ to inform. Once, the only identification a man had on his person was his “Reach Out” registration card.!

I thought it would be nice if I were to shed some light on the real band of volunteers at Reach Out. The people who are there four, five or even six days per week. They give up an immense amount of time for the charity and are always there, working behind the scenes at the charity. Obviously, there are too many to interview individually so I spoke to four of the best known faces at Reach Out – Linda the nurse, Freda who works in the kitchen serving meals to the homeless, Jenny who manages the shop and Kath who is one of the main points of contact with the homeless and families registered with the charity. These are their stories…!

LINDA! Linda Huntley is a retired Registered General Nurse from Newcastle. She considers herself extremely lucky that since her retirement from nursing last year, she can spend part of her time in the UK and part in Spain. During her nursing career, Linda has always dealt with some of the more difficult aspects of the job – she has worked in prisons and with homeless people in the community so is well equipped to deal with the challenges she faces at Reach Out. Linda started working for Reach Out earlier this year. When she was younger, she had wanted to use her skills to do voluntary work and to a large degree was able to do to this while she spent five years working for a charity in the UK which helped asylum seekers. Because of specific training she had undergone during this time, her nursing skills in particular fields are advanced, and so when it came to her retirement, she approached Reach Out and offered her skills. She told me “I have the skills to deal with people with addictions, and mental health issues- because of my career, I am not daunted by the more difficult cases.”!

Linda told me that her main role at Reach Out is to be a point of contact for the homeless people. To offer reassurance and guidance on their health issues. She deals with a lot of wound care – for example, many will have foot problems because of ill fitting shoes.

Some self harm. Others have addiction problems and perhaps have wounds, cuts and aormi@icloud.com

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grazes from falling over or fighting. “It is incredibly varied,” says Linda, “And we get a lot of colds and flu because their immune systems are very low.”!

Communication can be a challenge as Linda is learning Spanish, but not all of the homeless people at Reach Out speak Spanish or English. She says “There is quite a lot of pointing and sign language, but we get there in the end. Also because of language issues and the lack of medical history I am only able to offer basic nursing care.”!

Linda also remarked on how transient life is. “Just when you are getting to know someone and learn about their condition, all of a sudden they might disappear so I do what I can in a short space of time and hope I have made a difference.”!

Because Linda has always dealt with vulnerable members of the community, she knows that often what people need most is contact. She explained, “They have lost contact with family or real friends, no one to hug or offer a reassuring pat on the back. That lack of touch can really affect people so sometimes, asking me to bandage a sore wrist or ankle is also them crying out for some basic human contact.”!

I asked Linda what she felt Reach Out had taught her about life in general. She smiled and said, “Working here, I realize how lucky I am. These people have nothing, absolutely nothing. It is a constant reminder of how lucky I am to be living a normal life.”!

!

FREDA! Freda Longley is originally from County Durham but has lived in Spain for quite some time. She started volunteering at Reach Out just over a year ago. Freda had worked for Victim Support in the UK, a charity which offers free support for victims of crime.

Because of her work in the UK, Freda is well versed in dealing with vulnerable members of the community and through a series of training courses and in the course of her work itself, has dealt with victims of substance abuse, rape, crime and those who were feeling suicidal and with mental health issues. !

When she moved to Spain, Freda fostered a Saharui child. For three summers in a row, a girl from the ravaged refugee camps of the Saharui region of north Africa, came to Torrevieja to stay with Freda and her husband. Freda said, “It was a very rewarding experience to be

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able to bring a bit of normality to the child’s life. Just little things like toys, clothing – even toothbrush and toothpaste, we were able to give her so much and it was a really enjoyable experience for us all. She loved being here and we loved having her.”!

After her experience of summer fostering, Freda decided she would like to get more hands on experience with a local charity. She had heard of Reach Out and of the good work they do in the community, so she offered to volunteer. She started out by working in a shop a few days per week which she really enjoyed as it is a really hands on part of the charity where not only are you raising money for the charity by what you sell, but you are also helping to clothe the homeless people and families. A few months ago, an opportunity came up for Freda to volunteer in the ‘food’ side of the charity and now she works four days per week serving breakfast (making tea, toast, eggs, cheese and ham – it varies depending on what has been donated, she explained) and lunches. She says that no two days are the same. “Something we would consider simple like the weather can have such a huge effect on the footfall through the door, you never know what to expect.

