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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

23rd - 30th NOVEMbEr - EditiON 917

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Your Essential Weekly read

Figures continue to rise

infection rates in the Alicante province continue to rise steadily and are already triple the average daily figure for October. Just a month and a half after the majority of restrictions were lifted in the Valencian Community on October 9th, cases continue to increase. From November 8th to 12th, the average daily cases exceeded 140 cases, figures not seen since mid September. however, last Friday new figures were released showing an excess of 190 daily infections. According to figures

published by the Ministry of health on Friday, the cumulative incidence rate in the province as a whole is 88 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. breaking the cumulative incidence rate down by health department shows that some areas are at much higher risk than others. the most at risk is in the north of the province, the Marina baixa area (taking in benidorm and surrounding areas) with a 14 day cumulative incidence rate of 252.69.

Next at risk is torrevieja with a score of

123.12 and denia with 110.18. Experts point out that all three areas are popular with foreign tourists coming from countries with vaccination rates lower than Spain. Other areas bring down the provincial average, coming in much lower such Orihuela with 44.64, Elche health department with 38.29 and Elche-Crevillent, with 27.35.

Juan Francisco Navarro, president of the Valencian Society of Preventive Medicine said “the epidemiological situation in the Community is in a very

clear ascent phase. incidence rates are the result of millions of interactions by the population, millions of encounters and contacts. When rates are practically doubling every two weeks, it is clear that we are not doing well in terms of control measures - they are not enough. the figures are rising without giving any indication that they are going to stop; they are not rising smoothly but rather sharply.”

All of the many individual day to day interactions translate into a rise

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in infections say experts. Given, for example, the fiestas celebrated in benidorm last week, it will not be surprising if positives begin to appear within seven to ten days.

Another massive event taking place throughout this week and that will reach its climax on Friday is ‘black Friday’. On Friday 26th November, large numbers of people are expected to visit shops and commercial centres. dr Navarro says, “Something that gives us peace of mind is that there is no longer that substratum of 40 million susceptible people. Now we still have around five million unvaccinated children and an undetermined number of people who are losing their immunity despite having been vaccinated.” he emphasized the need to vaccinate and “accelerate immunization in those who are still awaiting a third dose as in those who are not yet vaccinated. in the latter it is necessary to carry out active recruitment,” said Navarro. he believes that the health department should employ a team of ‘trackers’ to find unvaccinated people and convince them to come and get their jab.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Man rescued from Torrevieja cove

A russian man who was struggling in the water for around 40 minutes was rescued by Guardia Civil and firefighters. the rescue effort was spearheaded by the Guardia Civil with the support of Local Police, Firefighters and paramedics. the incident occurred on tuesday at just after seven in the evening when a russian man is believed to have fallen from a cliff at la higuera cove. Passersby shouted to the man, advising him to ‘get out of the water’, but the man did not respond to calls or offers for help. Eyewitnesses said the man remained floating around twenty metres off the coast in rough conditions for about 40 minutes.

According to the Emergencies department of torrevieja town hall, residents who were walking down the coastal path at the coves spotted the man swimming near the rocks at Cala de La higuera. “the swimmer did not respond to calls for attention from the residents and did not ask for their help, so they notified the emergency services.” Other eyewitnesses claimed that the strong sea conditions meant that the man could not get any closer to the shore, with the waves breaking forcefully on the rocks nearby.

Guardia Civil and Local Police arrived and also called out to the man, telling him to get out of the water but he did not.

Eventually, Guardia Civil officers managed to get down to the water’s edge and reached the man, pulling him out of the sea. the man presented symptoms of hypothermia as well as scratches and cuts.

Firefighters had to deploy a ladder stretcher the injured man up the steep incline to the top where the SVb ambulance waiting to transfer him to University hospital torrevieja. this area of the coves is located a few metres from where there was a tragic drowning of two swimmers, who lost their lives in September when a young woman jumped into the water and her friend tried to save her when she got into difficulty.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Marriage annulments on the increase Marriage annulments, despite the belief that they are difficult to obtain, are still very much in demand according to the latest figures from the OrihuelaAlicante diocese. the Ecclesiastical tribunal of the diocese of Orihuela-Alicante receives about 40 requests each year, on average. in 2019 there were 39 cases admitted and 45 resolved favourably – the latter figure being higher due to the fact that some were presented in previous years but resolved in 2019. during lockdown in 2020, 35 cases were received and 53 were resolved.

And so far in 2021, the church has received 30 requests - the last of them last Wednesday - and resolved 45. head of the Ecclesiastical tribunal and judicial vicar of the diocese, Miguel Ángel Cremades explained that there is a belief that the procedure is unattainable. “Marriage annulment is something accessible, it is not only for millionaires. Anyone who has concerns can come and find out and, after that, decide. this (in reference to

the ecclesiastical court) is the place where you can find out what an annulment is, what the process is and what possibilities you have.” the fee for an annulment is around €700. however, Fr Cremades explains that if a person has special financial circumstances, the church will study the case and a reduction can be arranged. the global pandemic saw a notable increase in inquiries about annulments.

Cremades explained, “Many more people have come to ask, more than before. by mid-November we had 30 applications submitted” this data contrasts with the 15 per year that were processed two decades ago. the average time it takes to process an annulment is a year and a half, although that depends on the

characteristics of the case. the most frequent reasons heard by the court are “psychological causes such as a lack of maturity and preparedness to assume the obligations that marriage entails.” Other reasons include extramarital affairs, physical or psychological abuse. there are also an increased number of cases citing addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex and even technology.

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Pedestrian knocked down in Catral A young woman was knocked down in Catral town centre over the weekend. the collision was as a result of a crash between two vehicles – one of the cars involved in the crash appears to have knocked into the woman. An ambulance and Local Police rushed to the scene with the young woman and one of the drivers brought to Vega baja hospital.

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United Postal Group opens first store in Spain From this Friday, there will be a new place to go for mail and parcel delivery in torrevieja. On 26th and 27th November, the private postal company United Postal Group will open its first ever store in Spain. the store is located in the Filton Centre in Los balcones and will be open from Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5 pm.

At the newly opened store, customers can send their mail and parcels all over the world. by calculating shipping prices down to the gram, United Postal Group can offer very competitive rates. in addition to accepting letters, parcels and registered mail, the company also offers scanning and printing services, computer workstations with internet access as well as packaging and cushioning materials for dispatch. A special service is the availability of post boxes, which interested customers can rent for different periods of time and in various sizes. On request, the letters or parcels collected in the post box can then be sent as a consolidated shipment to the address specified by

the customer. in addition, customers can use the “UPG direct” service to have items delivered directly to the branch for later collection.

Competent and trained staff are available to assist customers with all their postal service needs and questions. the international team is happy to provide advice in English or Spanish.

Jörg blümel, founder and CEO of United Postal Group, explains: “the opening of the store and the further expansion of our network will

benefit both our long-standing business customers and private customers. With the opening, private individuals will now also be able to enjoy our low shipping costs.”

With the opening of the store in torrevieja, United Postal Group is making a decisive contribution to basic postal services in the region.

For more information, check out https:// en.unitedpostalgroup.com/ or pop along to the official opening this Friday and Saturday to meet the team.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Christmas Fayre Saturday 27th November 10am -2pm

Christmas cakes, K’s Perfect Tarot card & silk cupcakes, homemade ribbon reading Scents sweets and cakes to order Light snacks and drinks available Perfumes body Shop, CBD oils, clothes, handbags, purses, handcrafted jewellery, acrylic paintings, personalized baubles & gifts Indian head massage

Lobster mobile and much more

Rustic Christmas Decorations Christmas Eve Hamper

Beverley’s Bling

Brick & Brac Clothing Tombola stall

Handmade Cards

Ideal time to order all your festive cakes

tel: 693 173 373

Calle Los Arcos, 03170, Ciudad Quesada

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Tons of rubbish dumped next to Orihuela Costa school tons of rubbish have been dumped next to Los dolses School, Orihuela Costa. A plot of land due to be used for an extension has become a makeshift landfill. CLArO, the political party for the coast, says the dump has existed for more than a month and needs to be tackled. insects and rodents have already begun to appear and neighbours and the educational community are worried about the risk of a fire. in front of the school there is a plot of land where it is planned

to carry out the long-awaited and much called for expansion of the school. however, in recent weeks it has become a makeshift landfill site as local residents and gardeners have used it as a dumping ground. the enclosure has accumulated prunings, logs and plant remains of all kinds.

CLArO has long been asking for an eco-park in Orihuela Costa where people are able to legally deposit prunings, rubbish, household furniture or general belongings and that would alleviate the accumulation of

these items on the street, where people currently leave them by bins or on wasteland.

CLArO has assured local residents that is will ask for explanations in the next plenary session from the Councillor who is responsible for rubbish collection, Ángel Noguera, and urge him to urgently clean the plot and also put the contract for the new park and garden maintenance contract out to tender. CLArO claims that this contract ‘has been expired for 5 years and it only covers 35 percent of open spaces’.

Ryanair flash sale ryanair has announced a nine day sale where they promise “unmissable flight offers” during Cyber Week. the airline has promised deals on flights to and from European hot-spots in the nine-day sale that started yesterday (Monday, 22nd November). the airline said: “Fresh deals will be available every 24 hours, however once they’re gone – they’re gone.” dara brady, ryanair’s director of Marketing said that there “buy One, Get One Free” deal will make an appearance during cyber week.

he said: “it’s been a long year of on again, off again travel restrictions. Customers deserve escapism and with our line-up

of Cyber Week deals, we look forward to welcoming families, friends and couples on board our flights over the coming months having snapped up

these incredible and much deserved offers.

“We have fares from as low as €9.99, city breaks to a host of Europe’s most popular goto destinations, and even our popular buy One, Get One Free deal is due to make an appearance.

“Any customers already subscribed to ryanair emails will automatically receive early access offers straight to their inbox and for those customers who have previously availed of a ryanair Cyber Week offer – be sure to check your mails from now.”

