052 june torrevieja outlook

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052 June 2018 Calendar – Costa Blanca June fiestas – Fires of San Juan – Alicante Hogueras

– What is the Costa Blanca? – Blue Flags and doggy beaches – Hogueras food – la Paloma Blanca drink – Summertime Blues – Pilgrimage series (Compostella) – MABS Centre – Orihuela Costa defibs – YOSalud means MY HEALTH – Acequion Beach – Eras de a Sal outdoor theatre – Care4You in Spain – Russian Church – Torrevieja Symphony Orchestra – Salinas Animated Tour – British Benevolent Fund – Green ALPE – Dogspital in Torrevieja and Elche - Royal British Legion Concert Band Spain

Bella Lola foto - Nicholas Garcia

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JUNE FIESTA CALENDAR IN ALICANTE PROVINCE With June we come into summer, which is reflected in fiestas as we have the fires of San Juan the Baptist and the burning Sacred Heart on 8th. A moveable feast in May/ June is that of Corpus Christi (18 May), celebrated in most towns by some form of processions or pilgrimages. The weather is hot and Costa Blanca resort towns are full of tourists and most of hem looking for fiestas as well as the beach.

On the First Sunday of June Guadalest (above) celebrates Fiestas of San Gregorio.

In Benejúzar the patronal fiestas of la Santísima Virgen del Rosario are held.

First weekend of June Ibi holds fiestas in Campos area. Second weekend of June Ibi continues fiestas in la Ciudad Deportiva.

Weekend prior to the feast of Corpus Christi the Holy Trinity fiestas are held in Dénia, which means they are held at the beginning of June.

7 - 10 June Moors & Christians in Alicante in the San Blas district.

9th June Romería for Corpus Christi celebrated in Benidorm for 4 days.

The week after Corpus Christi is a fiesta in the town of L’Alquería d’Asnar.

29th June the weekend nearest to this date is a fiesta in Banyares de Mariola. aormi@icloud.com

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12 - 16th June 13th June 14 . 24th June 8th June

Novelda has fiestas in the Sagrado Corazón area.

Romería in Banyares de Mariola.

Hogueras in Xàbia. is the Sacred Heart of Jesus with Fiestas in Dolores and Torrevieja, Parcent.

17th June/19th Feast of San Antiono de Padua is the time for fiestas in Altea and in La Mata.

Third weekend of June the Moors & Christians in Teulada.

Last weekend of month Ibi has a fiesta.

20 - 29th June Fogueras in Alacant 21 - 24th June Hogueras in Torrevieja and Catral (Moorss & Christians) .

24th June

27th - 28th June

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Feastday of Saint John the Baptist. In Alicante on the night of the 24th is the cremà. Other places celebrating this fiesta are in Alcalalí; Altea; Beniardà; Benidorm; Benejama; Calpe; Santa Pola (Romería); Xàbia; Montforte del Cid; Dénia; Gata de Gorgos; San Miguel de las Salinas.

Moors & Christians in Pego.

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29th June

Feast of Saints Peter & Paul. Celebrated in Island of Tabarca. (above) , Rojales with Moors & Christians; in Guardamar del Segura; in Dénia; Moors & Christians in Benissa; Moors & Christians, Agost; The Sunday nearest to the 27th June is a fiesta in honour of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro held in Almoradi.

Last weekend of June patronal fiestas in Pego. Youth festival in Sanet y Negrals with more events in Ibi. San Juan de Alicante fiestas held at end of the month.

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Fires of San Juan and Corpus Christi Processions

The principal tourist fiestas of this month are those of Saint John the Baptist on whose birth, according to a tradition, strange mystic fires were burnt. This night of the 24th June is the summer solstice and the purifying pagan fire rites have been adapted to celebrate the corresponding Christian feast of St. John the Baptist.

Fire plays an important part of many fiestas throughout the year and during the days that lead up to his fiesta on 24th June, many towns build bonfires known as hogueras, that are ceremoniously burned on the saint’s feast day.

It is also Midsummer and the shortest night of the year which has its own type of magic and the pagan fire rites have been carried over into Christianity. Fallas, fogueras, hogueras all roughly mean the same thing – a bonfire. But specialist underline that there is a technical difference as a falla tends to lean more towards satire content and has vivid colours whereas, a hoguera is more allegorical with pastel coclours. The Hoguera is based on straight lines, symmetrical, while the falla seems to have finer features such as those of Lllado porcelain, with the ninots having a grotesque appearance..

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Other towns that celebrate hogueras include Benidorm, San Juan, Denia, Teulada, Pinoso, Calpe and Torrevieja. In some seaside towns the beaches have small hogueras and there are even some people who have white magic rituals on the beach with fire and water.

San Juan (Saint John the Baptist) In this article we will look at the Alicante hogueras as they are really fantastic.

Alicante is rightly famous for its hogueras; there are usually 176 of these traditional fires in the streets of Alicante. There is a museum in the town centre where those figures that have been awarded an indult prize have been saved for prosperity and were saved from the flames. A great visit throughout the year to see these wonderfully crafted figures in El museo de Fogueres de Alicante.

The fogueres or hogueras of Alicante have been declared as being of International Touristic Interest. The original Alicante hoguera celebrations were in 1928, organised

by Don José María Pi y Ramirez de Cartagena. These are fiestas that literally fire the imagination of the whole population as illusions from the past year are realised in the figures of the hogueras.

The figures are set-up in the various points of the city around about the 20th, only to be burned on the night of the saint’s day of the 24th June. In these figures you can see the pointed humour of the citizens as each one has its own lesson to impart before its final demise in the fires of ‘la crema’. Normally a plaque with a ryhme or poem satirises the content of the hoguera, which is often relevant to local or nationa politics. Sometimes these figures have led to problems as they cast fun at political figures such as Mr. Zapatero causing umbrage among socialist supporters.

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As in most parts of Spain the hogueras celebrations ceased during the hostilities of the Civil War. In 1939 only one hoguera was built in front of the Mercado Central ut by 1940 there were 21 hogueras.

Barracas and Paellas A Giant paella in Gotenburg promotes the hogueras

At the beginning of the festivities there is a paella competition. These have been extended as demonstrations in other foreign cities to promote tourism during these annual fiestas in Alicante.

Each hoguera has its own barraca, a place where people can gather to feast and dance each night of the hogueras fiestas. The original barraca was a typical Valencian or Murcian house; today it usually means a place of celebrations during fiestas. There is a competition in five categories for the best barraca including the design of the entrance to these barracas, how much entertainment they offer, how long they are open etc. This competition adds an extra dimension to the general hogueras of San Juan. Music and dancing are important elements as people forget their daily work, problems and hardships for these precious few days. This escape from the daily drudge is a fundamental element in all the fiestas held in Spain; it is amazing that this concept has increased, rather than decreased, with the arrival of television in the home, as one would think that most people would prefer to watch the world through the eyes of a TV camera. aormi@icloud.com

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Firework competitions These fiestas dominate the senses with the smell of gunpowder, the noise of rockets and crackers, the smoke and heat of the flames, the crush of excited bystanders, the colourful images and dresses, the music of bands and taped music.

