Axarquia 5 • 11 January 2023 Issue 1957

IT might be a new year, but one Axarquia animal rescue centre has launched an appeal to remind local residents to continue their support. APAA released a new year message on Friday, December 30, appealing for more help in 2023.

APAA wished their supporters a Happy New Year in the message which appealed for more dog foster homes as the organisation now has more than 100 dogs in its care in a Torrox dog hotel. Dogs are now being brought into the shelter each day, beyond the capacity of the organisation.

The organisation has appealed for help fostering rescued animals, financial support for vet bills and animal accommodation and most importantly, help in finding a new location to build their own refuge. The organisation needs to build its own shelter to continue

providing high quality care for abandoned animals.

Despite the difficulties APAA are facing, its volun­

teers are remaining positive, with volunteer Sue Kiff expressing her positive outlook towards the year

ahead, “let’s make this THE year to find a new place for our dogs” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Slice of Scotland

IT might be nearly 3,000 kilometres away from Scotland, but Nerja won’t let Burns Night pass without a celebration. The Nerja branch of the Royal British Legion are hosting a special evening on Wednesday, January 25 to celebrate the life of iconic poet Robert Burns.

ONE lucky person in Benajarafe could start the new year in style after it was revealed that a EuroMillions lottery ticket sold in the town won €1 million. The person has not yet come forward to collect the prize, but shop owner, Águeda Claros who sold the ticket, is hoping to find them.

The winning ticket with the number ‘LFR27526’ was drawn on Friday, December 30 and was quickly verified as having been sold in Benajarafe. The ticket was sold at kiosk 50.490 on the former N ­ 340 motorway by Claros.

Claros, who also runs a tobacconist at the kiosk expressed her joy at being able to deliver a new year’s gift to a local resident, “My job is to make people happy, I

don’t want presents, I’m happy.” This isn’t the first time Claros has sold a winning ticket, she has given out at least €3 million in prize money.

Guests can enjoy a traditional Scottish feast at the Royal British Legion’s Burns Night Supper in Maro.

The Royal British Legion are inviting Nerja and Maro residents for the traditional supper at the Al Andalus Hotel in Maro from 6.30pm. For the price of €30 for RBL members and €32 for nonmembers, the organisation will lay on a feast including a welcome drink and canapés followed by a three ­ course traditional meal with wine followed by malt whisky.

Guests are invited to dress smartly, with a ‘splash of tartan’ if desired! Those interested in attending are asked to register by contacting Kim Bowe by email at: kim_bowe1@hotmail.com or calling: 711 077 576 .

Burns suppers are traditionally held in Scotland and around the world to commemorate the life and work of Robert Burns and his unique legacy upon poetry and Celtic culture.

Claros added that

she hopes the money “reaches someone who needs it and will use it properly, like someone who will spend it on charity.”

Exceptional excursion

GUESTS from Lux Mundi Ecumenical Group enjoyed a festive excursion to the Andalucian city of Sevilla and nearby Ancient Roman town, Italica.

A group set off for the three­day excursion in midDecember, stopping first at the former Roman civilisation, founded by Italic settlers in Hispania. Guests enjoyed a tour in English and took in the sites despite bad weather preventing a trip to the amphitheatre.

The group then headed to Sevilla to soak up the atmosphere with visits to the shops, Christmas markets and local museums.

The organisation is also preparing to take part in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which takes place later this month from Wednesday, January 18, until Wednesday, January 25.

Betty Henderson

HEALTHCARE in Nerja is set for a major improvement after the regional government gave the green light for plans for a new health centre. Construction for the €9.4 million project can now get underway with the objective of being complete in less than two years.

Nerja’s mayor, José Alberto Armijo announced that An ­

Luxury library

BOOKWORMS in Nerja are in for a treat with the announcement that the town is set for a brand new library.

The library will have a stateof ­ the ­ art design with books spanning five different floors and magnificent sea views to give readers all the inspiration possible.