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Temperatures to drop but no snow expected temperatures are expected to drop significantly this week, according to forecasts. A mass of polar air is making its way to the Alicante region with temperatures in some areas expected to reach below zero on Wednesday. the cold front will impact large areas of Spain, including the Costa blanca, and according to AEMEt (the

State Meteorological Agency) there will be a significant and noticeable drop in temperatures, especially mid week. however, no significant snowfall is expected in the region.

Wednesday is set to be the coldest day, starting out at around zero degrees inland.

At higher altitudes, in towns such as ibi, banyeres and Onil, the temperature is expected

to be in the minus figures. daytime temperatures inland are expected to drop to around 8 or 9 degrees but on the Coast in areas such as torrevieja, Elche, Orihuela and benidorm, the forecast is a bit more forgiving with highs of around 15 degrees expected. Lows on the coast will drop to 6 degrees so it might be an idea to ensure you have fuel and warm clothing at the ready.

Hero man catches dog in 4th floor fall A dog had a lucky escape after it fell from a fourth floor balcony in Alicante thanks to a heroic young man. On Friday last, emergency services at 112 received a call to say that a dog was hanging off a balcony of an apartment building. immediately, two SPEiS (Fire department Canine Unit) crews and two Local Police units were dispatched to the scene. however, by the time they arrived, the story had already reached a happy ending. the dog, a cross between a dalmatian and an American Staff, was already safely on the ground.

According to the witnesses, as officers arrived at the scene, the dog fell as he could no longer hold on to the balcony but was saved by a young man, aged 26, who cushioned the blow by catching the dog and sustaining injuries himself. the wounded man was taken to hospital after treatment by paramedics at the

scene. the SPEiS Fire department Canine Unit took charge of the dog, in addition to inspecting the balcony with the Local Police officers. After the owner of the dog was located and an inspection of the balcony was carried out, proceedings and an investigation have been opened through the Canine Unit.

José ramón González, Security Councillor of Alicante

City Council, congratulated the young man who has been put forward for public recognition “because with his quick and effective rescue he managed to save the life of the dog, as well as prove to be a great citizen since with this action, he has put his life at risk and has been injured.”

Likewise, the Local Police have requested public recognition of the young man during the next celebration of “Local Police day”.

ARE YOU AT RISK OF A CHEEKY OFFER? Rebecca Serwotka

Rebecca Serwotka – “We sell houses! It’s what we do, it’s ALL we do!”Your favourite local property expert, of Inmobiliaria Real Estate Agents in Ciudad Quesada & published author of “Moving Forward – 25 Essential Rules For Buying & Selling Real Estate Without Going Crazy.” Request your FREE copy today! Featured on Best Buy Spain.Prestige Award Winner for “Real Estate Agency Of The Year 2021/22”

A home seller often thinks they know their home and its value better than anyone. the truth is, it’s the market that decides a home’s value. i have yet to find a property to which this rule does not apply. it doesn’t matter whether you sell during a global pandemic, a recession, or a busy and buoyant market. there is a buyer out there for every property. Sometimes it just takes a little more encouragement to force that buyer out of the shadows and show them what a great investment they could be making. And that encouragement would be in the form of the asking price. is your home priced accordingly? is it updated and in proper repair? is reluctance to complete repairs going to force you out of the current market? the buyer and other agents will compare your home against its competitors in the marketplace. they also tend

to overestimate any repairs. if money is tight right now and you have no source of liquid or borrowed funds to make the necessary changes or repairs, you’ll need to lower the asking price to reflect its “as-is” condition. this way the property will entice someone solely on value. buyers are very savvy. the average home buyer has already spent hours on the internet searching for homes. they’ve watched endless virtual tours and have seen inside your property. how does your asking price compare to its condition? When a house is overpriced, the market will respond with a lack of interest and fewer viewings. Price fixes everything!

We all want as much as we can get for our property, but if the condition of your home does not match your asking price, you’ll risk a buyer making you a very cheeky offer indeed!

Ready to sell your property? Call me today on (+34) 966 718 392 for a free, no obligation valuation! Experts in Ciudad Quesada and surrounding areas!

See our advert in the centre pages of this newspaper! www.homes4u.es

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Cash is King – or Is It? We’ve seen some very turbulent markets over the past year, with the repercussions of COVid having a significant impact. Generally speaking, markets have recovered but remain extremely volatile. investing can seem too confusing, too risky, or “not for me”. Like everything, the more you know about it, the better informed your decisions will be. investment risk is, for example, putting money into the stock market where there’s the potential to lose some of your capital, but the possible greater returns can outweigh this risk. if you’re already thinking about the word

“lose”, it’s worth considering the impact of inflation on your savings. if inflation is increasing it means you can buy less with your money.

Not all investments are the same, some are higher risk and some are lower risk. You will need to think about what type of risks you can take in order to be comfortable with your decision. there’s no need to think about this on your own, help is always at hand from the Seagate Wealth team. if you would like to talk to an expert, then we would be happy to discuss your requirements and recommend the best options for you.

Why should you choose Seagate to advise you? All our advisers were trained at Lloyds bank in the UK. We pride ourselves on putting our clients first. Unlike other advisers on the Costas we believe in regular six monthly reviews with our clients to ensure that their pension or investment is on track.

We have a fully staffed office in benijofar with a back-up team to support all our clients with withdrawals, encashments and top ups. do not delay and call us.

For a free no-obligation chat with a UK qualified adviser, call 965 704 338 or email: contact@seagatewealth.es

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Second2None opens in Torrevieja Second2None would like to welcome customers old and new to the new shop in torrevieja. After 10 years trading from the warehouse in Guardamar, the business has now moved to lovely new premises. the new shop is located on the corner of Calle Urbano Arregui, 21 and Calle beniel torrevieja (behind Playa de Los Naufragos). the easiest way to find Second2None is to come off the N332 junction torrevieja Salinas, once you drive from the slip road you will see the shop directly in front of you.

Second2None has been selling quality used furniture for the last 10 years. the household furniture is always of the highest quality and if you are looking to buy beds sofas tables chairs, Second2None always has a great supply. if you are relocating, or

redecorating, and are looking to sell any of your own furniture give Steve a call as he is always on the lookout for new stock.

Not only does he sell nearly new furniture but he has great prices directly from the factory for new mattresses - any size is available with a range of designs.

Come and take a look at Second2None’s new shop.

Even if you have never been to the old premises, you will enjoy looking around the new one. there is plenty to see and buy – you’re sure to find a bargain or two!

About Second2None Second2None is a family run business providing quality used furniture along the Costa blanca and Costa Calida with

over 25 years of experience in the furniture industry. in their own words, they say “Over the many years we have been serving our clients, we have listened to many of their requests and among them we have expanded our range.” On moving premises, Second2None said, “What has not changed is our quality of service and the products we sell. All the products we buy go through meticulous quality control at all times.

We know the importance of having happy customers – for us it is about fostering a longterm relationship with them.”

BUSINESS PROFILE

Please note that all information contained within this Costa blanca People business Profile has been provided by the client, and is therefore deemed correct and accurate.

Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies are the sole responsibility of the client.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Two brothers accused of jihadist terrorism arrested in Vega Baja two Moroccan men who have been living in Pilar de la horadada for more than three decades were arrested and charged with crimes including terrorist economic collaboration and glorification of terrorism the arrests are related to a case for the financing of jihadist terrorism that has been open since 2018. i. and M. Achekhlef, the detainees, are 40 and 44 years old and have lived since 2003 and 2006 respectively in Pilar de la horadada, where the arrests too place just a few hours apart on Monday last. the brothers were detained at Orihuela Police Station until late on Wednesday morning when they appeared in court, not for terrorist offences but for breach of the immigration Law. the magistrate on duty, Jessica Joaquina hurtado, decreed that both be sent to a detention centre for foreigners in Madrid for “the minimum essential time, which may not exceed 60 days”, before being sent back to Morocco. the men’s lawyer does not understand the ruling saying, “especially when one of them has a residence permit and there is sufficient evidence of their roots. that

aside from the fact that, being investigated in a case for terrorism, i do not think that the National Court is very much in agreement with their expulsion (from Spain).” be that as it may, in order to facilitate the deportation of both men, including the brother who has a residence permit, the Orihuela magistrate has applied article 54.1 of the immigration Law. A guideline that includes “very serious offences” such as “participating in activities contrary to national security or that may harm Spain’s relations with other countries, or being involved in activities contrary to public order provided as very serious in the Law of Citizen

security”. the magistrate also considers that there is not enough evidence to guarantee that they will comply with the obligation to reside in a specific place or to appear periodically before an administrative authority. their lawyer argued that “they have worked in various parts of the Spanish territory because they earn their living in agriculture and they move where there is work. You just have to look at his working life, which i have presented.” the lawyer denied the men’s ties to terrorism. “they have been detained because of a relative that they don’t even know where he is.”

Torrevieja’s Patronal Fiestas programme announced the long awaited return of torrevieja’s Patronal Fiestas was announced this week. Fans of the annual fiestas in honour of torrevieja’s patron saint will be delighted to hear that the traditional floral offering is back once more. the Councillor for Festivities, Concha Sala, accompanied by the parish priest, Manuel Martínez rocamora, and the president of the Association hijos de la inmaculada, Antonio Aniorte, presented the programme of events for the Patron Saint Festivities 2021 in honour of La Purísima, which run from this week until thursday december 9.