Fireworks are a staple element in every Spanish fiesta and here in Alicante there is yet another competition held daily this time at 14.00 from 20th to 24th June for the best Mascletas, the firecrackers set off amid a lot of noise and smoke. It appears that the origins of fireworks, particularly crackers, are because at many celebrations local militia would escort the parade and fire off their guns.

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On the night of the 24th a huge palmeral is set off above the Santa Barbara Castle.

This splendid firework is as its name suggests is like a huge palm tree fireball and can take three months in its manufacture of various componenets. Fireworks continue after the 24th until 29th on the Postguiet beach as another fireworks competition is held. These extraordinary fiery attractions terminate on the 29th with the correfoc which last year took place on the Esplanda.

Flower offering

Almost every day there is some form of parade in some part of Alicante. The fiestas may be in honour of San Juan, but the traditional Flower Offering is made to Nuestra Señora Virgen del Remedio; a procession that also brings in an element of competition as each of the hoguera committees of the various districts vie as to who has the biggest and best flower arrangement. Thousands of the city’s beauties parade in their colourful costumes carrying flowers to the plaza del Ayuntamiento where they are built up into a common floral picture in honor of the Virgen. aormi@icloud.com

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Another important parade worth mentioning is the Folklore one held on 23rd June.

This is a long parade with groups of dancing girls in traditional colourful clothes of the countryside and fisherwomen. Other dancing couples dance intricate ribbon dances twisting and turning inside each other until the ribbons seem hopelessly tangled up, only to dance their way once more out of the apparent knot. Horses and their riders also participate with agile displays of horsemanship and dressage, with an occasional large carpet n the ground so that the horse can obey commands to “play dead” to the delight of the crowd.

Parades would not be fun without the music of the local marching bands and one of these accompanies the “Bigheads”, the traditional representatives of Aragon, Castille and the Moors among other ones. These are heavy effigies carried on the shoulders of strong men who work in groups, taking turns under the clothes of the Bigheads.

Also the beauty Queens of the Fires take part in the folklore parade sitting on huge floats of various designs such as a brightly coloured peacock.

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An important figure in any of the fiestas is that of the Beauty Queen. The Queen of the Hogueras of Alicante is known as la Bellea del Foc. This title was instituted in 1932 at the suggestion of a Segovian journalist, Mario GuillĂŠn, that the town should have a figure to represent the women of the city. In 1961 the brocaded dresses used by the queens and their entourage were introduced by Torrevejense Don Tomas Valcarcel who was in charge of the steering committee in Alicante for several years.

This is not merely a figure of beauty because the Bellea has to be an ambassador for the city, traveling and speaking at other events in Spain and nowadays at an international level. Therefore, it is not just beauty that is required but some brains and ability to speak in public. In 2002 one of the streets of the city was named la Bellea del Foc in honour of this position. This year the 84th queen was elected, as there was a break in most fiestas at the time of the civil war. Nowadays the election of these queens is accompanied by a large spectacular concert, usually held in May where the candidates’ parade, wearing not only the traditional colourful Alicante fiesta dress, and also in gala dresses.

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Each hoguera has its own queen and dames of honour elected, including many for children. These local beauties are important figures in the life of each of the districts and they dress in the beautiful traditional dress of the Alicante ladies of the past. But it is not only the Queens who dress up, a fiesta is an occasion for all the ladies to bring out lovely classic costumes and the men also to use the occasion to put on their traditional glad rags. As from 2008, the regulations in choosing a Bellea were altered so that women of any age above 18 could be picked, as well as permitting a transvestite to be chosen in line with the national Law of Equality. Almost every traditional fiesta has its own type of music and the Alicante Hogueras Queen has music dedicated to them. This is the “Himno a la Bellea del Foc” written by Luis Torregrosa with words by José Ferrándiz Torremocha, first heard in the Plaza de Toros, Alicante on 22nd June 1933. Although it is considered a great honour to be the Fire Queen one of the saddest functions is to press the computerized button that sets off the final fireworks that ignites the hoguera and see something so beautiful destroyed in the flames.

Ninots Those specialists, who work all year round designing and making the various ‘ninot sculptures’, are justly proud of their handiwork and it must pain them to see so much hard work and illusion go up in flames. For months the chosen artists will be fully occupied designing and planning their work, aware that every detail will be highly criticized. A competition of these Ninots is held and judges decide which two are the best for saving from the flames and they will eventually find their way into the museum in la Rambla, Alicante. During May there is normally a collection of these figures in the converted Lonja de Pescadores in the harbour area.

A committee of judges visit all the Hogueras, and those considered to be the best receive a prize. The streets are ablaze with streetlights throwing aormi@icloud.com

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shadows in multi-coloured shapes. Hoguera celebrations play an important part in keeping alive the fire and spirit of the people of the city. The average amount aid for a hoguera is around 12,000 euros and this money comes from fund raising throughout the year by each hoguera committee with a grant from the town hall and donations from advertisers and sponsors.

Typical food While the ninots were being planted in the streets, the workers were provided with pies (empanadas) which would have tuna fish and pine seeds. Today although this still continues, it has become a competition event among the city’s bakers as to who can make the tastiest and best presented coca amb tonyina. The rules state that the size must be 18 by 24 centimetres. The ingredients are flour, warm water, oil, anis, salt and pepper. The filling is tuna, onion, pine kernels plus both black and sweet pepper. One of the secrets is that the pastry must be very thin without being broken in the process. Each coca is brushed with eggwash before being baked.

Alongside bacores is another traditional fruit that is available at this time. This comes from the first harvest of the fig tree and locally is also known as a breva. It is in season in June and is pear shaped and larger than a fig but not as sweet. The fresh figs come out in August and are delicious with fresh cream!

Window Dressing Another aspect of these fiestas is the Window Dressing Competition where all the local businesses are invited to put on special window displays in the hope of winning an award and, of course, some free publicity. The window displays are earlier from the end of May and prizes are awarded on 22nd June.

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The 9th June is the regional Day of Murcia (and of la Rioja) with many celebrations in the week leading up to this date in those regions.

During the summer many communities and urbanisations take it upon themselves to have their

Costa Blanca The Costa Blanca has 244 kilometers of coastline that includes sandy beaches and rugged coves and cliffs. With over 300 days of sunshine at an average 18ยบC temperature Alicante Province has the most Blue Flags awarded for its beaches than anywhere else in Spain. With all this coastline and so many ports, harbors and marinas there is a multitude of aquatic actives and nautical experiences.

Most tourists k n o w something about the beaches, but miss the opportunity to explore some of the hills and mountains where there are hidden villages that are an integral part of the Costa Blanca. Alicante aormi@icloud.com

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is one of the m o s t mountainous provinces in Spain, as it has 26 mountains that peak at over 1,000 meters above sea level.

Many small businesses make use of these natural facilities and offer a myriad of multiadventure activities suitable for everyone that take in some of the ancient traditions and r e g i o n a l cuisine that blends in with their venture.

And cuisine is an important sector of tourism and the regional cuisine of Alicante is rich as it uses all the natural ingredients of sea, mountain, orchards and fields that make up the Province.

There is a recognized Wine route that takes in over 16 wineries open to visitors, that include sampling and buying at reasonable prices. There are many organized food fairs, tapas trails, regional and international good events which are headed up by some of the 10 Michelin starred restaurants offering so many eating experiences of exquisite rice dishes, with over 300 listed specialities that are often found in local fiestas.