After the announcement of the plans, Nerja Council also received more good news on Wednesday, December 28, as the regional government announced a funding package of €1 million for the project, which will cost an estimated €1.3 million overall. Nerja mayor, José Alberto Armijo expressed his satisfaction at the decision saying, “This will be the kind of library that the community in Nerja and Maro deserve. Modern, spacious and practical, the library will also be right in the heart of Nerja.”

The location of the library in the town centre means it will also be a valuable tourist information point.

The library design was chosen as the winner of a design compe­

Health advance

dalucia’s regional government approved the plans on Friday, December 30, saying that it will now move through to the final stage of approval, from the Treasury.

The proposed health centre will serve patients in Nerja and Maro on the site covering

4,520m2 over two floors. The centre will offer comprehensive health care with 26 purpose­built consultation rooms, five multi­purpose rooms, five paediatric consultation rooms, a minor surgery room and dentistry offices.

The building will also offer

an emergency department, radiology department, physiotherapy, and health education facilities. The decision comes after the news that Nerja’s population is continuing to grow, signalling an increase in funding for the town in social services and infrastructure.

Making amends

THE local community has stepped up to support a charity after it suffered a robbery just before Christmas in VelezMalaga. Countless local businesses and residents have reached out to AMIVEL to express their support after a burglary of their safe in December.

One local business has gone one step further, selling a calendar in aid of the organisation which supports disabled people. Serigrafía Vimar have donated 1,000 2023 calendars to AMIVEL, which are on sale for €3 each to help the organisation raise money to replace their stolen funds.

Those who buy the calendars will also be entered into a lottery which will be drawn on Monday, January 31 for a prize of 20 litres of artisan olive oil from Periana.

AMIVEL thanked Serigrafía Vimar’s manager, Salvador Marín, and lottery organisers for their support as the organisation comes to terms with the burglary. As well as stealing cash from AMIVEL’s safe, the thieves also damaged their furniture and shook up the team at the organisation.

The calendars are on sale at the AMIVEL headquarters on Calle Loma Las Encinas in Velez­Malaga.

tition held by the council. It features three bright floors that will invite readers in, as well as a sun­kissed terrace with sea views and two underground floors.

Calendars have gone on sale to raise money for AMIVEL in the aftermath of a burglary of their headquarters.

Photo credit: Asociación Amivel (Via Facebook)

Nerja councillors present plans for the town’s innovative new library.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Nerja

NIBS EXTRA

RESEARCHERS in Algarrobo announced the harvest of more than 100 kilograms of cacao grown in greenhouses from four different varieties of the plant. The project which was launched in 2019 has finally borne fruit as the first success in Europe.

Museum mania

ALMOST 2,500 people have visited Rincon de La Victoria’s museum since its opening on Monday, December 19. Villa Antiopa is a fascinating heritage project into the town’s Roman history and is a first on the coast in size and scale.

Festive hampers

THREE lucky winners collected Christmas hamper prizes in a competition organised by Nerja and Almuñecar Anglican Church. The church held a whole host of events to celebrate the festive season and the birth of Jesus in a spiritual way.

Patron saint

THE Vatican has approved the assignment of a new patron saint to Torre del Mar. The ‘Virgen del Carmen’ is known as the protector of fishermen and will become the patron of the coastal town after a two­decadelong campaign reached the Vatican.

Sport central

TOWNS across Axarquia rang in the new year with sport events. Competa’s San Silvestre run offered six different distances and 15 different age categories, while Torrox celebrated the sporting event slightly differently with a Silvestre swim on Saturday, December 31.

Thieves caught

AUTHORITIES in VelezMalaga have arrested four people for 12 car robberies throughout November and December. The thieves worked individually, but used similar techniques of breaking windows and forcing doors.

THE Torrox Tornadoes Walking Football Club prepare to take the new year by storm with the announcement of a new cycle of sessions beginning on Sunday, January 8.