Councillor Sala explained that the realization of this fiesta programme has been difficult and has involved a great deal of work and effort due to the obvious health restrictions. the programme, she explained, has been designed with enthusiasm and caution “i want to say that they are patron saint fiestas similar to the usual ones but that cannot be.” the councillor has requested “maximum respect in the use of masks, maintaining the safety

distance , and application of whatever restrictions and prevention measures are necessary so that fun and safety can coexist.” the hugely anticipated Offering of Flowers in honour of La Purísima, will take place on Saturday, december 4, respecting social distance and the use of masks throughout the procession, as well as the number of people per row in order to be able to respect distancing. the statue of the patron saint of torrevieja will once again process through the streets of the town, taking the usual route. respecting the sanitary guidelines, the bearers will wear masks, as well as all the people who are lighting the way. the point of greatest accumulation of people - with the launch of the fireworks display in front of the Casino - will not exceed five minutes to avoid crowds, as will the singing of the traditional hymn to La Purísima outside the church. the Plaza de la Constitución will once again feature a stage that will be the centre point of events, starting with

the turning on of the Christmas lights at 6:45 pm on Saturday, November 27, and later the inauguration of the belén, nativity scene, will take place. the popular charamita will return to the streets, one of the typical features of these traditional fiestas when the character Lily and her troupe of giants and big heads will be paraded through the streets at various intervals. the first outing will be on december 2, at 12:45. there are also five concerts planned: - december 2, Lori Meyers (torrevieja international Auditorium) €10. tickets can be purchased through www.entradasatualcance.com - december 3, Ella baila Sola (torrevieja port) €10. tickets can be purchased at www.mastickets.es - december 4, Carlos baute (torrevieja port) €10. tickets can be purchased through www.entradasatualcance. com - december 5, rozalén (torrevieja port) €10. tickets can be purchased through www.entradasatualcance. com

- december 7, rels b (torrevieja port) €5. tickets can be purchased through www.entradasatualcance.com

For more information about the full programme of events, follow @ torreviejaFiestas on Facebook.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Should you move your pensions into one pot?

By Tracy Storer Senior Partner Chorus Financial if you’ve had more than one job since your career begun, it’s likely you’ve got pensions with different providers. it can be difficult to keep track of them all, and there’s a chance your money could end up in expensive, poorly performing funds as a result.

So, should you consider transferring them all into one easy-to-manage pension plan? here are five reasons you might want to think about it: 1. More convenience it’s much easier to manage one pension than half a dozen. rather than have to check values with a number of pension providers and schemes, you only have to deal with one.

2. Greater control bringing your pensions under one roof can also give you greater control. For example,

perhaps one of your old pensions has limited investment choices. transferring to a single pension could let you cast off these shackles and take greater control. that doesn’t mean you have to pick your own investments if you don’t want to, you can appoint a local adviser to manage your pension plan for you.

As with most investments, the value of pensions can go down as well as up, so you can get back less than has been paid in.

3. Appoint a local adviser UK based pensions will often only allow UK based advisers to manage them. this can leave people who live outside the UK in a position where some or all of their pensions limit them to seeking local advice. Moving all of your pensions into one place, could also mean moving them into a product such as an international SiPP which will

allow a local financial adviser to manage them on your behalf.

But don’t dive in without looking first

4. Potentially lower costs Older pensions sometimes have higher charges, so transferring to a modern one could reduce the cost of administration and fund management. And even a seemingly small reduction in the charges you pay could increase your eventual pension pot by a significant amount in the long term.

As you can see, there can be several advantages to consolidating your pensions, depending on your circumstances. however, it’s important to be aware that transferring pensions isn’t right for everyone, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be better off by doing so.

5. Easier to track and switch it can be easier to track and switch your investments if they’re in one place. Modern pensions allow you to look online to see where your pension fund is invested and how it’s performing. You can follow your progress and use online tools to see if you’re on the right track for a comfortable retirement.

before transferring, it’s important to check your current pension/s to make sure you won’t miss out on any valuable benefits or guarantees as a result – and to check you won’t incur any excessive exit fees. An adviser at Chorus Financial will be able to help you with all this. if you have several pensions and you would like some advice on consolidating them, give me a call on 693 107 044 or email t.storer@chorusfinancial.es

Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

GBP / EUR UPdatE GBP For the first time in a while sterling won the week, and did so handsomely, strengthening by an average of 1.4%. the entire narrative centred on the UK economic data, and how they appeared to be forcing the hand of the bank of England into a rate increase in four weeks’ time. having threatened, and failed to deliver, a tightening move a fortnight ago, the bank would not want to look flaky for a second time. Valid or not, that has become the generally accepted logic.

And the UK data did indeed point in that direction. the bank of England governor had set a tight labour market as a precondition for higher rates and that is what the numbers showed on tuesday, as unemployment fell to 4.3%. the following day inflation came in at an almost 10-year high of 4.2%. Friday’s retail sales data completed the flush, with a 1.6% monthly increase. All of the figures were higher or stronger than expected, and none offered any argument against a boE rate increase.the anticipation of a rate rise saw the pound soar to its highest level against the euro since February 2020 on Wednesday, up as much as 0.4%.

EURO it was not only britain that reported higher inflation. in the Eurozone, the headline rate rose to 4.1% in October, from 3.4% in September.

Unlike britain, however, the figure was in line with the provisional reading and investors had already had the chance to react. More importantly, the European Central bank has been at great pains in recent months to emphasise that it sees no reason to alter monetary policy. in the absence of any serious German statistics, investors were left with just the pan-Eurozone numbers to guide them.the Eurozone’s GdP expanded by a provisional 2.2% in Q3, in line with analysts’ forecasts and unchanged from Q2. GdP was 3.7% bigger than in Q3 2020. the same report showed employment increasing by 0.9% in Q3 and by 2% on the year.Unfortunately, they never pay much attention to the Eurozone ecostats, preferring to focus on Germany.

Following the news, the euro did edge higher but only briefly. With little else to shape its week, the euro softened by an average of 0.3%, losing nearly one US cent and giving up two cents to sterling.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Covid booster jabs steam ahead Just days after announcing that everyone vaccinated against Covid-19 with the single-dose Janssen formula would be given a Pfizer or Moderna booster, Spain’s government has now revealed plans to treble-jab the population aged 60 to 69, as well as care workers and healthcare staff. the ultimate decision for doing so will lie in the hands of each regional health authority, but it is likely that they will all follow central government recommendations. At present, all residents aged 70 and over who were vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca are being given a third dose, either Pfizer or Moderna, at the same time as their annual influenza jab, and this will now extend to those aged 60 and over as well as front-line medical and care home staff and those employed as home carers. the ‘flu jab is given automatically to all residents aged 65 and over, or younger if they have health problems that make them more at risk of either catching ‘flu or becoming seriously ill if they did. those who have not already had theirs and are aged under 70 are likely to be given their third Covid dose at the same time, but those who have had

the influenza vaccine or do not want to wait will either be summoned by their local health authority when the third Covid dose is in place for their age group, or can book an appointment specially. this is strongly advised, in fact, since the date upon which third injections for those aged 60 and over will start has not yet been set, and it could be risky to delay a ‘flu jab on this basis.

Spain’s president Pedro Sánchez said the aim was to keep the vaccination process running ‘without interruption’ in a bid to ‘keep contagion rates low’, given that the country has one of the lowest rates of Covid in Europe at present.

Figures have shown a slight rise, but it is still well below that of this time last year when the

cut-off point for taking special measures to protect the public was around 0.5 percent of the population, or 500 cases per 100,000.

Epidemiologists have said Spain’s good progress is largely due to the high percentage of residents vaccinated – about 90% of the target population, or those aged 12 and over, and around 80% of the headcount as a whole, with just over 2.9 million thought to have had a third dose by now. Of these third doses, 2.5 million have been given the Pfizer. the husband-and-wife team who founded the bioNtech laboratory and created the Pfizer jab have said for months now that their formula needs a third dose to maximise protection.

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Your tech questions answered by Brian Hoile of the Costa Blanca Technology Help Group, helping over 200 members with their PCs, smartphones and more. Find the group on Facebook (Costa Blanca Technology Help Group) or attend the meetings in person or online via Zoom. if you have a question or a problem that needs my help then please send an email to brian at cbtechnology.help@ gmail.com. if i receive the email by lunchtime on Friday it will appear in the next edition. if you want to join the technology help Group search Facebook for “Costa blanca technology help Group”. if you do not use Facebook you can still join by sending an email with your details to cbtechnology. help@gmail.com.

When joining on Facebook please make sure that you scroll all the way through and answer all questions and give your email address. i use your email address as the primary means of communication.

A reminder of what the Costa blanca technology help Group offers members.

Jane of Albatera asks “When I open my contacts on Gmail from my Laptop the text is too big to see my contacts properly.

What can I do?

On any open page you can

increase or decrease the size of the text by holding down the CtrL key and pressing + to increase the text size or – to decrease the text size. Effectively you are zooming in or out on the current page.

Peter from Guardamar asks “How do give my location to a delivery driver who cannot find my house? to give someone your location you can use Google Maps to create a link which contains details of that location. to “drop a pin” on Google Maps when using an Android device: 1. Open the Google Maps app.

2. Either search for an address or scroll around the map until you find the location you want.

3. Long-press on the screen to drop a pin.

4. the address or location will pop up at the bottom of the screen.

5. tap on the location to share it.

You can then share this location using any communication means.

This is a handout produced for the Technology Help Group Android Smartphone basics.

Scan the Qr code for a handout on Android Smartphone basics. the settings and screenshots are taken from a huawei Psmart 2020 but similar features are found on

most Android Smartphones.

Joan from Torrevieja asks “My smartphone battery is not lasting as long as it did when it was new. Can I do anything to fix this?” battery life and performance does reduce over time.Once battery life has deteriorated there is nothing you can do to improve it. You can however change your battery performance mode in settings to reduce the load on the battery. Cell phone batteries last an average of 3 to 5 years, but that estimate can vary greatly depending on different factors.

Charging habits play a major role in a battery’s lifespan. the more you charge the battery, the more its capacity will diminish over time. disconnect chargers and devices with rechargeable batteries after the battery reaches full charge. Overcharging occurs when the device or battery is plugged into a charger after full charge has been reached and may reduce battery life.