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The Costa Blanca has a wealth of cultural and historical heritage with 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, not forgetting the designated international tourist interest festival and 7 national tourist interest festivals. So there are cultural activities suitable for all tastes throughout the year.

There are a number of theme and adventure parks supplying fun and thrills for all ages. Shopping is an important part of holidaying and there are extensive shopping complexes, malls and areas throughout the province.

Thanks to cultural programmes, hotels, restaurants and some bars there is a wide range of family and night-time entertainment.

Thee are dedicated catering, hostelry training schools in Alicante, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Denia, and elsewhere that ensures that the service of the hostelry industry continues to produce excellent staff for the catering industry.

Enjoying the sun, swimming, water skiing or whatever else you fancies is great exercise and the Costa Blanca has excellent portents for wellbeing. Thee is an internationally renowned health infrastructure in the public and private spheres that excel at providing first class health care for the thousand of international patients each year. Apart from the climate, the quality of life a famous Mediterranean diet, the province has lots of spas, yoga and mindfulness opportunities to ensure healthy bodies and minds.

As mentioned elsewhere there are numerous opportunities for sport as the sea offers opportunities to learn new skills such as sailing, fishing, rowing even with a Dragon boat, kayaking, scuba diving, water skiing, flyboarding, jet skiing, kite boating and kitesurfing, kneeboarding, parasailing, and paddle surfing. It is possible to go out to sail on board a fishing vessel and experience at first hand the thrills, dangers and exhilaration of fishing with nets in the open sea.

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Outdoor activities include team sports, or just doing your own thing. Because of its terrain Alicante province can offer adventure racing, backpacking, cycling, camping, canoeing, canyoning, caving, disc golf, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, kayaking, rock climbing, running, sailing, skiing, surfing, ATV riding, and sports.

In wintertime it is fairly easy to get to mountain snow resorts and enjoy skiing and other multitude of possible sports. There twenty excellent golf courses in the area and a dozen more within easy reach, plus four pitch and putt with high class facilities. Here you find ancillary services such as spas, gyms, and many adapted for the disabled golfers.

The internet services has made it easy to find some accommodation, whether it be a first class hotel, a rural house, an hostal, villas, self-catering apartments, and camp and caravan sites. This is all backed up with a first class transport infrastructure of excellent motorways, dual carriageways, an excellent train network including high speed trains, air flights to over 110 destinations from the Alicante/Elche international airport that serves over 12 million passengers. Other passengers make use of the Murcia airport, or Valencia.

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Blue Flags and Doggy beaches Once again this year the Costa Blanca, in fact the Valencian Region, has continued to lead the way with Blue Flag beaches, denoting clean beaches, translucent sea, excellent facilities, 132 beaches and 14 ports have been awarded the coveted Blue Flag awards in the Valencian Community, which is 20% of the total in Spain.

Alicante Province, i.e. Costa Blanca, has accumulated 68 flags (4 more than last year)), Castellon province 33 awards and Valencia province 31 Blue Flags.

Orihuela can fly 9 flags on beaches including two new ones on Cala Cerrada and Mil Palmeras. Torrevieja has been awarded for Cabo Cervera and Pilar de la Horadada has another one for the port. The Alicante Province ports flying this award are Dénia, Xàbia, Les Bassetes , Calpe, Altea, La Vila Joiosa, Marina Deportiva de Alicante, Santa Pola, Torrevieja (Marina Internacional and Real Club Náutico), Dehesa de Campoamor de Orihuela and El Campello.

Good news for animal lovers is that finally Torrevieja council has decided to use two beaches for animals - Punta Margalla and la cala del Moro, admittedly not quite sandy beaches. These will be fixed out by the end of June, but the real issue has been put off until the May elections next year when it is expected that a “popular vote” will be held to ensure the continuance of doggy beaches. Who knows, maybe there will be Blue Flag beaches for animal lovers. Other doggy beaches are at: Caleta els Gossets (Santa Pola, Between Urbanova y Alicante, Playa de la Escollera Norte (Dénia, Playa Punta del Riu Sec (Campello, Playa del Barranc (Campello, Cala El Xarco, (Villajoyosa, Playa Mar y Montaña (Altea,

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Alicante hogueras food

Every Spanish holiday has its own concrete gastronomy, special recipes on special days that are looked forward to year after year. Once Holy Week is finished Easter traditions take over, especially the mona. Families often come together, perhaps at the table, but more likely in the countryside or on the beach. Bakeries are busy making their own specific and special recipe that takes pride of place on their counters.

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Orange blossom water, lemon, sugar, eggs, flour ‌ are some of the ingredients of this delicious delicacy that is crowned with a hard-boiled egg in the center. And it seems that there is a tradition to bash it on the forehead of some relative or friend before they know what is coming.

Though in Alicante they are in the habit of being long ones, also there are small ones and rounded ones and over the years to this part the monkeys have become fashionable with forms There are contests of monas and the bakeries are praised for being the winners, not to mention the advertising and prestige that this attracts. Besides the best flavor that they have, originality is also rewarded.

To speak about the Bonfires of San Juan in Alicante means talking about the famous " Coca amb Tonyina " always present on the table at this time. (see page 14) It is another gastronomical custom associated with the hogueras. Initially the coca was offered as a snack, or at dinner or even a reward to the volunteers who helped during the mounting of the hoguera monument. This coca was so well known and popular that the Architect and illustrious native of Alicante - Don Juan Vidal, designer of buildings such as the Central Market or the House Carbonell dedicated an ode of praise.

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It is normally eaten with breves or figs. The breves are the first crop of fruits of the fig tree (Ficus carica) that coincides about middle of June and that has as characteristic of being a greater size and a little less sweet than the fruits of the second crop that comes out later in July. The fiesta custom in Alicante is eating out in the racós or barracas that are setup at nearly every hoguera. Typical products of the whole Alicante province are popular such as the sausages of Pinoso or Torremanzanas, cheeses of the interior, figatells of the mountain, vegetables of the Vega Baja.

It goes without saying that all this is an incredible gastronomic compendium recovering old traditions of the Alicante kitchen such as the esmorzaret alacantí aormi@icloud.com

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dish composed salted sardine, peppers and dry tomatoes, ñoras and fried eggs, all the ingredients cooked in the same oil. Salzones are salted items including pickles – an expression that comes from the custom from taking a barra of bread under the arm pressed against the body to eat and that nowadays is used to define those meals in which every person contributes a plate. Every hoguera associationn will have a barraca where, undoubtedly, the star dish has to have rice in its multiple forms of this part of Spain. The tradition is also to buñuelos de calabaza or pumpkin buns, which are also popular in November for All Saints. These are available from numerous kerbside kiosks during the hogueras.

La Paloma Blanca One of the most popular songs that British pick up a couple of lines is La Paloma Blanca or the white dove. La paloma, Possibly the most famous habaneras is that by Sebastián Iradier named “La Paloma” which was a favourite of Carlota de Bélgica, empress of México and wife of Maximiliano of Habsburg.

In Torrevieja La Paloma drink is associated with the traditional hogueras of San Juan this month.

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The La Paloma tipsy refreshing drink consisted of anise, water and lots of ice. These are the essential ingredients for the production of this traditional drink that used to be served in the summer bars of Torrevieja.