Some days they are queuing up outside before you arrive!” said Freda.!

I asked Freda what she liked about working at Reach Out and she absolutely lit up when she told me “Everything! Seeing people come in here hungry, dirty and sad – they go out clean, full and with their head held a bit higher – you can’t buy that feeling!” !

JENNY! Jenny Wennekes, originally from the USA, came to Reach Out two and a half years ago. Jenny saw a couple of articles in the local press about the charity and arrived to the drop in centre one day with a donation. After seeing the work done by Reach Out, Jenny wanted to help and started that very week as a volunteer. She started doing three days per week, which soon became four or five days per week, working from 8.15am until around 2.15 in the afternoon. Jenny manages the main shop and incoming stock for Reach Out, and describes her role as incredibly challenging.

“Basically,” explained Jenny, “We are running a business but relying on our team of volunteers to do the ground work.” As we spoke, Jenny was being pulled in all directions – a delivery of furniture arrived at the back door, while at the same time she was needed for a crisis in the shop out front – and all at the same time, there were three or four volunteers waiting to speak to her about various aspects of the stock.!

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However challenging the role is, Jenny exudes a calm and controlled exterior and utterly enjoys her work.

She loves the relationships she has developed with the other volunteers and the customers from the shop, which she describes as people from all walks of life. The families also helped by the charity are given vouchers to spend in the shop and Jenny enjoys seeing their dignity restored as they are able to ‘shop’ for their own items.!

Jenny explained that the charity can actually use about 15% of the donations they take in. Most of the volunteer team working in the background are sorting clothing and other items into usable, sellable stock for the charity’s two shops. Some – the garments in the worst condition which can be dirty or torn – have to be disposed of, while others can go to other charities. Jenny also explained that it is a difficult balance to clothe the homeless people. “There is a temptation to keep all of the really good stuff for the shop, but we also have to clothe our homeless men and women and we don’t adopt an ‘it will do’ attitude – we want them to have the same as everybody else. We do keep certain items apart especially for our homeless people as every time they use the showers at the centre, they are given clean underwear and socks. We also have a list of the registered families so we can cater for birthdays and Christmas,” Jenny explained, “So as you can see, there are so many more dimensions to this job than just running an ordinary shop.”!

Jenny works with a team of volunteers who mend and sew garments, and a team of volunteers who run a workshop to fix and test all the electrical items that are donated.

“You’ve got to work with what you get,” said Jenny, “And our team works very well together.”!

Despite having one of the most demanding roles at Reach Out, Jenny enjoys what she does, and what she is able to give to the charity. “I really love it,” said Jenny, “It is certainly a challenge but above all, the friendships and relationships built with the volunteers, the families, the homeless – you couldn’t ask for a better reward.”!

!

KATHY! Kathy Smith is originally from Sheffield. Just over a year and a half ago, she moved to Torrevieja from elsewhere on the coast. She had heard of Reach Out and the work they did but didn’t actually intend to volunteer; she had done voluntary work in the past when she lived near Elche but when she moved south, it was too far to travel. One day, she was walking in Torrevieja and happened upon the Reach Out centre. She walked in for “a nose round” and the rest is history. Quite by accident, Kathy began as a volunteer in the shop and a few months down the line, was roped into helping in the kitchen.

Gradually, the charity began to make the most of Kathy’s lovely manner with people, and she became involved in house calls to assess the needs of the charity’s registered families. She describes it as being “chucked in where needed” but the rest of the team

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can see how much the charity relies on Kathy. She is one of the main points of contact for the homeless people, knowing each of them by name, their backgrounds and their specific needs. One of the homeless men who recently suffered a stroke relies on Kathy to help him to shave. And a running joke at Reach Out is that Kathy is rarely seen without a pair of socks or underpants in her hand – she is always sorting something out for somebody.!

The most difficult part of her role according to Kathy is to try and separate the “chancers” from the really needy cases. The charity has to set itself some boundaries and rules on who they can support – otherwise it would spiral out of control and they wouldn’t be able to help anybody at the end of the day. Kathy finds it hard to say no to anybody but the homeless community here are a tight knit group and if someone comes in lying about their homeless, jobless state, the guys are quick to have a word in Kathy’s ear – perhaps letting her know that a new face lives in flat nearby and has a job at the local fish market, but is just chancing his arm for a few free dinners and some new clothes.!