Torrox Tornadoes

Running resolutions Harvest haul

The Torrox Tornadoes offer a slower take on the traditional game for players over 50 years old.

Torrox Tornadoes offer two different teams, one for over 50s and one for over 60s and the opportunity to play for fun or competitively in a local league. The group meets to train on Sunday mornings at 8.45am at the San Roque Stadium in Torrox Pueblo.

The sport is growing in

popularity as it becomes more visible on an international scale, offering sport and team spirit along with social opportunities. The current team at Torrox Tornadoes includes players

Magnificent migas

THE festive season might be coming to an end, but celebrations of another kind are taking place in Axarquia over the weekend. Another local town, Lagos, will hold their traditional Migas festival on Sunday, January 8.

The town which is near to Velez­Malaga, will celebrate the unique local cuisine during the all­day event. ‘Migas’ is a local dish typically consisting of semolina resembling breadcrumbs, meat and vegetables, which was traditionally fed to agricultural workers after a long day of labouring in the fields.

The event is set to take place from 1.30pm at the Tanit parking area, near to the Lagos river. Musical entertainment will be provided by local band, Bumburay, Flamenco­pop group, Son del Puerto and rock group Encanto de Loco.

The traditional dish will be prepared by residents who are experts in local cuisine, and paired with delicious local wines. Guests are asked to bring one kilogram of non­perishable food for local food banks instead of an entry fee.

from the Netherlands, the UK, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Greece, and Spain.

The group have a private Facebook group that interested members can join for more information:

https://www.facebook.com /groups/569463487825809/ or send a WhatsApp message to: 711 006 992. Alternatively, new members can turn up for a session on a Sunday morning.

Multinational recognition

AN international motorbike magazine ‘BikeBound’ has recognised a Velez­Malaga motorcycle enthusiast for his unusual bike designs.

Francisco Ali and his Harley Davidson were recognised as one of the top 10 motorbikes on 2022 in the magazine’s ‘Scrambler’ category, published on Monday, January 2.

The American motorbike magazine acknowledged the designer whose unique motorbike design talent has seen him open two motorbike customising stores, one in Velez­

Malaga and one on the other side of the Atlantic, in Miami.

Ali’s Harley Davidson Sportster 883R, nicknamed the ‘Soulbreaker 74’ is one of the designs he has created as part of his brand, Lord Drake Customs.

The motorbike features a turquoise and pink colour scheme, inspired by Ali’s global mountaineering expeditions as a young man to destinations including Nepal, Morocco, and India, as well as the original Harley Davidson colours.

Three Kings processions

TOWNS across Axarquia are preparing for the arrival of three visitors bearing gifts! Three Kings ‘Cabalgata’ processions are set to take place in towns including Rincon de La Victoria, Velez­Malaga, Torrox, Torre del Mar, and Nerja today, Thursday, January 5.

The traditional celebrations are held the night before the arrival of the Three Kings to visit baby Jesus in the Bible. After several years of limited celebrations due to the pandemic, this year’s processions are returning to their original scale.

Velez­Malaga’s procession will begin at 5.30pm, and looks to distribute more than

6,000 kilograms of sweets with 800 procession participants.

Meanwhile, Torrox’s parade starts at 4.30pm. Rincon de La Victoria will also sweet­

en the deal this year with gluten­free sweets.

A RUNNING collective in Torre del Mar is helping locals to achieve their fitness goals in the new year. Beach Run Spain held its final run of 2022 on Saturday, December 31 and is set to get stuck back into the action from Saturday, January 7.

The group meets each Saturday at the Chiringuito La Estrella at 9am for a five­kilometre walk or run along the coast near Torre del Mar. Since starting in July 2017, the group has gone from strength to strength and can always count on a great turn out of runners and walkers, including with newcomers who are always welcome.

The group includes members of diverse abilities, with some members who enjoy a social walk to get active on the weekend, as well as competitive runners who use the event as training for long distance runs or races like 10 kilometre runs and marathons and halfmarathons.