Its origins stems from the traffic flow in the 19th century to North Africa, and the trade between the shipping of Oran, Algiers and Mazalquivir, so it blends French culture and the Levantine one.

In the 19th century the anisettes in Spain were considered as a healthy drink, similar to the gin in Victorian England. The use of anis in drinks varied with ingredients and place, for example the 'canary' elaborated with anise of paloma, lemon syrup and water, was favoured in the Vega Baja. It was seen as a bulwark against the cholera in the Iberian Peninsula in 19th century.

The supposedly anti-cholera properties ensured it became a popular drink in Torrevieja. In Monóvar, the drinkers adopted the name un mono (monkey) a diminutive of the national 'monovero', which Jose Boch adopted in Badalona, having registered the brand ' Anís El Mono'. Wines and spirits of Torrevieja made by Pedro Casciaro Lobato - a Gibraltarian who bought property in Torrevieja in the ' Cerco de San José (today Park of the Nations area, were awarded in the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona in 1888, and Paris, in 1889, emphasizing the ' soft anisette ' as a major product.

In those days Torrevieja's low houses had cisterns to catch the rainfall coming off the slanted roofs. This water was then kept in earthenware drinking gourds, botijos, and anis added, popularly used as a medicinal drink, especially against the tapeworms that produced diseases. Torrevieja was not affected by the cholera, as drinking water had no pathogenic microbes in it.

In the early 20th century several bars in Torrevieja specialised in la Paloma.

Francisco Torregrosa y Cª. produced in Torrevieja the branded anís ‘Torregrosa’ as well as a coñac ‘Maciá’, drinks distributed in the Vega Baja. Vicente Moscardó Barceló had a bodega with the brand of anis, ‘Colosal’; José Ballester Costa also distributed another anis, ‘Salas’ . aormi@icloud.com

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Summertime Blues

Summer is on top of us and families spend more time outdoors. Since Easter we have seen topless women basking in the sun, looking for that all round suntan. After all men go topless so why not ladies?

Men can get breast cancer as well as women, but tend to ignore the fact. Here we have a quick look at protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. These rays increase the risk of skin cancer, which is why proper sun protection is essential.

In fact, the sun’s UV rays are responsible for about 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 86 percent of melanomas. Experts say that the differences between SPF numbers are small after a certain point. For example, a sunscreen with SPF 15 may block 93% of UVB rays, versus 97% for SPF 30. There's plenty you can do to shield kids from UV rays: long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses, hats with broad brims and avoiding the harshest hours of sunlight at midday, reserch suggested that "shade or long sleeves -- physical protection from the sun -- may in fact be more effective than sunscreen alone Exposure to UV radiation is directly linked to all three forms of skin cancer.

The Skin Cancer Foundation offers the following tips to help families enjoy a sun-safe summer:

At the Beach ¥ Use a broad spectrum sunscreen daily. For extended outdoor activity, use a waterresistant broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Reapply every two hours or after swimming or excessive sweating. ¥ Cover up with clothing. Look for high-UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) swim shirts or rash guards, and choose bathing suits that cover more skin, lsuch as one-piece suits and long trunks. Make sure to apply and reapply sunscreen to exposed areas of the skin not covered by fabric. To help avoid missing spots apply sunscreen before putting on your bathing suit. ¥ Avoid tanning. There is no such thing as a safe tan, because tanning itself is caused by DNA damage to the skin. In addition to increasing skin cancer risk, tanning also leads to premature skin aging, including wrinkles, leathery skin and age spots.

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In the Countryside ¥ Remind kids to seek the shade. Advise kids to play in shaded areas to limit UV exposure. If at a summer camp check with counselors to see if there are adequate places for campers to seek shade during outdoor activities taking place between 10 AM and 4 PM, when UV rays are most intense. ¥ Dress kids in sun-protective clothing. For optimal protection from the sun, kit kids with sunprotective clothing. Look for tightly woven or knit, dark or bright- colored fabrics, which offer the best protection. Don’t forget wide-brimmed hats and wraparound, UV-blocking sunglasses. ¥ Practice sunscreen application beforehand.

Teach children to apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons, or about the size of a golf ball) of sunscreen to all exposed areas 30 minutes before outdoor activities. Remind them to cover easily missed areas such as the back of the neck and tops of the ears. If at summer camp, ask counselors to help children reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or excessive sweating – but ensure that the camp regulations permit counsellors to do this.

On the Road

¥ Treat your vehicle to window film. Car windows don't provide complete sun protection. Though UVB radiation is effectively blocked by glass, more than 60 percent of UVA radiation can pass through windows. UV-protective film, also known as window film, blocks

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out up to 99.9 percent of UV radiation. If you have window film installed, remember that it protects you only when the windows are closed. ¥ Drivers beware. Nearly 53 percent of skin cancers occur on the drivers' side of the body. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen, particularly when spending extended time in a car that has no window film.

Additional Skin Cancer Prevention Tips ¥ Do not burn. At any age, a person's risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has ever had five or more sunburns. ¥ Keep newborns out of the sun.

Sunscreen should be used on babies over the age of six months.

On one of my first trips to Ibiza I was astonished and angry to see little kids completely burned, with skin peeling off because of sun exposure.

Make sure your children have a sun hat. AND DRINK

PLENTY WATER

OF

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Continuing in our Pilgrimage series there is another type of holiday that people try in Spain, is that of joining a pilgrimage or going it alone.

Santiago de Compostela

Possibly the best-known shrine in Spain with several well trodden pathways leading to it is Santiago. 80,000 pilgrims using different modes of transport and different routes find their way to Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. Although the majority walk, and not necessarily all the way, others use guided tours, cycle, even wheelchairs, but rarely private car. Along the various routes are hostals and offices where a pilgrim can have an official booklet marked showing that he or she have reached eat station on the aormi@icloud.com

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route. Be prepared for a wide variety of weather conditions. Be aware of dangers, especially fig walking alone: a few months a go a Canadian woman was kidnapped into a van by three men who raped her before dumping her: but the police soon caught them,for what little comfort that is for their victim.

Torrevieja has an association or Cofradia de Santiago Apostol dedicated to pilgrimages of various sorts, but was founded for the Jacobean year of 2010.

In 1985 the Santiago de Compostela city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The end of the Camino or Saint James Way as we call it in English, pilgrimage is the cathedral that borders the main plaza of the old and well-preserved city.

Legend has it that the remains of the apostle James were brought to Galicia for burial. In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. The cult of Saint James of Compostela was just one of many arising throughout northern Iberia during the 10th and 11th centuries, according to some authors, by the middle years of the 11th century the site had already become a panEuropean place of peregrination, Camino Francés, or French Way, is the most popular.

One of the most popular routes is known as the Camino Frances that starts in south western France and finishing in the Spanish region of Galicia, sights to behold along the way include the ruined medieval hilltop castle and church of Nuestra Senora de Manzano, which dominates the important pilgrimage village of Castrojeriz.

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The Via Regia is the last portion of the (Camino Francés). Historically, because of the Codex Calixtinus, most pilgrims came from France: typically from Arles, Le Puy, Paris, and Vézelay; some from Saint Gilles. Cluny, site of the celebrated medieval abbey, was another important rallying point for pilgrims and, in 2002, it was integrated into the official European pilgrimage route linking Vézelay and Le Puy.