Join the Group by searching Facebook for “Costa Blanca Technology Help Group” Send your questions to cbtechnology.help@gmail.com

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Discover new Christmas experiences Organised by local Spanish lady begona Josa del Portillo the range of ‘discover the real Spain’ trips and tour aims to allow hidden gems to be explored by expats and holiday makers alike. in the run-up the Christmas begona is offering two very different ways to experience some festive fun in Spain....

Medieval Market and Wine the first trip is a newly added visit to the Zacatin Medieval Artisan Market at bullas. this market runs the first Sunday of every month but this trip will take in the last market before Christmas and offer the opportunity to buy traditional Spanish Christmas sweets and pastries as well as special and unique handcrafted presents. You will be able to watch potters and artisan leather, woodworkers and jewellers practicing their traditional crafts, selling what they make on their stalls. the market offers a blend of local foods, including wine, cheeses, delicatessen, wood oven-baked breads, cakes, local honey and well as ceramics, wood, jewellery, glass, leather and other seasonal goods and specialities. the trip also includes a visit to the town’s Wine Museum

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

then plenty of free time for shopping and a tapas lunch. the Museo del Vino is built over the basement and cellar of one of the most important former wineries in bullas. here you will be introduced to the history of bullas and its wine making. At the end of the tour there is the opportunity to buy local wines at bodega prices.

The trip will take place on Sunday 5th December and is priced at 25€ per person.

To reserve your place and arrange pick-up, call Begona on 622 18 87 72.

Christmas Shopping and Lights the second trip is to the city of Murcia to experience its beautiful Christmas lights - and bag a festive bargain or two at the same time.

Leaving on Friday 10th

december this is the perfect way to experience a beautiful Spanish city in the run up to Christmas. the festive display of lights and trees are gorgeous in Murcia and the city is also renowned for its Christmas Market. the coach will drop off right in the centre of the city at El Corte ingles around 4pm, where you will have plenty of time to see the illuminations in the city, do some shopping and find somewhere nice for tapas or an early evening meal – and all without the stress of finding somewhere to park.

Tickets are priced at 22€ per person and pick-ups can be arranged from Torrevieja, La Zenia, San Javier, Los Alcazares, Mar Menor Golf etc. To reserve your place and arrange pick-up, call Begona on 622 188 772.

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Annual Charity Poppy Calendar due to popular demand, local artist Sheila Chinnock is once again compiling her charity Poppy Calendar. Now in its fifth year, orders are currently being taken for the 2022 calendar and a donation from the sales will be made to the royal british Legion and Elche Children’s home. the original idea was born on the back of the popularity of Sheila’s poppy paintings and she has continued to compile a Charity Calendar each year which is sold to friends and family locally in Orihuela Costa and in the UK. Sheila left the West Midlands more than 13 years ago to enjoy life as an expat on the Orihuela Costa. With more time on her hands, she soon developed a passion for painting. Liking her work, friends and neighbours asked Sheila to paint canvases and decorative tiles for them

and many a living room, hall way and terrace on the coast boasts her work. despite creating beautiful seascapes and the contemporary ‘by moonlight’ range, it is Sheila’s imaginative and carefree poppy interpretations that have captured people’s hearts and inspired her annual calendars.

Covid Passport People will have to show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate to enter some premises in the Valencia region under plans being drawn up by the regional government. regional president Ximo Puig said proof of vaccination would be needed to go into places ‘where it is reasonable’ to require the certificate. he has asked his government’s legal services department to study how the measure could be implemented.

Sheila said: “if my paintings can make someone happy by raising a smile and help someone in need by raising a euro, then the calendars will have done everything i hoped.” the calendars are priced at 6€ each. to reserve your copy please call Sheila on 608 79 50 95.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

1 ENGLISH REAL ESTATE TEAM ER 30 YEARS IN CIUDAD QUESADA

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Add some spArkle to your kitchen with kitchens plus

For many people the kitchen is without doubt the most important room in their house. It is not only where food is prepared but also serves as a social gathering place.

Therefore it is worth spending a bit of thought and money on ensuring your kitchen is not only a practical and efficient place to prepare meals in but is also an attractive and comfortable area as well.

When it comes to having a new kitchen installed or simply renovating an old one it pays to get some good solid, experienced advice all of which you can obtain from Kitchen Plus. Archie and Donna at Kitchen Plus have over 15 years experience between them in supplying and fitting kitchens.

With such a wide range nowadays of finishes, colours, styles and textures available it can be a difficult and confusing business making a decision as to what to choose.

Kitchen Plus has a showroom and workshop on Avenida Baleares next to the Fu restaurant.

Whether it’s simply a makeover for your existing kitchen, perhaps with more up to date doors and new worktops, or a complete new installation, Kitchen Plus caters for all size of projects and offers a free no obligation design service to accommodate the level of

budget you have. They also offer a complete finished ‘turnkey’ service including electrics, gas, plumbing, tiling and building plans. There are no hidden extras in the quotations received from Kitchen Plus and everything required for the work to be carried out is itemised in the quotation. All work is carried out by experienced tradesmen. A 25 per cent deposit is payable when the order is agreed and customers pay as the work progresses not in one chunk up front. Work is guaranteed and the team at Kitchen Plus offers good after sales customer service.

Working closely with reliable and quick suppliers Kitchen Plus can offer a fast service to supply and fit your kitchen. Kitchen Plus can also supply sliding wardrobe fronts and has a stock of some internal doors if needed and offer a fitting service if they have to be customised.

You can contact Kitchens Plus on 965 712 754 or 677 230 071. You can also visit the showroom which is open from Monday to Thursday between 10 am and 4.00 pm and on Fridays between 10 am and 1.00 pm. There is also a website at www. kitchensplus.eu or you can email them at kplus3180@gmail.com.

See Kitchens Plus main advert on page 3 of this week’s paper.

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specsavers to become drop-off point for the A helping hand christmas Appeal SPECSAVERS Ópticas in Guardamar, Torrevieja and La Zenia are joining a Christmas campaign to ensure that disadvantaged children have a gift to open this year.

They are drop-off points for the campaign organised by A Helping Hand Costa Blanca and welcome anyone to pop in with their gifts until 15th December.

Lisa James, store director from Specsavers Ópticas explains, ‘I have been really impressed by all the hard work that Ines Perkins has been doing to help those people in our local area who have struggled due to the pandemic and desperately need support. When I saw her Christmas appeal collecting toys for so many children whose families are having a hard time right now, I just knew we had to get involved, so I’m so delighted that all three Specsavers Ópticas stores in the Costa Blanca South can act as drop off points for this excellent cause.’

A Helping Hand Costa Blanca are collecting Christmas gifts for 173 children in Southern Costa Blanca.

They have identified struggling families between Alicante and Torrevieja on the coast and Elche, Orihuela and Murcia inland and want to make sure

that all the children have a wonderful Christmas this year.

They are asking generous local residents to spend around 10€ per child on a new gift, for children between two and 10 years old. Wrap the present and label it with your name, the age

range suitable for the gift and whether it is for a boy or a girl and drop it off at Specsavers Ópticas in Guardamar, Torrevieja or La Zenia. The campaign is running until 15thDecember and the charity hope that many local residents will get behind it and make a child smile this Christmas.

As well as the Christmas campaign, A Helping Hand feeds 300 people through their food bank, so donations of nonperishable food, cleaning products and toiletries are also welcome.

Ines Perkins has been working tirelessly for over a year feeding around 100 families a month and explains that they rely on the generosity of local residents to keep going with this important work.

She says: ‘Thank you to Specsavers Ópticas and all the businesses which have put themselves forward as drop-off points and supporters of our charity.

We give our families clothes, toys, baby items and sometimes furniture.

We run campaigns for Easter eggs, birthdays and now Christmas and appreciate everyone who takes part. If you can help with a simple packet of pasta, or a Christmas present for a child or maybe a clear out of your wardrobe - anything helps. I believe the kids are most important and don’t think they should suffer because of the tough financial situation their families find themselves in. This is why we’d love it if as many people as possible could choose a Christmas present for a child in need, wrap it and drop it off at one of our drop-off points. Thank you for your generosity.’

Find out more about the charity by following @AHelpingHandCostaBlanca on Facebook. Find your nearest Specsavers Ópticas store by visiting www.specsavers.es

san Fulgencio council approves Flood risk Action plan BUSINESS PROFILE

Please note that all information contained within this Costa Blanca People Business Profile has been provided by the client, and is therefore deemed correct and accurate. Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies are the sole responsibility of the client.

San Fulgencio Town Council, in an extraordinary meeting this week, approved the Municipal Flood Risk Action Plan for the town. As indicated by the mayor of the municipality and head of Public Safety, José Sampere, “it is essential for a municipality to have

this document, which aims to create a protocol of actions and distribute the tasks to be carried out by the different agencies and devices in case of emergency”.

In this way, “we can offer a faster and more efficient response in situations of flooding, such as those we unfortunately suffered in September 2019 due to the DANA”, he added.

The Municipal Action Plan for Flood Risk (PAMRI) forms part, together with the Municipal Action Plan for Seismic Risk (PAMRS), of the Municipal Territorial Emergency Plan (PTEM). The document “includes the geographical and general characteristics of the municipality, with the aim of detecting weak points and vulnerabilities, as well as the means and resources that could be used,” explained Sampere. It also establishes a chain of command, called CECOPAL (Centro de Coordinación Operativa Municipal), which is responsible for specifying the tasks to be carried out during floods.

This body, headed by the mayor, would be located in the Local Police Headquarters, and would be made up of an advisory committee, an information office and a communications centre.

The plan has been drafted by a senior

technician in emergency coordination, hired last year through an employment programme, to draw up the emergency plans of 23 municipalities in the Vega Baja. This action corresponds to one of the actions included in the ‘Vega Renhace’ Plan of the Generalitat Valenciana for the prevention of emergencies related to flooding in the region.