Despite the challenges she faces, Kathy enjoys her work and always has a smile at the ready for both the clients and her fellow volunteers. “It is such a nice feeling,” said Kathy, “When you see the best bits of the charity at work. Recently we had two Romanian brothers come in. They were filthy, hungry…utterly derelict. A few hours later they left the centre with full bellies, haircuts, clean and fresh after a shower, and new clothes and backpacks. You could just tell by the way they carried themselves out of here, by their smiles, that they felt more ‘human’…that’s the nice part of the job.”!

CHRISTINE! One volunteer I didn’t get to chat to about her role at Reach Out for this article was Christine Fleming. A tiny whirlwhind of a Scottish woman, Christine had been off sick for the last number of weeks and sadly passed away at the end of October after a short but hard fought battle with cancer. Christine was the backbone of the warehouse end of the charity – sorting and labeling everything that passed through. Karolina Leonard, President of Reach Out said at Christine’s memorial service “We will need at least three or four people to replace our dear friend Christine.”!

At Christine’s service at the Tanatorio, Torrevieja, a huge gathering of Reach Out volunteers assembled to say goodbye. What was most evident to me at the time was the bonds created between the volunteers. It didn’t matter where they worked in the charity, aormi@icloud.com

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or whether they were at the centre one day a week, or every single day, everybody stood together to say goodbye to Christine and, as Reach Out was such a huge part of her life – and she such a huge part of Reach Out – the fond memories and stories were soon being shared with smiles and laughter.!

Of course there are many more volunteers, and more stories which could be told about who works at the centre, and why. Perhaps you’d like to volunteer for a few hours a week? We’d love to see you, and hear your story. Give us a call for a chat – Karolina (688 348 189) or Aoife (607 050 482).!

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Bookshelf by Pat Hynd

A War Chaplain’s Perspective

Francis Browne was born in Cork in 1880. He lost both parents early in life and was raised in Cobh by his uncle, Bishop of Cloyne Robert Browne, who also bought him his first camera.

Among Fr Browne’s classmates at university in Dublin was James Joyce, who cast him as Mr Browne the Jesuit in Finnegans Wake. !

Fr Browne is perhaps better known for pictures he took while still a Jesuit student on the Titanic on the first leg of its journey in April 1915 from Southampton to Cobh , where he disembarked.

He was invited to stay on board but his Provincial ordered him to return and as we all know the ship continued to the North Atlantic and its doom.!

In 1916 Fr Browne joined the Irish Guards as chaplain and served with them until spring of 1920. Wounded five times and badly gassed, he was awarded the Military Cross and Bar for his courage, as well as both Belgian and French Croix de Guerre, ministering to the troops at the Somme, Messines Ridge, Paschendaele, Ypres, Amiens, and Arras.!

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!

It was just after Christmas 1916 when Fr Frank Browne wrote from the front in Flanders to his Jesuit provincial in Ireland.!

“On St Stephen’s Day the men were engaged in a football match when the Germans saw them.

They sent over a lovely shot at long range which

carried

away

the

goal-post

and,

bursting in the middle of the men, killed three and wounded seven,” he wrote.!

“The wounded were bandaged up and carried away to hospital and the dead were carried away for burial. Then the ball was kicked off once more and the game went on as if nothing had happened. The Germans must have admired the cool pluck of the players for they did not fire any more.!

“This is just one little incident of the war, showing how little is thought of human life out here. It sounds callous, but there is no room for sentiment in warfare, and I suppose it is better so.”!

Father Francis Browne died in 1980 but has left behind a bountiful heritage of photos of the 20th century.!

While serving in Flanders, and later in occupied Germany, he took photographs and these graphic pictures are published in a fascinating new book ‘Father Browne’s First World War’, by Fr Eddie O’Donnell SJ.!

!

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A Living Bereavement - Parental Child Abduction/Alienation by Steven Monk-Dallton

!