Camino Primitivo, or Original Way, is the oldest route to Santiago de Compostela, first taken in the 9th century and which begins in Oviedo.

Camino Portugués, or the Portuguese Way, is the second-most-popular route,starting at the cathedral in Lisbon (for a total of about 610 km) or at the cathedral in Porto in the north of Portugal (for a total of about 227 km), crossing into Galicia at Valença.

Camino del Norte, or the Northern Way, is also less traveled and starts in the Basque city of San Sebastián. It is far less popular since the route goes up and down a lot (where as the Camino Frances is mostly flat). The route follows the coast along the Bay of Biscay until it gets close to Santiago. It also does not hit the same number of historic cities and points of interest as the Camino Frances, but is a lot cooler in the summer and most consistently pretty. The route is believed to have been first used by pilgrims to avoid traveling through the territories occupied by the Muslims in the Middle Ages.[

Most Spanish consider the French border in the Pyrenees the natural starting point.

By far the most common starting point on the Camino Francés is Saint-Jean-Pied-dePort, on the French side of the Pyrenees, with Roncesvalles on the Spanish side also being popular. The distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostella through León is about 800 km.

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Then there is the Via Podiensis which has its starting point at Le Puy-enVelay and is the oldest recorded pilgrimage from France to Santiago de Compostela, made in 950 AD by Bishop Godesclac. Look out for the Romanesque chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe, otherwise known as "the needle". It takes 268 steps to reach the pinnacle of the 280-ft volcanic rock upon which it stands. This walk also passes the magnificent 14th Century Pont Valentre, over the River Lot.

One person who completed the route had this to say at the end: “My arrival in the stunning plaza in Santiago Compostela was an emotional one. The sense of relief was quite tremendous. There are no words that can convey exactly how I felt. Let’s just say “a mixed bag”. I’ve been home 3 months now, but still have itchy aormi@icloud.com

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feet. I’ve promised myself to do the walk again with less pressure. I want to experience those last 400km pain free. Thanks to everyone who followed my blog and egged me on. Your support has been immeasurable.”

Several points come out in this:- there is a good chance of some sort of injury or illness, so be prepared. Pilgrims tend to go through a range of emotions, many that they have never experienced before. It’s important to have some sort of human support, even if it is via Facebook or a blog. This implies having modern communication. It is sometimes better to be part of a group, although it is a journey of personal discovery. Those who make this journey in whichever form of transport learn a lot about themselves and have the desire to do it again.

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Recently we saw the official opening of the MABS cancer charity respite centre in Urbanization Camposol.

The charity purchased the former doctors’ centre in Camposol at the beginning of the year, and with the help of contractors, and lots of volunteers, they have converted the building into a respite centre for those suffering from all types of cancer.

The centre will also be used as a drop- in for those seeking advice, and on the lower level there are storage facilities for all of their specialist equipment and fund raising articles.

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Murcia has been proud to assist this most needed facility and has been able to pay for an air conditioning system throughout the building, the specialized sanitary fittings in the two wet rooms and articles of specialist furniture amounting to €5800 A spokesman for the Provincal Grand Lodge, Duncan Robert Mitchell, said he was pleased that we had been able to assist and speed up the opening of this centre.

The photo shows Duncan Robert Mitchell “Past Provincial Grand Master” Beverley Thomson “Vice President of MABS” Garry Sandlan “Provincial Charity Steward”, and Peter Kent “Provincial Grand Master” The Provincial Grand Lodge of Murcia hopes to be able to support this charity and others in the following years.

Torrevieja Our shop in Torrevieja is at Calle Santander 14, Torrevieja 03181.

This shop specializes in good quality home furnishings and home items. Please note that this shop will accept heavy items as donations. Please consult with the shop if you have any questions regarding donations.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 until 14:00 Saturday and Sunday closed.

Shop Manager - Phil Shop tel - 602 648 486 or 634 323 716

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Orihuela Costa defibrillators Help At Home has teamed up with many other like minded local charities and people to raise funds to buy defibrillators for our 5 local police cars and contribute to the Red Cross training of the officers.

We have already raised 1,855 Euros from two events and look forward to your continued support . We ask you to make a little time and please attend our events.

The next one is our Beetle Drive on 2nd June at Playa Flamenco Sports Bar 6 pm -8.30pm , then we plan a Fashion Show at the Emerald Isle on 26th June.

The Orihuela council has previously given the green light to the rental of 35 defibrillators for various municipal buildings, at a cost of 45,229 euros per year, for a duration of five years. The contract will also include all maintenance and training..

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YOSalud means MY Health

A couple of years ago the Torrevieja Salud healthcare department (Nยบ22) launched 'YOSalud', a mobile App for patients to communicate with doctors from wherever they area.

It enables patients to:* Access test results * Download discharge reports * Communicate online with medical professionals in a chat * Ask for or modify appointments * Monitor their chronic conditions * Download x-rays and medical absence justification forms 'YOSalud' is now available to use on mobile phones and tablets, as well as on PCs. This can prevent having to make unnecessary journeys and allow direct and quick interaction with medical professionals.

It is also a useful tool for medical professionals as they can more easily keep track of patients, especially chronic ones. It reduces the number of in-person consultations for administrative purposes and guarantees correct communication with patients and/or carers.

Any patient who downloads the application and registers can manage their appointments directly from their mobile, consult their previous ones, provide documents for their clinical history and check test results.

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Without doubt chatting with their doctor or nurse is one of the possibilities that is most valued by patients, who can check about any doubts they may have without having to travel anywhere.

Another big advantage is being able to download x-rays and medical absence justification forms without having to visit the Admissions desk.

As a new feature, the mobile device will notify patients at the moment they arrive at the hospital which office they have to go to without them having to register their arrival at the machines in the entrance.

It is an invaluable tool for doctor’s as, for example, a diabetic can enter his/her glucose and blood pressure readings daily and the doctor can also see the result and have a red flag warning if something has gone awry.

Currently 'YOSalud' has over 54,000 users in the Torrevieja Health Department, 28,000 of them use it frequently to communicate with their doctor or nurse. This has resulted in a total of 480,000 messages being sent and received between them.

How to register:Patients who belong to the Torrevieja Health Department can download the application from the website:www.torrevieja-salud.com

Then they have to register by entering their personal details: SIP number, mobile phone number, health centre and date of birth.

This data is then verified against the patients’ database, with total security guaranteed, and the patient will receive an SMS text message with the password.

In case of any doubt visit your health centre for more detailed information or ask your doctor. aormi@icloud.com

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Acequion Beach is a very popular place in Torrevieja as it is within the port area, and therefore, strictly speaking not a beach.

One of the reasons it is popular is because there are several excellent bars and restaurants that abut onto the sand.

At the town end you have the Marina International and the other end is the quay going out to the salt ships and which for the moment is closed to the public. Also here is a small club of fishermen with small boats.

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Eras de la Sal

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Eras de la Sal

The Eras de la Sal is one of the most famous and almost original area of Torrevieja designed in two large sections to store the harvested salt in an enclosed area prior to loading on waiting ships. Today it is an important element in the cultural life of the town, but it took a while to get there. In 1753 King Fernando VI decreed a new set of boundaries for the salt lake of La Mata extending the area. The lake was in a bit of a mess at the time and considered to be dirty, although salt was still being extracted. A 1759 decree ordered that it be cleaned up to make it fit for extracting salt more profitably.