Mayor José Sampere stressed the importance of having this document, since “San Fulgencio is a municipality which, due to its geographical characteristics and the extensive network of irrigation channels and ditches it has, is prone to these phenomena.” The mayor also thanked the Valencian government for its help, which with the implementation of the actions reflected in the Vega Renhace Plan “will help to protect both the people of San Fulgencio and the people of the region from having to suffer floods of this magnitude again.”

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Paella is officially a national heritage

The most international household name in Spanish cuisine, paella has now been awarded ‘intangible heritage’ status nationwide. Although not quite UNESCO status, this is the national equivalent and was applied for in May this year by the Comunidad Valenciana.

This confirms that it is the three provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante, where the popular saffronyellow rice originates from.

In applying for the status of Bien de Interés Cultural Inmaterial, or BIC Inmaterial (literally translated as ‘Intangible Heritage Interest Asset’), the Valencian regional government explained paella was ‘not just a dish’, but a ‘thread binding the region’s society together’.

Like most national or regional cuisine anywhere in the world, paella’s origins are humble and simple, and the BIC application pointed out that it continues to be the most ‘democratic’ and ‘classless’ of all dishes, given that it’s relatively cheap to whip up a basic version but at the same time, highlyexquisite versions of paella are served up in the kind of multiple Michelinstarred eateries.

‘Paella’ is the name of the pan the

meal is cooked in, but nowadays, paella is just as likely to refer to the actual food on your plate as the flat metal dish you fry and simmer it in, but the latter explains why the recipes vary and why some rice dishes that look and taste paella-ish technically aren’t, as they are cooked in different types of container, such as glazed terracotta terrines.

In fact, the first-known recipe for it is headed up Sartén a la Valenciana (Paella), or, more or less, ‘Valencian fryup’, given that a sartén is a frying pan, with the ‘paella’ bit in brackets to let you know what type of frying pan is involved.

It was written down in 1857 by chefs M. Garciarena and Mariano Muñoz, and is based upon one of the most prolific and cheap staple ingredients you can find in the Comunidad Valenciana – rice.

The waterland between Pego and Oliva, on the Alicante-Valencia province border, and the Albufera wetland which occupies the coast of nearly the whole of the southern half of the province of Valencia, have been used as paddyfields for centuries; rice harvested directly from either is now a delicacy and very expensive, but historically, was merely a source of sustenance for poorer, rural families.

As well as rice, the 1857 recipe includes the standard water, olive oil, salt, saffron for the colour, garlic, plus others such as tomato, chicken, green beans, pork loin, sausages, peeled red pepper, parsley, peas, eels and snails.

Meat-based paellas or ‘rice dishes’, typically found in inland parts rather than near the coast, do sometimes include snails, but peas are, nowadays, considered an absolute ‘no-no’ on a par with chorizo, and you won’t find it with sausages in, either.

In practice, paella, or other types of Valencian ‘rice dish’ are made by pouring the rice into a sizzling pan with oil and then, once all the ingredients are added to the frying mixture, topped up with water – vegetable, meat or fish stock – and the heat turned down, leaving it to simmer.

This means the rice does ‘boil’ properly and is not hard at all, but many a non-Valencian first-time paellamaker has thrown the whole lot away in dismay after finding it had ‘got burnt and stuck to the pan’ – again, wrongly, because it is supposed to do just that.

Spanish supermarkets sell powerful washing-up liquids labelled ‘for paella pans’, and even ‘paella-pan scrapers’, precisely for this reason.

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street cleaning depot for the coast The Mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, and the Councillor for Waste Collection and Street Cleaning, Dámaso Aparicio, have presented plans for a new works depot. The project for the depot and work centre, which will be located in Orihuela Costa, was outlined to union representatives a few days ago.

The facility will be built on a plot of municipal land of 14,170 square meters, with close access to the AP-7 and CV-95.

The project includes the construction of an administrative building, where the offices for Road Cleaning and Waste Collection will be based. In addition there will be a 400-square-meter warehouse which will be used for washing the fleet of vehicles and will house workshops and storage facilities for tools and chemical products. There will also be parking for the garbage

collection trucks and street cleaning vehicles.

The unions representatives left the meeting satisfied that the requirements they have requested have been incorporated in the new depot. The facility is due to open in 2022 and the next stage will be budget approval for the 800,000 euros necessary to complete the project.

The depot has been designed to integrate with the landscape and to respect the environment. Half of the plot will be used for the new work centre and the remaining 7,100 meters will be reserved for the future construction of a much-needed ecopark for the residents of Orihuela Costa.

However, the decision to install this facility depends on the Sustainable Vega Baja Waste Consortium.

Orihuela leading fight against gender violence The 25th of November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.

This year the annual UN campaign will focus on amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis, focus on prevention, and collection of data that can improve life-saving services for women and girls.

In support of the initiative the Mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, hosted a regional conference entitled “The right of victims of gender violence to file a complaint with guarantees and to have effective judicial protection”. The event was attended by the councillor of Equality, Almudena Baldó, the Government Subdelegate Araceli Poblador, and the dean of the Illustrious Bar Association, Manuel Almarcha.

This conference, organised by the Department of Equality and the Orihuela Bar Association, brought together the different bodies and State security agents, as well as municipal

technicians, lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and groups related to the fight against gender violence.

The Mayor said: “It is votal to continue working and advancing in the fight against gender violence. Hold this event is an important step to advancing in the protection of victims and in the fight against this social scourge that we must eradicate together.”

The Councillor for Equality, Almudena Baldó, explained that “this day was born as a result of the fact that it is still difficult to file complaints and therefore, the conjunction between all the components that intervene in this process need to be analysed.”

The Government Subdelegate, Araceli Poblador, added that “it is important to give visibility to this type of initiative to help victims of gender violence, to take the step of reporting because they are not alone.”

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Bars & Restaurants

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Bars & Restaurants

christmas Gift Appeal Willow International School with the support of TKOfm and the Costa Blanca People has launched a Christmas Gift Appeal in aid of San José Obrero orphanage.

The orphanage caters for around 60 children from the age of 5 to 18 housed in two residence units in Orihuela and Elche. There are also 24 children in a day facility who go home in the evening time as well as a temporary foster care facility. There is also transitional accommodation for older teenagers who do not have family support in order to help them cope with the evolution to adulthood and independence.

The orphanage is run by the church and most of the children both live and are educated there.

In spite of this, the orphanage does not receive support from the state and is always looking for help from the public.

In the spirit of Christmas and ‘children helping children’, Willow International School is asking students’ families and members of the public in general to add an extra item to their Christmas shopping lists this year. School Principal Amanda Riding said “As a community, the expats have always been so supportive of charity appeals and I think everyone will agree that making sure these children have a special gift at Christmas time is a very worthy cause indeed.”

To support the Gift Appeal, all you need to do is to buy a gift, wrap it and drop if off at one of the drop off points (listed below). If you would like to buy a specific gift for a specific age group or gender, we have also listed below a breakdown of the children currently in care at the orphanage. While younger children will be delighted with toys, older children might perhaps like some toiletries, Christmas sweets or goodies, or even a voucher in order to go shopping in the sales. Fundraiser for the orphanage Lyn Adams said, “The children are always in need of basic items, clothes and toiletries.” If your gift is for a specific age group or gender, please indicate on the outside of the parcel.

AGE 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

BOYS 1 4 4 3 1 5 3 2 2

GIRLS 3 3 2 8 4 6 3

DROP OFF POINTS • Willow International School, Pueblo Bravo, Quesada 9.30am till 2.30pm Monday to Friday • Crystals Restaurant, La Fuente Thursday to Saturday from 6pm and Sundays from 1pm • Leddy Homes/Leddy Contractors, Calle San Miguel 9, Los Montesinos 10 til 2pm Monday to Friday • TKO Radio & Easy Buy Properties, Avenida De La Mancha 29b, Aguas Nuevas, Torrevieja, between 9:30am til 3:30pm • St George pub, Dog and Firkin & The Chippy, Catral 12pm – late • The Final Whistle, Consum Sqaure, La Marina 10am – late • PSI Consultants, Playa Flamenca 10am – 2pm Monday -Friday The toys can be of any size or cost - all gifts will be most gratefully received.

The deadline for all gifts to be dropped off is Friday December 10th.

CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Bars & Restaurants

Healthy eating for the over 60s Taking care of your health as you age can help you stay fighting fit for longer.

While keeping active is one piece of the puzzle here, you should also eat well.

A diet rich in minerals, vitamins, and nutrients could help you protect your wellness. So, where should you start?

Let’s take a look at the science-backed foods you should be eating after 60.

Berries When it’s time for dessert, why not treat yourself to a healthy bowl of berries? Consuming blueberries and strawberries may help slow down mental decline in older people, according to research published in the Annals of Neurology. The researchers suggested that this finding may be down to flavonoids, which are naturally found in these berries and also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Eggs As you age, you are at risk of low vitamin D levels as your skin loses the ability to synthesise it from the sun. For that reason, adults over 60 should aim to gain more vitamin D from their diet instead. One source of this vitamin is eggs and, in particular, egg yolks. For example, a 100-gram serving of hardboiled egg contains 87 IU of vitamin D. Mushrooms If you’re not a fan of eggs, there’s another way you could increase your vitamin D intake. Shiitake mushrooms are a great source of this particular vitamin, as research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine

shows that they produce it naturally.

You can add dried shiitake mushrooms to a variety of dishes including stews, broths, and soups.

Liver Offal—such as beef liver, heart, and kidneys—also naturally contains some vitamin D. That means that meat-eaters over the age of 60 could benefit from adding these ingredients to their meal plans. Doing so may help supplement the low production of the vitamin in the body. Of course, offal should only be eaten as part of a balanced diet.

Oily Fish The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) recommends that older people eat two portions of fish per week, ensuring that one is oily. Examples of oily fish include salmon, sardines, and trout. This heart-healthy food contains long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect against cardiovascular disease. The BNF also suggests that eating oily fish can help relieve some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as swelling and mobility issues.