The death of a child is indisputably one of the most incredibly horrible tragedies one can imagine. Whether by sudden accidental circumstance, or by a more lengthy cause as in illness, the loss of a child is undeniably painful to experience. Painful to the parents, parents to the family, and painful to anyone related to the child. Never knowing the laughter of that child again or the tears, the joys and the accomplishments is a pain no parent should ever have to endure, and yet it happens. No one might be to blame. It can just happen..

! ! ! !

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Imagine a similar pain and the same sense of loss, with one exception-the parent is very much aware that the child is alive.!

The effects of Parental Alienation and Parental Child Abduction are very similar to the loss of a child in some other way. For the parent who has been alienated from their child or the child parentally abducted f ro m t h e i r h o m e s , t h e bereavement does not end. !

This feeling of bereavement can also affect the child that an abducting/alienating parent claims to love and can have serious emotional scars that can remain for a long period of time - If not for a lifetime.!

Yet, parental child abduction and parental alienation remain as silent abuses that never seem to be understood by society unless you or your family have to cope with this trauma themselves.!

Even parents that are lucky enough to have any contact whatsoever with their children, Parental Alienation, where a custodial parent maliciously tries to destroy the relationship between the child and target parent, rips the innocent child from their arms slowly. They witness the suffering. They witness the effects. They can feel the impending doom is inevitable, but they are powerless to do anything about it. !

The very sad part of this, is it is not unique. There are hundreds of thousands of children and parents affected by Parental alienation and also thousands of cases involving parental child abduction but it is only recently that law professionals are starting to sit up and take notice of the traumatic emotional damage that this can cause for target families and children.!

If you are a parent, spend a moment to look at your children and imagine what it would be like if you woke tomorrow morning to find that they are not there

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and you have no idea where they have been taken to or if you will ever see them again. Imagine the minefield of legal litigation required to locate and reunite with your children once they have been found to have been abducted abroad?!

Imagine pleading for help from authorities, courts, family, friends and groups but they are powerless to help to reunite you with your child and can even facilitate the abduction, alienation and retention by their inaction.!

Reunite International Child Abduction Centre are recognised as the leading UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders.!

They have a support and information and support affected by Parental

advice line offering practical, impartial advice, to parents, family members, and guardians who are Child Abduction!

0044 (0) 116 2556 234! www.reunite.org! reunite@dircon.co.uk!

Registered charity number 1075729!

One Day Closer Shop is based in Villamartin Plaza One Day Closer's objectives are to: 1) Raise awareness of parental child abduction / parental alienation!

2) Refer target parents to the Reunite International advice line if they require advice on Parental Child Abduction!

3) Raise funds for the Reunite International Charity through sales from the shop after operating costs (rent, utilities etc)!

4) Raise funds for the Reunite International Charity through events and activities!

One Day Closer has the full approval of Reunite International Charity.!

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Saying Gooodbye From Pat Hynd

#

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I do I don’t n’t wan want to t to It o hear say goo nly dbye mak the ,

No e I s s f t u m y Who one cou ou’re n e wan pid lull t to ab ’s g l oing d fill t ot by y cry y,

h to m e em si end ptin de.

I es the ju ¡Cos brok s you I do st pray leav e n n’t e,

wan all nig pieces ht,

t to of m e

say good bye.

These words are from a song composed by Shani Ormiston of a broken love, but they apply to many women who have lost a baby. People react differently erently to losing a baby prematurely or at birth.

Fortunately still birth is more rare now than 50 or more years ago, but it is still a trauma that can deeply affect ect a relationship and whole families. # One of my sister-in-laws twice had to face this anguish: the first was a girl, AnnMarie, who lasted only a couple of hours and baptised in hospital by my mother.

The other boy, David, survived six weeks, a time of fears and hopes. His uncle was deeply affected at the funeral when this small white coffin was thrust on to his knees in the car taking the cortege to the cemetery where he was placed in the same grave as his grannie. The parents survived their joint grief and pain and enjoyed other children - six other children, four girls and two boys, with a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.# The same cemetery has another gravestone - a huge stone teddy bear surmounting the resting place of another young child obviously loved by his or her parents. In fact there's a wide range of children's headstones mostly with a toy animal image, but it will depend on local bye-laws as some cemeteries have strict rules about graves and their care.# How does anyone cope with the death of an offspring as we tend to think that our children will out live parents. Some just get on with their lives and try to put it behind them, for others it can lead to a break down not only nervously, but in their marriage. Many want to have a memorial to their loved one - perhaps more far reaching than a teddy bear.# A c o u p l e w h o w a n te d to ke e p t h e c a n d l e burning for their lost child and reach out to share their experiences with similar parents and families is Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates who founded Saying Goodbye. They lost five babies, but now consider themselves blessed with two little girls.# Zoe & Andy have been involved in business for many years, with a number of successful companies and not-for-profit projects, including CCEM, an International Event Management company. They are