In 1756 the area around La Mata lake was heavily wooded, but over 200 pine trees were cut down to make barracas and for fuel. At this time the lake came under the jurisdiction of Guardamar, which in turn came under Orihuela Diocese.

Meanwhile, the small colony of fishermen continued to grow at Torre Vigia. In 1766 the Administrator of the La Mata Salt workings, Don Antonio Parra, took a long walk around the larger lake and decided that tests should be made on the salt of the Torrevieja lake to check the viability of obtaining commercial salt from there. The analysis of the salt

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proved to be very good and two years later, in 1768, small boats were introduced to drag for the salt. In 1775 the Eras de la Sal storage area was built, made from limestone quarried from the Ferris district and from La Mata.

Originally this was a covered-in storage area for the salt, but the roof was later destroyed in a storm. By 1776 salt was now being loaded on to ships near the Torre vigia. Work began on building a quay and storehouse for the salt. With around 400 inhabitants there was a royal decree marking out a distinct municipal area segregating Torrevigia from Orinuela. Here we have the real first beginnings of a viable settlement at Torre Vigia, which, by now people were calling Torrevieja. By the 1790’s two nuclei of people had developed near the Torrevigia. The first group was that of the fishermen at Punta Cornuda, and the other of salt workers near the canal of the Acequion. These were popularly named as the ‘puneros’ and the ‘sequionera.

In 1777 a small quay was built near the watch-tower (torre vigia). After the 1829 earthquake another Levante quay was built and the salt loading area was enlarged.

Salt production grew and the production was so valuable that a dispute arose between the Orihuela Council and the Hacienda (Inland Revenue). aormi@icloud.com

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From March to October the salt was harvested and in the 1750’s about sixty people were authorised to extract the salt and pile it up to be later assessed by the administrator and paid, dependent on the size of the mound and the quality of the salt.

Today the salt lake of La Mata is larger in area than it was in the 18th century.

In some line drawings by Antonio Conesa and Darblade photographs, you can see the salt being manhandled onto the quay and loaded onto small flat boats via chutes: the small boats then went alongside the larger sea going vessels at anchor in the bay, to transfer the salt to them. At the end of the 18th century a small train had replaced this method, passing through the streets from the salt workings to the quay at the Eras de la Sal. In the lake itself low-bottomed barges were used, powered by two oarsmen and another man using a punt pole. Later these barges were joined together to form “trains” of several barges. All rather labour intensive requiring a great deal of manpower, one of the reasons why so many families came to Torrevieja seeking work and a home.

In the 19th century the barges had motors installed, which did away at one swoop with many men: just one innovation that drastically reduced the work force in the 19th and 20th centuries.

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Then in 1958 the salt quay was transferred to its present position at the far end of the port and a conveyor belt carries the salt from the factory directly to waiting ships moored at the quay. Today the belt is now covered over with a lovely promenade dedicated to the town of Pinosa, which has its own relationship with the salt lake. Here there is a small garden with an immense chunk of marble as a monument underlining the link that Pinosa has with Torrevieja since it also produces salt that is channelled into Torrevieja’s lake.

In 1802 the Salt Administrator of Torrevieja and La Mata held the most influential position in the area and was also responsible for the salt production at the salt flats of San Pedro del Pinatar. Don Antonio Hidalgo Calvo was the first Administrator in Torrevieja responsible to the Hacienda. He held the position from 1799 to 1823, through some difficult years that saw a steady growth in Torrevieja.

His responsibilities included acting as local ,magistrate of justice in both civil and criminal cases. Within his jurisdiction came health, education, and the regulation of construction of the new town. He was the one who initiated the first plan of the town’s grid layout of the Villa de Torrevieja, as it was known in 1803 when the king formally approved of the name of Torrevieja. Today there is a plaque on the reconstructed wooden quay at the Eras de la Sal dedicated to this first Administrator. His former house in the Paseo Vista Alegre is now an exhibition centre.

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Possibly one of the things that has made Torrevieja famous was the 1829 earthquake that destroyed the towns of the Vega Baja area. In the supplement of the newspaper ‘La Gaceta de Madrid’ of 7th August 1829, a report mentions that in Torrevieja 268 houses would be built in 21 blocks.

An estimate is reported that a bell tower for the church would cost 4700 reales de vellón. Two ovens (for bakeries) would be 12.200 reales and the repairs to some of the streets for suitable water drainage would cost a further 1,800 reales. A baker’s oven not only produced the daily bread, but when cooling down during the morning was hired out to local women who put their casseroles in them to cook.

On the 5th April the King sent 1.500.000 reales de vellón in aid and the Queen Regent, Doña Margarita Cristina, opened a public subscription fund for the victims. Torrevieja was virtually rubbed off the map. Yet in another way the earthquake put the town on the map. The military architect Larramendi was given the task of rebuilding here possible the Vega Baja towns and he did so in a grid formation of the streets.

In 1897 the lease for extracting salt was granted to D. José Guerrdiola Comas, only to be substituted a year later and given over to the Sociedad Anónima Compañia Arrendataria de la Salinas de Torrevieja. During these years several innovations were made, including the installation of a floating cable to enable a “train” of the barges to cover a wider area of the lake. Four mechanical washing machines were installed and a small train was introduced to transport the salt from the lake to the storage places of the Eras de la Sal, replacing the traditional transportation by horse and cart. A wooden quay was also built to enable easier access for larger shipping.

During 1959, the Eras de la Sal was enclosed, but still roofless and virtually abandoned.

But by this toime the town was looking to rebuilding a new Torrevieja as a tourist destination. In 1969 the inauguration of the Real Club Nautico de Torrevieja was made by the Minister de Marina, Señor Nieto Antúnez. In 2006/2007 the Real Club built another 800 berths.

A further development in the harbour area was made in 1987 when The Council of Ministers granted permission to Marina Internacional SA to build a sports and leisure aormi@icloud.com

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Outlook Nยบ052 June 2018 Below the machine thatTorrevieja scoops up the salt from the bed of the lake and it is then moved to the factory and scored in the small mountain of salt we can see here.

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Above the Eras de la Sal used as the theatre or the Habaneras Music Festival and below its original position in the paseo Vista Alegre. At the bottom of the last photo you can see the band stand that was later moved to the park of DoĂąa Sinforosa.

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The Habaneras Music Festival attracts stupendously talented and colorful choirs from all parts of the globe and not just those Spanish speaking ones.

marina between the Eras de la Sal and the Acequion.

Eventually the idea grew of using the Eras de la Sal as an open-air theatre, which led to the present venue in 1972. Initially used for celebrating the annual Habaneras Festival, it is now used for a variety of concerts and events, even at one time as an ice rink. It can now seat over 1,200 people, has its own lighting and sound systems as well as changing rooms and is not only the venue for the annual Habaneras, but for many galas and concerts throughout the summer months.

The present quay is a reproduction of the real one that was dismantled when it became dangerous. Today the quay is home to the small velour sailing boats of the local municipal sailing club.

Some of these have been used in films of a long gone era.