Rice Around 35 percent of adults over the age of 65 are medically obese, according to recent research. Fighting this problem means becoming more active and eating a balanced diet. An international study by the European Association for the Study of Obesity suggests that obesity is lower in countries that consume a lot of rice.

That could mean that including rice in your meal plans could make a

significant difference to your waistline.

Bananas Research suggests that older adults are at risk of getting prehypertension and hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Potassium is a mineral that helps lower the effects of salt intake and improves your blood pressure levels, according to Blood Pressure UK. With that in mind, eating foods that are high in potassium, such as bananas, could be one way to help prevent this problem.

such as whole-grain rice and wholegrain bread could make a major difference to your health as you age.

Avocado Avocado is a popular breakfast food so why not give it a try for yourself?

This fruit is similarly high in potassium, which means that it could help people avoid getting high blood pressure.

What’s more, around 25 percent of the fibre in an avocado is soluble, according to research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine. That also means that eating this fruit could help improve your digestion too.

Milk High in calcium and nutrient-rich, dairy products may be a part of your healthy everyday diet. Women over the age of 51 should eat four servings of dairy products per day, according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

The same guidelines suggest that men between the ages of 50 and 70 consume two and a half servings, while men over 70 require around three and a half servings. Speak to a nutritionist for more information regarding your dairy intake.

Whole Grains When it comes to carbs, people over the age of 60 should opt for whole grains over other options. Information from the British Nutrition Foundation suggests that this, along with other lifestyle and dietary changes, could help lower older adults’ risk of cardiovascular disease. Put simply, choosing options

Yogurt Dietitians of Canada recommends yogurt as a stable source of vitamin B12.

For example, 200 ml of plain yogurt contains around 1.3 mcg of the vitamin.

Including this tasty extra in your diet could help you increase your intake of the vitamin, which will support your overall health.

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Breakthrough on Alzheimer’s cure

Experiments on mice have found that a new vaccine destroys rogue proteins in the brain and, in doing so, restores memory – and all for just £15 a dose. The pioneering therapy could revolutionise treatment, according to British and German scientists.

Clinical trials on the technique, which targets soluble and highly toxic ¬fragments of amyloid beta that clump into plaques, could begin in two years.

Professor Thomas Bayer, of Gottingen University in Germany, who is coauthor of the study, said: “In clinical trials, none of the potential treatments have shown much success in terms of reducing Alzheimer’s symptoms. Some have even shown negative side effects.

So we decided on a different approach.

“We identified an antibody in mice that would neutralise the truncated forms of soluble amyloid beta, but would not bind either to normal forms of the protein or to the plaques.”

The team next adapted the antibody, called TAP01, so our immune system would not recognise it as foreign. To their surprise, the protein folded back on itself.

In tests, both the antibody and the engineered vaccine repaired the brain’s neuron function and increased glucose metabolism in the brain, bringing back the memories of the mice.

Co-author Professor Mark Carr, of Leicester University, said: “If these results were replicated in human trials, then it could be transformative.

“It opens up the possibility to not only treat Alzheimer’s but also to potentially vaccinate against the disease before the symptoms appear.”

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Health & Beauty

CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

marriage wasn’t great - I loved my husband in my own way, but I don’t feel I need to commemorate his passing every year. we cancel everything.

He can’t forget her My partner and I are both widowed. I am very happy and every day with him is wonderful, except for one day of the year when my partner insists on spending the anniversary

of his wife’s death on his own. This upsets me greatly, and I find myself feeling very jealous of his late wife. He just leaves the house and comes back without telling me where he’s been. My

You’ve both lost your spouse and everyone grieves differently. Your marriage wasn’t so great but his was different. You’ve both been lucky enough to find love again. You could try telling him how you feel, and at

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least then your feelings will be out in the open, but I think you should be very gracious here and grant him this time alone. It’s only one day of the year, and perhaps you could do something enjoyable on that day, so that you are not sitting at home dwelling.

Write to Sara in confidence. a pSeudonym Will be uSed if you WiSh. Sara readS all letterS and can give a perSonal reply. email your queStion to Sara@coStablancapeople.com or Sara iS available for private conSultationS, telephone 650 054 467.

Caffeine fix can keep you healthy A strong morning brew is an invariable staple of many people’s daily routines, which might also feature regular office tea breaks, pre-lunch lattes, and midafternoon flat whites.

There’s no doubt us expats are caffeine enthusiasts and meeting for a cuppa is a big part of our daily lives.

However, new research suggests that your habitual caffeine doses aren’t just keeping you awake – they could also be keeping you healthy. A new study has found a correlation between moderate consumption of coffee and tea, both of which are rich in caffeine, and a lower risk of stroke and dementia.

The study, the largest of its kind, followed 365,000 people aged between 50 and 74 for over a decade. Over the research period, 5,079 of the participants developed dementia, and 10,053 went on to have at least one stroke.

The study, conducted by Dr Yuan Zhang and his colleagues from China’s Tianjin Medical University, found that those who drank two to three cups

of coffee a day (or three to five cups of tea) had a lower risk of suffering from a stroke or dementia. The research suggests that moderate caffeine intake lowers the chances of developing dementia to one in 100, with stroke risks falling to one in 50.

“Even small potential health benefits or risks associated with tea and coffee intake may have

important public health implications,” says Zhang.

The report is, of course, not the first to have assessed the health benefits of caffeine. In 2017, a major study by the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh found that people who drink more coffee are less likely to develop hepatocellular cancer (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer. Earlier this year, a study in the British Medical Journal found that advanced prostate cancer sufferers are 16 per cent less likely to die if they are heavy coffee drinkers.

Yet other researchers have, over the years, debated the health implications of caffeine.

In 1991, the World Health Organisation listed coffee as a possible carcinogen (it contains acrylamide, a possible carcinogen, but most recent studies have not found a link between ingested acrylamide and cancer). And excessive coffee drinking has been implicated with increased anxiety.

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Health & Beauty

CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

Even more to enjoy at Indiana’s Indiana’s Hair & Lash Boutique is going from strength to strength since it opened in August of last year.

Indiana has been a stylist for seven years and having trained in London and Spain, her talents are very much in demand. She specializes in advance cutting, short or long hair and all types of colouring .

Also on offer are a variety of specialist facial treatments by Sharon. As well as spa facials, anti ageing facials and treatments such as dermaplaning and microneedling, Sharon is also working wonders with those suffering the side effects of wearing a mask. Her ‘maskne’ treatments are helping women and men whose skin is badly damaged by the pandemic. If you feel your skin could benefit from rejuvenation, speak to Sharon (at Indiana’s every Friday) and she will recommend the best treatment for your skin type.

Threading hair removal Threading is a hair removal technique that was developed in South Asia & the Middle East.

Threading is very precise which allows for a more natural look for areas like eyebrows or top lips , it can be used for any facial or body hair.

Threading can last between 2 and 5 weeks.

Also on offer is the dreamy duo of RF & needling in the Ultimate Anti Ageing Facial.

What are the benefits • Visible results from the first treatment.

• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

• Helps skin create new collagen which results in smoother, brighter

younger looking skin.

• Firmer, hydrated skin, refined pores, also helps with scaring.

• Improved skin tone and texture.

• That all important glow. *If using retinols stop a few days prior to the treatment Skin tag removal A high-frequency electrical energy is used to burn off the skin tag.

Leaving your skin free from the tag with no scarring.

Hopi ear candling Benefits of Hopi ear candling • Soften ear wax build up • Relieves sinus pressure • Improve lymphatic fluid flow • Improve sense of smell • Reduces headaches • Reduce itchy ears • Prevent plugged ears • Avoid swimmers ear For your beauty needs, Carly is the go-to girl. Carly is a fully qualified nail technician and beautician with

20 years experience. Specialising in acrylic and gel nail extensions, acrylic overlays, shellac polish and hand painted nail art, manicure and pedicures, facial and body waxing and eyelash and eyebrow tinting, Carly is ready to cater for all your beauty needs and ensure you are always looking your best. New at Indiana’s is the hot new trend ‘Brow Lamination’ which gives a wonderful new look to tired and faded brows.

Popular with all the celebs, this painless and inexpensive treatment will breathe new life into your brows.

Two of the most in demand treatments at Indiana’s are offered by the lady herself. Indiana is all about the lashes, offering both individual eyelash extensions and the LVL lash perming treatment – both of which last for weeks at a time and really open up the eye and give a wonderful, no-need-for-mascara look. Trained in London, Indiana’s lash clients return to her again and again to avail of her skills in the lash department.

To book an appointment with Indiana or the Glam Squad, simply call the salon or drop in! All the details you need are in her advert.

Find Indiana’s on Facebook and Instagram.

See her main advert on page 2.

BUSINESS PROFILE

Please note that all information contained within this Costa Blanca People Business Profile has been provided by the client, and is therefore deemed correct and accurate. Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies are the sole responsibility of the client.

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Antibiotic resistance crisis New research warns how everyday items from pizza to yoghurt may be contributing to the rise of antibioticresistant superbugs that can kill millions of people – and low-welfare farms around the world are to blame.

More than half the world’s antibiotics are not given to people but to livestock – and are then passed on to humans when we consume those animal products. Livestock raised for cheap produce are often kept in cruelly dirty, cramped and stressful conditions that foster the rapid spread of infectious diseases. Instead of improving the animals’ living conditions, farmers find it cheaper – and more profitable – to routinely dose up the animals with regular antibiotics in the hope of preventing infection outbreaks.

But when farmers give antibiotics excessively and unnecessarily, they are in effect priming ordinary infectious bacteria to overcome the drugs and so encouraging the development of lethal superbugs. This global level of overuse has quietly but steadily fuelled the world’s antibiotic-resistance crisis, where ever-deadlier bacteria can shrug off even our most potent medicines.

The UK Health Security Agency has recently warned that one in five people with an infection in 2020 had an antibiotic-resistant strain. Some scientists think that antibiotic overuse by humans is a main cause of the antibiotic resistance crisis. But the volume of antibiotics given to farm animals, which live in the cramped, warm conditions in which dangerous

bacteria thrive, is a recipe for disaster.