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passionate about life and their family, and they have been providing support for people who have gone through the trauma of losing a child for many years.# They have organised a series of services in cathedrals and minsters throughout the United Kingdom which have attracted a great deal of support from families suffering from the loss of a child.# The services are free to attend and are open to anyone of any faith or no faith. They have been strategically located, to make them accessible to as many people as possible. The Saying Goodbye Services are the first national set of remembrance services for people who have lost a child at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, whether last week or 80-years ago. # It should also be noted that all are welcome regardless of the type of loss they have experienced, so whether they have been through early or late miscarriage, missed miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, still birth, early infant loss or any other type of baby or child loss.#

The caterpillar,! interesting, but not exactly lovely,! humped along among the parsley leaves! eating, always eating. !

Then! one night it was gone and in its place! a small green confinement hung by two silk threads! on a parsley stem. I think it took nothing with it! except faith, and patience. And then one morning!

- it expressed itself into the most beautiful being.

Loss at any stage is traumatic. Early loss is often not acknowledged or discussed, with commemorative services seldom taking place, whilst services for babies who are stillborn or lost in early years, are usually conducted while parents are in a fog of grief and pain.# The services will give families the opportunity to stand with other people ‘who know’ the pain of losing a child.The services were originally set up as a not-for-profit division of CCEM, the International Event Management company owned by Zoe & Andy. They then went on to establish the Mariposa Trust of which Saying Goodbye is a division. CCEM continues to organise the services on behalf of the Mariposa Trust. More information about the Mariposa Trust can be found at www.mariposatrust.orgi

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard” - Winnie the Pooh

! ! aormi@icloud.com

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Good Grief Andy Ormiston

by

November 2014

“With the death of each individual, an entire universe vanishes”. - Alan Little BBC war correspondent

I had done an insurance course as part of my degree and the main thing that stuck with me is that there is no life insurance, only life assurance, meaning that death is the only thing we know for certainty that will happen and we will lose our life..it's assured - it's a sure bet we are all going to die sometime. One of my many jobs was selling property on the Costa Blanca and I always made a point of passing the Torrevieja cemetery and saying, "Here is the cemetery. If you buy a property then someday you will end up here.

It is a niche system and the higher up the niche the more expensive it will be." Inevitably somebody would ask, "Why do the higher ones cost more?" Answer, "Because they have sea views." Everyone laughs, but a message has been received..over but not out.!

I was trying to make a point that someday they, the house buyers, will have to face up to dying in a foreign country and the relevant paperwork, dealing with customs such as a

quick burial, not to mention the grief and subsequent loneliness. Nowadays the law of burial within 24 hours does not hold as with modern refrigeration a funeral can be put off for several days until arrangements have been made for family to come over. Today with a modern Tanatorium (morgue or funeral parlor) most people have a service of some kind in the little chapel there. It is still a local custom for Torrevieja families to hold a Réquiem Mass in the church and walk behind the cortege to the cemetery. Nowadays no body is kept overnight in the house, but it was common along with a similar vigil to a aormi@icloud.com

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wake. It may not seem important, but there is psychological need to be able to seek closure and to say goodbye. !

Some people donate their body and organs to the hospital in Alicante in an altruistic fashion helping science; some thinking that in this way their family or companion will not be bothered with al the details. But there is still a lot of paperwork involved in doing this. One should also think of the loved one left behind who may dwell over the idea of their nearest and dearest being chopped up by students. Also it happens sometimes that the person left behind will receive a call from the hospital even two years alter asking

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one—which is often the cause of the most intense type of grief—but any loss can cause grief, including: - divorce or breakup of relationship - death of a pet - loss of health - serious illness of someone - lost job - loss of a cherished dream - loss of financial stability - loss of friendship - a miscarriage - retirement - loss of safety after a trauma - sale of family home The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief. However, even subtle losses can lead to grief. For example, you might experience grief after moving away from home, graduating from college, changing jobs, selling your family home, or retiring from a career you loved.