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Business Profile Care4You in Spain

by Pat Hynd Recently I have had to have a look at elderly isolation and a number of instances people have required professional care in their homes. There are several charities who can put patients in touch with social workers etc..

I contacted Gill Horsburgh of Care 4 You in Spain and also had a look at the company’s webpage. It is a professional company and NOT A CHARITY. A couple of times people have been indignant that their partner has been in hospital for an operation and released with no aftercare. This is because the hospital has done its job and aftercare is the responsibility of the patient and his or her family. If the patient in the hospital has still ongoing treatment after leaving the hospital he/she is considered as still under the responsibility of the hospital and normally the GP will arrange home or clinic visits of nurses for changing dressings and other minor needs.

Care 4 You In Spain takes over when the Doctors and Nurses of the health services leave. In times of difficulty Care 4 You In Spain has the resources to make life more bearable, comfortable and safe. Care 4 You In Spain covers all types of care services, all carried out by experienced and trained individuals.

There are times in all of our lives when we need a little extra help: At these times call Care 4 You in Spain.

- after an hospital operation or accident.

- when loved ones cannot cope.

- as a terminal illness takes effect.

At these times a simple call to Care 4 You In Spain may be all that is needed. All staff are vetted and Police checked. Carers must have gained the appropriate qualifications and deposited a copy of their certification with the company.

Care 4 You carries liability insurance should an unfortunate incident occur.

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Gill Horsburgh.

Told me:“ I set up, Care 4 You in Spain 12 years ago when my partner passed away as I realised there was a gaping hole in the private sector here i. e. no one was offering domiciliary based care at that time... .Something I could have benefitted from when my partner was very ill at home ..

But although I have lived and worked here owning and running various companies for 29 years like all of us its only when you need something like care that you suddenly look around as I did all those years ago to find there was nothing....

So hence Care 4 you in Spain was born and we have continued to grow and to become a leader in this area over the past 12 years. We are registered provider of services with an office in San Pedro del Pinatar; we hold full liability insurance for all our clients.

All care staff registered with us go through a vigorous checking process and detailed interview. We cover many aspects of care from a basic home help companionship role, through to detailed end of life care and mostly everything else that comes under the care umbrella.

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Our clients choose their individual tailored care package guided by our expert help. We carry out free no obligation assessments and care can be carried out from one hour per day up to 24 hours a day 7 days a week 52 weeks of the year.

Our carers are all professional people who arrive in uniform with a badge and who all work to the highest standards.

We cover from north of Torrevieja in Alicante province down to just past Los Alcazares in Murcia region. We have a website with details on plus if you need any more information please don't hesitate to contact me again. “ The Care4 You in Spain company is led by the hands-on Managing Director, Gillian Horsburgh.

On being called by the person in need of care, or their partner or concerned family and friends, Gillian will make a Home Visit. With no obligation Gillian will make the initial assessment of the individual’s care needs, draft a personalised Care Plan and discuss the appropriate range of services to be supplied.

Once an agreed type of care service has been agreed, Care 4 You In Spain’s team will take over.

Supporting the front line people is a small office based in San Pedro del Pinatar in Murcia. First point of contact will be with the office should there be any questions about the services being provided, requests for additional care, or points of information. The office is currently open: Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 14:00 and 16:30 – 19:00 Telephone: 0034 968 198 590

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“We care for the individual only in his or her own home. Therefore, they retain a sense of their own independence in familiar and comfortable surroundings.”

Such comfort can aid the sense of well-being and hasten recovery, or allow the individual to have a wonderful sense of peacefulness around them.

This flexible approach ensures that a tailored level of service is provided. “When we are called, a senior member of the team visits the home and discusses with the individual their requirements.” A Care Plan is compiled which clearly sets out the needs of the individual and the services that will be provided. The Plan is constantly referred to and updated with reports on the individual’s progress and circumstances each time a team member is present.

Care 4 You In Spain’s Home Helpers offer the basic level of service. For a few hours a day, a few days a week, the Home Helper will clean the house, wash the laundry, shop for food and provisions, cook a few meals and generally provide a friendly presence around the house. For many single people, such company is good medicine and visits are something for them to look forward to. For incapacitated and less able couples our services help them stay together, comfortable in their own home.

All Care 4 You In Spain’s Carers are qualified having passed recognised training courses in the wide range of disciplines related to the practice of caring. As such they are professionals and can be called upon to give more intimate levels of care. This can be assistance with washing and personal hygiene, feeding, helping the individual to move around the home, guiding them into and out of bed, and even sitting with them through the night. Principally the Carers can offer the level of service normally provided by an able bodied partner. As such we can provide Respite Care to allow a partner or full-time Carer time off to relax and unwind aormi@icloud.com

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Torrevieja Russian Orthodox Church and Cultural Centre

The sunshine has attracted a huge amount of Russian and E a s t e r n Europeans to settle in Torrevieja.

Now the Russians have their own religious and cultural centre at calle Bruselas, 4.in Calas Blancas urbanisation. It is dedicated to Natividad de la Madre de Dios, the Nativity of the Mother of God. The inauguration was by Bishop Nensstor who came from France for the occasion. This is the third official Russian Orthodox church in Spain the others in Madrid and Altea. aormi@icloud.com

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THE TORREVIEJA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA We are so fortunate in Torrevieja to have so many fine musicians. Now with the added bonus of the Auditorium somme of these musicians are able to enjoy playing in an international setting ass a full symphony orchestra.

The orchestra was founded in the year 2008. Its repertoire includes all eras and styles of music, ranging from baroque to contemporary music.

Its current first violin is Stanislav Tkach.

The Orchestra has performed symphonic-choral concerts at the new Int. Auditorium of Torrevieja, as well as in the ADDA of Alicante, undertaking works such as The Messiah by G.F. Handel or the Requiem by Mozart, with great success and acclaim by the public and the press.

Soloists of renowned prestige, such as Eteri Lamoris (Soprano and best voice 2012!), José Sempere, Diego Tárrega (Tenor), Oksana Solovieva and Pedro Ferreira Carneiro

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(Violinist), as well as invited conductors, like Master Sainz Alfaro, have collaborated with the Orchestra.

The Orchestra was very successful with the concerts it performed together with the Orfeรณn Donostiarra (Chorale of San Sebastiรกn) in Torrevieja, as well as in the ADDA of Alicante, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Habaneras and Polyphony Competition of Torrevieja.

The public was warm hearted and appreciated the concerts. In the last two years the OST concerts were fully booked every time the International Auditorium of Torrevieja! (1.450 seats).

At the moment the Symphony Orchestra of Torrevieja has over 410 associated members who pay an annual fee. There is a popular New Year Concert(below) that always plays to a packed audience.

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The Symphony Orchestra has an excellent conductor - José Francisco Sánchez is a Spanish Conductor, composer and Oboist of great experience and sensitivity, with a great strength and charisma on the stage. He has managed to fill on numerous occasions the auditoriums in which he has performed, reaping an excellent critique.

José Francisco Sánchez is an oboe professor, he has a Degree in Conducting from the Royal School of Music in London (LRSM).

He has attended classes to become a conductor with J. Belda, F. Grau and J. R. Pascual Vilaplana.

At present, he is increasing his knowledge in this field with César Alvarez (Honorary Conductor of the Tomsk State Symphony Orchestra, Russia).