The antibiotic-resistant superbugs that farms foster can spread around the world through food and also through the muck and waste they produce.

They can also spread via the humans who work with infected animals, such as farm and slaughterhouse staff.

New research shows that leading supermarkets are failing to do enough to make sure antibiotics aren’t being misused on farms that provide us with meat, milk, eggs and fish.

What’s worse is that many supermarkets have double standards for antibiotic use, with tough rules for some supply chains and zero rules for others.

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Motors

CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

CostaBlancaPeople 16th - 22nd November 2021

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Time for your First ITV You´ve been driving around in your new vehicle for some time now, you´ve had little inconvenience or problem, other than taking it for a quick service, but now it´s come of age and it´s time for it to undertake its first ever ITV inspection.

Don´t worry, there is nothing scary about the test; it is a simple procedure that ensures that the primary safety features on the vehicle are working. You won´t be judged on your taste in music, or if you have flowery seat covers, it is just about the safety elements.

That said, there are a few things that you can check before you go for your ITV inspection, and make it even easier, after all the aim is to come away with a successful inspection so that we can continue driving.

When you subject your vehicle to a test, there are three possible outcomes.

Favourable, in which the vehicle has passed with no problems, unfavourable, in which case the vehicle has failed. In the event of an unfavourable report, the vehicle cannot be driven. The same applies for an expired ITV test in the future, if your ITV expires then the vehicle is not permitted on the public roads, you must arrange to truck, a grua, to take the vehicle on its back. In the UK it is possible to book an appointment for your MOT and you are permitted to drive the vehicle to that appointment, irrespective of the status of the car. In Spain there is no such luxury. If a vehicle does not have a valid ITV certificate, it cannot be driven on the roads.

The third possible status after the test will be that the inspector has noticed some minor faults. In this case, the vehicle will not be failed, but these faults will be detailed on the ITV report you will be given at the end of the test. You then have a maximum of two months in which to have these faults repaired, however the vehicle can only be driven to a garage to have the repairs completed.

However, today we are talking about things that can be checked before we go for the examination, and therefore, hopefully, pass with a favourable result.

First, take a slow and detailed walk around the vehicle. Look closely at the body work. You need to pay particular attention to deformations, misshapes, dents and the likes, but particularly for any sharp edges. Vehicle designs are always smooth and flowing, partly for aerodynamic reasons, but also, in this case, because sharp edges can cause considerably more damage in the event of a collision. Imagine if the wing of the car was damaged and has a serrated edge where the previous collision took place. If that part of the car impacted with a pedestrian or cyclist, for example, the damage would be catastrophic.

As you go around the vehicle make sure that the rear-view mirrors on the outside are in good condition, not broken or speckled, and that visibility is good. You will have to do the same for the interior mirror too. All mirrors must be correctly fixed in their original housings and firm.

Whilst we are walking around the vehicle, also check the tyres. Make sure that there is sufficient tread around each tyre, that the wear (if any) is equal, and that there are no deformations. You need to carry out both a visible check and also get your hands dirty by feeling your way around each tyre, including on the side that you can´t see, and don´t forget to check the spare wheel if your vehicle has one.

It is also a good idea to check each of the tyres conforms to the requirements printed on the vehicle´s documentation.

As we are moving to the interior of the vehicle, check all the doors. Make sure that they all open easily, that they close, and that they remain securely closed.

Next, we need to check the seat belts.

Make sure that all seat belts move freely when pulled from their roll, and then give each of them a jolt to make sure that they lock when they are supposed to. You also need to make sure that free movement returns after the jolt. Ensure that the seat belts all click into their locking attachment, and unclip easily when pressed. They must not come

away from the locking mechanism unless the button is pressed. To make things easier during the inspection, it is a good idea to leave any unused seat belts buckled fully, as that speeds the process up slightly for the inspectors.

From inside the vehicle we need to check that the horn works, although be careful when you test this so as not to alarm anybody. Don´t forget that the interior rear view mirror also needs checking that it is clear and firmly fixed.

Whilst checking the horn, we can also check the lights, perhaps getting someone to help you at this point, as all lights need to be tested, so that means the headlights, dipped and full beam, brake lights, indicators, reversing lights, and fog lights, making sure they all work correctly. Pay close attention to the headlights during this check, making sure that the glass is clear. In Spain we suffer from a “frosting” effect as the strong sun discolours the coating on the headlights. This frosting can result in a failed examination, so make sure they are clear and get them treated before the test if needed.

Whilst also sat in the vehicle, check the dashboard, in particular looking for any obvious problems such as engine warning lights, or other warnings, as these too can prevent the vehicle from passing.

Finally, on the subject of clarity, the windscreen wipers must be in good condition, and the windscreen washer reservoir topped up with liquid for cleaning the windscreen.

If you carry out these simple checks, there is a higher chance of you getting through the test without any problems, but we must keep in mind that some faults cannot be seen by these basic checks, but the examiners are highly trained and qualified in ensuring that the safety features are all working, and so if anything is identified as being wrong, not only is it important to get it fixed, it is an important way of having faults which could lead to further problems identified.

faces a penalty of 1,000 euro and a loss of 6 points.

Repeat offenders face a penalty of 1,000 euro and the loss of between 4 or 6 points, depending on the rate given.

If there is a drug present, the penalty for the driver is 1,000 euro and the loss of 6 points.

community service for 30 to 90 days, and deprivation of the right to drive for one to four years.

Refusal to submit to the test - Prison from six months to one year and deprivation of the right to drive from one to four years.

Alcohol and drugs As the Christmas season has already begun, it´s worth us looking at alcohol and drugs, if only to serve as a warning.

Spain does have a prescribed limit, which is less than other countries, including the UK for example, but the only safe limit for either alcohol or drugs before driving is zero.

There have been numerous hardhitting campaigns over the years which try to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol and drugs, and although many people do acknowledge and observe the dangers, there are still those who choose to risk their own lives, and the lives of others, by drinking, or consuming drugs, or both, before driving.

It is worth noting also that the roadside breathalyser in Spain is used in evidence, and so if you fail at the roadside you face the immediate consequences.

Sanctions: If you fail a breathalyser test and the result shows a rate of more than 0.25 mg / l but is less than 0.50 mg / l, the driver faces a penalty of 500 euro and loss of 4 points.

If the breathalyser test result shows a rate of more than 0.50 mg / l, the driver

Penalties: The Criminal Code typifies crimes against road safety and establishes the following penalties for driving with excess alcohol or under the influence of drugs.

Alcohol: Rates higher than 0.60 mg / l in air and rates higher than 1.2 gr / l in blood - Prison for three to six months or a fine of six to twelve months or

Drugs: Driving under the influence of toxic drugs, narcotics or psychotropic substances - Prison for three to six months or a fine of six to twelve months or work for the benefit of the community for 30 to 90 days, and deprivation of the right to drive for one to four years.

Refusal to submit to the test - Prison from six months to one year and deprivation of the right to drive from one to four years.

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News

CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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Everything you need to know about turrón Local supermarkets such as Mercadona, Carrefour and Lidl are already displaying their Christmas goodies and among the treats on display is the traditional Spanish sweet, Turrón. But what exactly is it?

Turrón is a very old, traditional sweet originally borught to Spain by the Moors around 500 years ago. It is said that the Moors invented turrón in the 1500s in Jijona, a small town about 30 kilometres north of Alicante. In fact, turrón production today remains a cornerstone of Jijona’s economy. There is a museum of turrón that chronicles the process and history of the sweet. If you visit the museum from mid-June to mid-December, you can watch the turrón production from a balcony high above the factory floor.

Types of Turrón There are two traditional, basic types of turrón: soft or blando, which is so smooth it has the consistency of peanut butter, and hard or turrón duro, which is like a thick almond nougat, similar to the texture of

peanut brittle.

Jijona Turrón is made with local honey together with the almonds from nearby orchards, resulting in a delicious turrón created by artisan makers, called turroneros. In 1939 a Denomination of Origin for turrón from Jijona was created.

Turrón duro is made by roasting, then

chopping the almonds and mixing with honey. The mixture is then simmered and stirred with large wooden spoons. Egg whites are added to bind the mixture, and it is cooled. Once cooled, it is cut into pieces that resemble bricks, wrapped in a paper-thin wafer, sealed in plastic and packed.

Turrón blando takes more work to produce. Once the turrón duro is cooled, the blocks are ground up with almond oil to form a sticky paste. Then, it is reheated and beaten for hours

until it forms a soft, even mix.

Egg white is then added as a binding agent and cooled in square metal containers to be cut into thick slices and packed in plastic.

Although duro and blando are the two traditional types of turrón there are many more varieties on offer nowadays.

Some are pure chocolate, some are chocolate with peanuts or crisped rice, and some feature ‘yema’ or egg yolk.

In Mercadona, you can buy a variety pack with smaller versions of a number of different types of turrón – a great option if you are unsure which type you will enjoy.

For the traditional turrón, there are strict rules as to whether a turrón may be labelled with “Suprema” or “Extra.” The best quality is “Suprema” must contain at least 60% almonds. After that, there is “Extra,” “Estándar” (standard) and “Popular.” Chocolate turrón also has qualities including “Extrafino,” “Fino” and “Popular,” depending on the percent of cocoa and milk it contains.

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CostaBlancaPeople 23rd - 30th November 2021

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CHurCH and CHarities International Christian Assembly Evangelical Church. We welcome you to Sunday Service at 11am (English) Calle Urbano Arregui 23, Torrevieja, 03185 www.icatorrevieja.org Phone; 966799273 or 660127276 (SH) Join us at Salt Church. Sundays at 10.30am.

We are a friendly Church, Bible centred in our teaching and informal in our worship.