Interested runners can check out the group’s Facebook page at: https://www.face book.com/BeachRun Spain

WALKING FOOTBALL: A slower-paced take on the traditional globally-loved game.

Velez-Malaga has been preparing for one of the most exciting evenings of the year with mini parades before the Three Kings parade on Thursday.

Green goal

A PIONEERING project in Torrox to promote sustainable urban mobility has had excellent results with more than 6,000 residents getting involved this year. A free bus scheme was introduced back in April 2021 and has been popular ever since.

The council announced on Tuesday, December 27 that more than 6,000 residents had signed up this year alone.

Environmental sustainability was the aim of the project which was launched nearly two years ago to reduce short journeys in cars by offering a viable alternative. Torrox residents can use the local bus service for free if they are registered on the ‘padrón’ and apply for a bus card.

Torrox mayor, Óscar Medina praised the success of the scheme saying, “We have made an important economic decision with this scheme, prioritising our community’s finances while making a difference to the environment.”

Medina encouraged all residents who have not yet got their card to sign up, highlighting that the free buses cover more than 54km2 in the town and along the coast, covering some of the most popular daily destinations.

Celebrations in Torrox

REVELLERS enjoyed the festive season in Torrox with a variety of activities aimed at all age groups in the town. One of the main attractions was a ‘living nativity’, held on Wednesday, December 28 to recreate Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.

The ground in Torrox town centre was covered in hay as the town transformed into the Bethlehem stable where Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago. Residents got into the spirit with a range of costumes, from shepherds and innkeepers to shop owners and artisan craftspeople.

The town also welcomed in the New Year with two free concerts, one on Friday, December 30 and another on Monday, January 2.

Other events over the festive season were aimed at the whole family with a Christmas party on Thursday, December 29 which saw local musical and dance talents perform impressive renditions of popular Christmas songs. A local women’s organisation handed out delicious ‘rosco de Navidad’ cakes and hot chocolate to warm up the crowds. The council also provided bouncy castles and fair stalls for local children to enjoy.

Make new friends

ON Thursday January 26 why not make new friends on the first Lux Mundi excursion for the New Year.

The group visit Puerto Banus, a marina located to the southwest of Marbella, which has berths for 915 boats, including those of the King of Saudi Arabia and several of the world’s wealthiest individuals, arriving at approx 10.00am.

There will be free time to have refreshments and maybe visit El Corte Ingles in the Marina Banus shopping centre.

The group will rejoin the coach at 1.00pm for the short journey to La Cañada shopping Centre, with time to have lunch and take advantage of the winter sales, leaving at 4.30pm for the homeward journey.

Ticket price €16 with a Friends card and €18 without, available at the Centre. Departure times: Algarrobo (Lidl) 8.45am, Caleta (Vets) 8.50am, Torre del Mar (Bus Station) 9.00am.

Please note the Centre will be closed on Friday January 6 for a National Holiday, with the regular activities continuing as normal the following week.

The shop will be open Wednesday and Fridays. Time 11.00am to 1.00pm.

Donations in good condition are always welcome.

The free bus scheme was introduced by Torrox Council back in April 2021 to cut emissions in the town.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrox (Via Facebook)

Torrox was transformed into a biblical scene as part of the town’s ‘living nativity’.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrox (Via Facebok)

Cryptic bank balances

SPAI N’S T reasury has delayed the implementation of legislation requiring taxpayers to declare all cryptocurrency information. The decision was announced on Friday, December 30 and means virtual currencies will not be treated the same as traditional currency until at least 2024.

As well as technological difficulties, the reasons for the 11th hour decision include a disagreement between the national tax agency and the State Council over the format of declarations. Spain’s tax agency is in favour of collating as much data as possible from taxpayers, whereas the

State Council is concerned about potential data protection issues. The tax codes that are under review and set to be amended from 2024 include 172, 173 and 721, which could change to require taxpayers to declare earnings in cryptocurrencies abroad and domestically.