Mr. Sánchez has won numerous awards and commendations including: Distinction in Higher Grade, Extraordinary Award in Oboe and Distinction in Chamber Music.

José Francisco is currently Professor of Chamber Music at the Manuel Massotti Littel Superior Conservatory of Music in Murcia, Artistic Conductor of the Youth Orchestra of Torrevieja and the Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Torrevieja.

Oficina/Office: C/Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, 23 03180 Torrevieja Opening hours: Monday 10 am – 1 pm.

Tel: Castellano & Ingles 649.117.112 (Victor) Tel: Deutsch – Français – Nederlands (Yves) 628.810.467 Email: arsaetheria@hotmail.com & arsaetheria@gmail.com

Later a Youth Orchestra (Joven Orquesta Sinfónica de Torrevieja )was formed on 24 August 2014 and continues to surprise the public with their performances. aormi@icloud.com

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SALINAS GUIDED TOUR This theatrical exposition in the open air was an innovation by the local Ars Creatio cultural association and Alicante University who have made use of an Alicante tourist company to re-enact the history of La Mata and its relation with the salt that was the prime reason for La Mata, and later, Torrevieja existence.

The tour is of 3 kilometres with stops to meet important aormi@icloud.com

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persons of history. a Park volunteer, Sylvia, participates with filling in thee walks between each s t o p w i t h information bout flora and fauna encountered on the way.

The historical persons are Pepa, (Ana Meléndez Zomeño) a typical housewife who also worked on the land, in this instance on the vineyards of La Mata and the bodega that still exists. She is the actual guide and the first historical man is Publio Cornelio Escipión,el Africano ( acted by Fran da Siva) describing how the Romans had a presence in the area harvesting the white gold of salt.

Then the group met Luis de Santángel, (Jose Miguel Toro Carrasco) the XVth c e n t u r y administrator of the La Mata salt workings whose family made a fortune out of their handling of the salt. The son was able to speak to Christopher Columbus and offered finance for his voyage of discovery.

Don José Gómez, (Antonio Sala Buades) played the part of the last administrator of the salt workings.

aormi@icloud.com

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The British Benevolent Fund of Madrid (BBF) is one of the oldest English speaking charities in Spain with records dating back to at least 1933, but probably at least ten years prior to that helping nannies who had retired and no longer stayed int he family homes of their little charges.

It operates with the support of its Honorary President, HM Ambassador to Spain, and HM Consul General and originally the embassy held the account, but today this is no longer the case and the decision was made to set up a separate organization and fund.. It is run by an independent Chairman and Committee, all of whom know Spain and its people, and are very familiar with the issues British citizens living here face, be they tourists or long term residents. They donate their time and knowledge for free with no remuneration whatsoever.

The BBF works in conjunction with the British Consulates in Spain and other local charitable organisations to provide financial support and other assistance to British nationals who find themselves in severe distress in Spain. It matters not whether you live here or are just visiting. The committee, which meets once a month, will consider all cases on their individual merit. The emission is to grant timely assistance to British citizens primarily in the Comunidad of Madrid and other areas of Spain through partner organisations. 
 The charity has bases in Barcelona, Malaga and Mallorca and is in the process of setting up a volunteer base on the Coasts. Over the years The British Benevolent Fund has helped people suffering from Alzheimer’s, mental health problems, cancer, learning disabilities, stroke and heart attack victims to name but aormi@icloud.com

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a few. It has also helped many without any health issues who fi n d themselves isolated and without support owing to circumstances beyond their control.

Our main base is in Madrid but assistance is provided to British people throughout Spain via our partner organisations. Recently there has been a reshuffle of the Fund and it is now seeking to become better known throughout Spain. The BBF works in conjunction with the British Consulates and charitable organisations to provide financial support and other assistance to British nationals who find themselves in financial distress in Spain.With this in mind anyone interested in supporting them in some way should contact Chris in the first instance: he is also the person whom the other associations who need the services of the BBF would apply to.

Young fund supporters of Runnymede College

The BBF work with other Not for Profit organisations in these areas who are able to provide local knowledge, advice and practical support and will only accept grant applications outside of Madrid from these organisations SUCH AS THOSE IN THE FOLLOWING LISt;

AGE CONCERN ESPAĂ‘A Age in Spain Help International Benidorm Help Denia & Marina Alta Help Jalon Valley Help Vega Baja MABS Cancer Support RAFA Costa Blanca Royal British Legion in Spain Samaritans in Spain

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With the end of the school year looming, pupils of ALPE have been getting outdoes with visits to the tennis courts and to the natural park of La Mata. On both occasions they had a wonderful and fruitful time. learning new things and skills.

The Caixa Bank’s social side has been donating and raising funds with a crowdfunding. so that a piece of land adjoining the college can become a small park for the children to enjoy even more activities. The bank put 7,000 euros towards the project and hoped to get the other 2,500 euros from the public. In the end HELP VEGA BAJA filled the gap and donated 2,500 euros for this green cause so that the park can have equipment adapted their v a r i o u s necessities. aormi@icloud.com

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We all know that a nice hug or cuddle can boost our moral. The applies to those who've pets.

B r i n g i n g together people and pets so that everyone, whether they have two legs or four legs, can find support, strength and h o p e i n surprising ways.

This magic can only happen when we move with purpose – spending the time learning and understanding about wants, needs and realities.

It has been common for years to introduce pets to patients suffering from cancer or Alzheimers with notable improvements in their attitude. Dogspital in the Hospital of Ibiza was a pioneer in patients taking their own pets to hospital with them. This entails a protocol of the patient seeking permission from their doctor in hospital. Then there is an evaluation of how the visit would benefit the patient, the condition and state of health of the pet, and an estimation of the comportment of the pet inside the hospital confines.

Obviously the pet must have all the relevant vaccinations and an up-to-date pet passport signed by patient and doctor.

The actual meeting between patient and pet is a designated area close to the entrance of the hospital. Tests show an overall benefit for patients in a reduction of anxiety, stress, and overall improvement in their attitude to staying in hospital.

The University Hospital of Torrevieja and sister Hospital of Vinalopó (Elche) will introduce this scheme for patients who desire a meeting with their dogs an cats in the first place.

Obviously the patient has to ask in the first place, and the doctor has to verify that it is int he patient’s interest to arrange the system, which will include a laboratory test to ensure the health and safety of the patient and other patients.

It will need three days advance preparation for a visit. On the day of the visit there will be further checks to make sure their are no parasites or other problems.

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The Phoenix Concert Band has played at hundreds of events around the Costa Blanca and now has David Last as its new musical director. David has a close alliance with the military bands and now the band members have decided in a new stimulus by becoming the The Royal British Legion Concert Band Spain.

This will entail a new look and so uniforms are being designed and made for each band member. But thee require some support in the way of donations, so if any business or individual is able to make a donation it will be most welcome.

The RBL Concert Band Spain repertoire will be wide and varied, ranging from swing, through classical to musicals. Since their new launch, the Royal British Legion Concert Band Spain continue to rehearse every Tuesday 1.30pm – 4.30pm at the Municipal Library in San Miguel de Salinas.

Currently there are a number of vacancies in the band for musicians of all nationalities and in all sections.

For more information please call David Last on 638 10 80 78 or Gloria on 679 576 591

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