Calle Daya Nueva 12, Poligino Industrial Levante II, 03187 Los Montsinos. www.saltchurch.es Facebook: SaltChurchSpain

bloCked drains CleaninG, CarinG & Home Help

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satellites & aerials items wanted

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Job vaCanCy

classified ads from as little as €4.20 per week telephone: 966 725 968

classified ads from as little as €4.20 per week telephone: 966 725 968

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After a cold and blustery day at a below par course.

The day’s winners were the following: Bronze Category: 4th Ralph Tilbrooke 31, 3rd Marit Ronson 31 on CB, 2nd Pat Dooley 33, Mike Kaylor (36 on CB), 1st Mickey Roscoe with an excellent 35 points.

Silver Category: 4th Kevin Allbright 33, 3rd Keith Little 34, 2nd Sten Ronson 36, Noel Bannon was 1st and overall winner with 37 points.

Gold Category: 4th John Osborne 30 pts, 3rd Michael Lausch 31, 2nd Darren Hancock 33, Taking fist spot was Tony Smale with 34 pts.

Abacus: Steve Hart Best Guest Winner: N/A Our thanks go to all Altorreal staff for

And It’s Bye Bye Escribar Another drama filled fixture for Elche on Sunday evening. After a 2 week International break the fans were hoping for an energized, organised and solid performance from the Franjiverde boys to raise the team out of the relegation zone. What we got was a 0-3 thrashing!

In the pre match press releases Escribar promised that, the only thought in the players head was that of a win.

We all knew this would be a tough ask against 5th place Sevillian side Real Betis. Pellegrini’s team had just suffered 3 losses on the bounce so there was a glimmer of hope, however this was quickly distinguished.

personal serviCes

The game started with Torrellano based fan, Kiko Martinez, kicking the ball along the line. Kiko had just returned from re-winning the world champion title in the IBF featherweight category in Sheffield last week. He is a firm fan of the club and always wears an Elche Shirt into the ring.

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their contribution to an enjoyable day.

Next week we will be at Vistabella. Keep up to date with all SMGS matters by logging on to our website www.smgs. org or simply give Captain Mick Roscoe a call on 649226955.

Pellegrini’s team commanded from the beginning, pressing very high and recovering the ball with great ease.

They were a strong, tight unit who highlighted Elche’s faults and evoked an embarrassment of a performance from the home side.

The first of the many individual errors in the Franjiverde defence lead to the first goal. An erratic clearance by Mojica fell at the feet of Álex Moreno, who assisted Juanmi for an easy cross shot beating Édgar Badía in the 12th minute. The goal was undoubtedly a turning point in the first half that ended up becoming a real nightmare for the Franjiverde team. At 23 minutes Juanmi received a ball in the area, following a very light touch from Barragán on his left ankle, he went down into a full theatrical injury roll. Pizarro Gómez did not hesitate for a second, and pointed out a maximum penalty that the Brazilian Willian José transformed into another goal. Another dubious game changing decision from the referee just minutes later denied Elche the same opportunity when, in what seemed to be a more clearer case a penalty was

not awarded as Bellerin took down goalie Badia inside his area. Immediately afterwards, the 0-3 arrived. This time it was Bigas who made a mistake in the centre of the field. The ball reached Fekir and the Frenchman ran into the area and finished the play with an unstoppable toe shot. In the blink of an eye Betis were in control and Elche lacked the skills and the will to recover.

The second half was slightly better, with the Franjiverdes at least playing to a similar level as their opponents and not looking like a Sunday league side. Lucas Boye, however could not convert the two good opportunities and, even following the sending off of Betis’s Bellerin, the home side were unable to put a mark on the scoreboard.

The sending off theme continued as Elche owner Bragarnik, dismissed manager Fran Escriba. He left the team in relegation position having gained just 2 points from a possible 18.

On Monday the 29th Elche will play at Osasuna, where a new manager will debut. It is the last home game before Christmas on the 5th December against Cadiz, another lower table team. The coach and match ticket package are ready for booking for this fixture on www.eurotourguide.com

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tAles From the top FliGht n cHris darwen chris@costablancapeople.com

It was a sad, sad day on Merseyside as well as the blue half of Manchester.

At least nobody could say they didn’t see it coming. Maybe they were not expecting a 4-1 defeat at Vicarage Road, but it’s been pretty clear Ole’s grip of the wheel has become a little loose this season.

As Watford’s third and fourth went in during injury time, an emergency board meeting was called where it was agreed that Solsjkaer would be sacked and it would be called mutual consent.

Personally, if he hadn’t been sacked last night, I think he should have resigned.

United were so bad that they made Watford look very, very good. Don’t forget, the Hornets also missed a penalty and had the extra difficulty of facing a United defence without Maguire for half an hour or so.

The timing of the decision shows once again where United are at in terms of decision making - an ideal candidate in Antonio Conte was allowed to put pen-to-paper at Spurs when it was as clear back then as it is now that OGS would be leaving. Why did they not move heaven and earth to snap up the Italian?

Probably because they were hoping Solskjaer could survive until the end of the season, stay in the Champions League and set the table nicely for Pochettino to take over in the summer.

Best laid plans, and all that.

Instead, United have handed the interim reigns to Michael Carrick until they can persuade someone to come in for the rest of the season. We can assume it won’t be Giggsy. German Ralf Rangnick is apparently keen to caretake, allowing the club time to get Fergie to Paris to wine and dine Poch repeatedly until he signs. Wayne Rooney’s name has been mentioned as well, though you’d imagine even the Derby County gig is probably a quieter life than this one right now.

Ronaldo

wants

Luis

Enrique,

Abbey Anglers On Tuesday the 16th of November we fished the final round of the Winter series at El Bosquet. Nineteen anglers turned out on a decent day after a very cold start of 4 degrees. This severely affected the fishing with some very low weights.

Winner on the day and continuing his rich vein of form was Nick Bastock.

Drawn on peg 4 he fished maggot across on the pole for 9.02kg.

In second place was Rusell Davidson.

He was drawn on peg 37 and caught carp late on for 7.840kg.

In third place after yet another loss of direction by initially setting up on the wrong peg was John Waples. John

apparently, though it’s unlikely he’d want to come and sort out a big mess instead of taking Spain into another World Cup - he pretty much said as much pondering whether it was ‘April Fool’s Day’ when asked about it. Zidane is learning English and the United board are thought to be interested but his missus isn’t that keen. Something to do with swapping Madrid for Manchester and the small increase in rainfall. Mendes wants it to be Lopetegui. With Fergie categorically wanting Pochettino, I guess we are about to learn who actually runs the club now.

Liverpool had quite a relaxing weekend, all things told. Arsenal might be much-improved and in Aaron Ramsdale they do seem to have found a genuine heir to David Seaman (finally), but they are still a million miles off teams that might actually win the title.

Mikel Arteta seemed to be running around the touchline more than his entire midfield and it was his clash with King Klopp that really fired Liverpool up as they moved through the gears in their 4-0 win.

Man City did what Man City do, picking a fairly random XI and refusing to let Everton play with the same ball as they strolled to a 3-0 win. Raheem Sterling, apparently keen to persuade

fished maggot on the pole across on peg B1 for 7.44kg.

Other section winners were Tony McMillan, Bill Reade and Tony Felstead.

The pairs event was won by John Waples and Tony McMillan.

Rods N Reels The following day we again fished the same venue. This time the weather was even colder and it did not warm up at all until about 2pm. With this in mind and the previous days result we were expecting very low weights. This was not in fact the case and the venue for whatever reason fished fantastic for this time of year.

Making a welcome return to form

his bosses to replace Sergio Aguero at Barcelona seeing that they won’t let him replace Sergio Aguero at Man City, scored a lovely goal just to remind us that he is still a Premier League player.

At the King Power, Chelsea pushed Brendan Rodgers further down the Old Trafford shortlist by taking Leicester apart with minimal effort. Antonio Rudiger showed why the club are much keener than he to get a new deal done. Leicester though - there won’t be any last-minute bottling of the Champions League spots this season.

faithful can expect then it will be a lot more fun at the club from now - even if the amount of wins remains the same. Brentford also cared little for the defensive fineries of the game, and 3-3 was a fair, if not unexpected result.

Mind you, if you thought that 3-3 was unlikely I’d love to know of anyone that whacked Burnley and Palace down as 3-3 on their acca. Christian Benteke was on fire scoring twice but it was Maxwel Cornet who stole the show with his reverse-angle Marco van Basten tribute.

Steven Gerrard had the dream start at Villa Park, especially if you class a dream start as a pretty turgid first 80 minutes and then two strikes late on to take three points. Brighton seem to be regressing to the Brighton of last season at great pace - dominating matches and managing to lose.

West Ham will have spent the international break reading how good they are, how they are genuine top four contenders and how they are very, very lucky to have David Moyes. You suspect Wolves might have read the same media as they were very good value for their 1-0 win.

Dean Smith also bounced and bounced high. Norwich fell behind to Southampton and many would have expected the Canaries to pop their clogs as per usual. But, they rallied and came back to win 2-1 - increasing the pressure on everyone else around them.

We’ll probably never know exactly what was said in the Spurs dressing room at halftime, but I very much doubt Antonio Conte was calmly sipping some herbal tea and telling everyone to stay calm. Tottenham were non-existent once again in their first half against Leeds, notching up yet another half without a shot on target.

The second period was a little different, however - Spurs playing like a side that might have had their first glimpse of an angry Italian. Do you think he cares?

Eddie Howe was unable to make it a new manager clean sweep, even from his Newcastle hotel suite. If this is the level of entertainment the St James’

to win the event was Neil McBernie.

Drawn on peg 1 he caught carp down the edge or across on maggot for a fantastic 28.40kg.

In second place was the previous days hero Nick Bastock who had 18.70kg from peg 32 using the same tactics.

Taking third spot once again was John Waples, also on the pole with maggot for 15.54kg.

The pairs event was won by Neil and Neil Bomford.

Further details re matches, how to join the clubs etc can all be found on our website at www.abbeyangling.es Ian Brown

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