!

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what they want done with the remains and I have known people becoming really distressed when this happens, as it means going over all the sentimental crisis as before.!

I have also known a family break up because there was no funeral to attend or service, no goodbye and deep within they felt robbed, they had missed out by not being able to say goodbye. Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one—which is often the cause of the most intense type of grief—but any loss can cause grief, be it a pet or divorce, job loss, sudden bad health, losing a baby, even moving home or retirement. There are six basic human emotions of happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust, which like music or colour have a wide gamut of nuances.!

How one approaches grief will vary from person to person often depending on one's outlook on life, if we have religious convictions, or a belief in an afterlife. One of the worst things to tell anyone is, "You'll soon get over it. After all you have to get on with your own life." On the other hand there is no good trying to hold on to what has gone. But it is a pleasant relief to relive good shared moments.!

Grieving is normally a slow healing process and there is a need to come to terms with a new part of your life. Some people feel the pain of absence tremendously and throw themselves into another relationship, which may or may not function well, but usually there is always the curse of saying, "oh my husband/wife always did this or said that.."

Not a good strategy as it takes a very understanding and caring person to cope with that attitude of not letting go. And part of grieving is letting go, not forgetting, but not hanging on to what was or what might have been.!

aormi@icloud.com

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Torrevieja November Cultural Programme

November 1 – Teatro Municipal 21:00h. DON JUAN TENORIO by Ars Creatio – 5 euros

!

Nov. 2 There will be band parades in the town centre as part of the month long fiestas of Santa Cecilia, patron saint of music.

Teatro Municipal 21:00h. a classic Spanish humorous play - DON JUAN TENORIO by Ars Creatio – 5 euros In the Virgen del Carmen cultural centre there are cinema showings of terror Films from morning 10 to10 at nght all part of Halloween which has become a regular fiesta (see Torrevieja Outlook 2015 calendar for October)

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Nov. 5 – Teatro Municipal 20:00 – Opera “Don Giovanni” by W.A.Mozart various prices from the Gods at 25 euros to front rows at 35 euros.

Nov. 6 - 19:00 h. MUSICAL POPPY’S REMEMBER : Royal British Legion in Teatro Municipal. 5€

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Nov. 7 – 20:30 – Xth annual solidarity night run aormi@icloud.com

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with band music entrance 3 euros

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21:00 h. Concert by the choir and musicians of LÍRICA NOSTRA DE TORREVIEJA Org.: Asociación Lirica Nostra Vocasl e Instrumental.

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22:30 h. In concert famous singer - PALOMA SAN BASILIO in the Auditorium International – prices Org.: Horizonte Musical, S.C. / Lugar: Auditorio Internacional.

Precio: 45€ (Sector B y E) 35€ (Sector F) 25€ (Sector D)

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Nov. 8th - 17:00 h. PASACALLES DE SANTA CECILIA – parade by th e band Socieda d M usica l L os Salerosos“Ciudad deTorrevieja”.

18:30 h. GALA CONMEMORACIÓN VIRGEN DE LA ALMUDENA, PATRONA DE MADRID in C. C. Virgen del Carmen / Precio: 3€ 20:00 h. Now annual Concert . MEMORIAL RICARDO LAFUENTE in Teatro Municipal 2 euros

Nov. 9th – 12:00 band parade in streets by Los Salerosos 13:00 in Park of the Nations - XI edition of the Recuperation of Torrevieja Customs with a taste of callos and michirones.

19:00 Gala Torrevieja Canta a la Almudena by the Madrid Association in the Palace of Music 3 euros.

Nov. 14 - >20:00 h. Free Russian Music Conceert – in Virgen del Carmen CC. 20:30 h. PRESENTATIÓN of a novel : “LA ESPAÑA DEL VIENTO” Written José Vijuesca Zamorano.

In the Palacio de la Música.

21:00 h. MUSICAL “LOS MISERABLES” by the Académia Dharma for Asociación de fibromialgia, S. Fatiga Crónica (ASIMEPP). Teatro Municipal : 5€

15 Nov - 20:00 h. “ALÉRGICO AL TRABAJO” Y “APAGA Y VÁMONOS” by the Grupo de teatro “Candilejas” in Virgen del Carmen CC. free 20:30 h. RECITAL DE MÚSICA Y POESÍA by the Unión Musical Torrevejense and Ars Creatio. in Palacio de la Música/ free 21:00 h. MÚSICA “AMIGOS, SIEMPRE AMIGOS” Sociedad Musical“Ciudad deTorrevieja with ”Los Salerosos y Orfeón Municipal Ricardo Lafuente” Teatro Municipal - 5€

aormi@icloud.com

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16 Nov. 12:00 h. Street Parade from Palacio de Musica by LA UNIÓN MUSICAL TORREVEJENSE which stops at various houses on the way picking up recently joined members of the band.

17 Nov. - 20:30 h. CONCERT OF SOLOISTS OF THE UNIÓN MUSICAL TORREVEJENSE IN Palacio de la Musica.

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18 Nov. – 20:00 Swan Lake ballet by Teatro Nacional Academy of Opera and Ballet of the Bolshoi – in Teatro Municipal Prices from 30euros, 35 euros and 40 euros.

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19 Nov. - 19:00 h. NÓRDICO CHOIR in the Palacio de la Música Free until filled.

20 Nov. Tapas Route

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21 Nov. RUTA DE LA TAPA 19:00 h. CORO SOL Y SAL in C. C. Virgen del Carmen.

21:00 h. “SHANI ORMISTON ACOUSTIC CONCERT” in Palacio de la Música.

ENTRY FREE UNTIL THE HALL IS FILLED. 22 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE 11:00 Homage to the deceased musicians - held in the cemetery by the Unión Musical Torrevejense.

FESTIVAL 25 YEARS INTORREVIEJA Org.: Costa Blanca Vapaakirkko Ry. C. C. Virgen del Carmen.

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21:00 h. PROCLAMATION Y CORONATION OF THE REINA DE LA SAL 2015 (Salt Queen) -Teatro Municipal – free until all seats filled.

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23 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE Org.: Concejalía de Hostelería.

10:00 h. BRUJITA TAPITA – 7 euros C. C. Virgen del Carmen.

12:00 h. EXTRAORDINARY CONCEERT OF SANTA CECILIA

BY Unión Musical Torrevejense.

IN Teatro Municipal entry by invitation .

! ! aormi@icloud.com

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24. Nov. TAPAS ROUTE - RUTA DE LA TAPA

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25 Nov. 20:00 h. GRAN CONCIERTO DE MÚSICA INTERNACIONAL : Derek Francis and Others Palacio de la Música : 5€

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20:00 h. INTERCHANGE OF CHOIRS FOR THE 60th ANIVERSARIY OF CERTAMEN INTERNACIONAL DE HABANERAS Y POLIFONÍA Coral Tabaquera de Alicante y Coral Francisco Vallejos de Torrevieja : Teatro Municipal : 5€

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26 Nov. 19:00 h. CONCERT BY THE CORAL NUEVO AMANECER DE TORRELAMATA Palacio de la Música. FREE UNTIL HALL IS COMPLETELY FILLED. 27 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE RUTA DE LA TAPA Org.: Concejalía de Hostelería.

20:30 h. CONFERENCE - “HISTORIA DE LA UNIÓN MUSICAL TORREVEJENSE” With: Graham Knight y José Miguel Toro. Palacio de Musica Free until seats filled.

28 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE 21:00 h. ESPECIAL VELADA DE BOLEROS, COPLA Y REPERTORIO LÍRICO : Palacio de la Música. : 7€ 21:30 Teatro Municipal – Tres Calaveras Huecas – comics of TV show El Hormiguero 16 euros.

29 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE ->> 12:00 h. Cooking competition of “PELOTAS” in the Indoor market Ciudadana.

18:30 h. CORAL BELLA TORREVIEJA : Palacio de la Música : 3€ 21:30 h. MUSICAL COMIC REVIEW “LA SAL DE TORREVIEJA” : comics of TV show El Hormiguero Teatro Municipal: 10€

!

30 Nov. TAPAS ROUTE 16:00 h. CHILDRENS PARADE IN TOWN CENTRE Charamita

aormi@icloud.com

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