Currently, data is only re-

quired on cryptocurrencies when it is used as a currency for domestic transactions. Taxpayers also do not currently have to declare the purchase of cryptocurrency. However, more stringent regulations apply to those whose assets are worth more than €2 million.

2023 Holiday calendar

WITH 17 different autonomous communities, it can be tricky to work out all of Spain’s different bank holidays. But the new year is here, and today we’re sharing the bank holidays taking place across the country to help you to start planning your 2023!

Friday, January 6, The Epiphany is the first of the Spanish holidays in 2023, taking place this week to mark the Catholic tradition of the Three Kings arriving.

Friday, April 7, Good Friday.

TRAVEL restrictions due to Coronavirus might be a thing of the past for most countries by now, but a recent outbreak of the virus in China is causing countries to rethink their entry requirements. After announcing the new restrictions on Thursday, December 29, Spain’s Department for Health confirmed that inbound travellers

Monday, May 1, International Workers’ Day Tuesday, August 15, Catholic feast day of the Assumption.

Thursday, October 12, Spain’s National Day.

Wednesday, November 1, All Saint’s Day

Wednesday, December 6, Spain’s 1978 Constitution commemoration.

Friday, December 8, the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Monday, December 25, Christmas Day.

Controlling Covid

from China will now be required to present a negative test for Covid-19, or a vaccination certificate once more. Despite originally waiting for the EU to take action, Spain is the second country in the

EU, after Italy to individually take measures to prevent the largescale return of the virus.

The news comes almost three years to the day that China first declared the virus outbreak.

DIGITAL CURRENCY: Users don’t yet need to declare all of their crypto assets.

Photo credit: Chinnapong / shutterstock.com

Get ahead on your 2023 planning by checking out the year’s national bank holidays.

Photo credit: Madhourse / shutterstock.com

New Year’s honour

MICHELE MASSON, President of Help Vega Baja, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to British Nationals in Spain in the New Year Honours List, published on Saturday December 31, 2022.

There are more than 2,000 British Nationals living in the area covered by Help Vega Baja and for many of them the charity has been a lifeline in difficult times.

Since becoming its President in 2015, Michele Masson has steered the charity through the twin challenges of Brexit and Covid, as well as the severe flooding that hit the Vega in September 2019 - providing a source of constant support to the community when they needed it most. More recently, she has corralled the charity’s volunteers to gather supplies of food and clothes for the local Ukrainian association to distribute to the high volume of refugees arriving in Torrevieja.

HMA Hugh Elliott said: “I know that my colleagues in our Alicante consulate find it hard to imagine the south of the province without Help Vega Baja and, indeed, without Michele. Under her leadership, the charity has become one of our key partners in the region - assisting with complex consular cases and acting as our eyes and ears on the ground. During the pandemic, Michele worked with us on a partnership pilot project to distribute consular funding via food vouchers to vulnerable families whose income had been lost due to Covid restrictions. Michele is a wonderful example

of leading by doing and I am delighted that she has been honoured for her work.”

Michele Masson said: “I am honoured to be awarded the British Empire Medal for services to British Nationals in Spain by his Majesty, King Charles III. The charity world has many challenges, but knowing at the end of each day we have made a difference makes everything we are faced with worthwhile. I extend my appreciation to colleagues, friends and family who support me. Thank you all.”

Michele Masson has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Image: British Embassy Madrid

Dumping EU Law Unacceptable queues

RISHI SUNAK has pledged to rid the UK of all EU laws within 100 days, but sources are now suggesting that it could take up to three years to do so.

Government sources speaking to a national news outlet on Tuesday, January 3 have said that the delay is unavoidable given the scale of the operation. Ministers will need to decide which of the more than 4,000 pieces of legislation are to be kept and which will be ditched. Those that aren’t retained will need to be

NOTTINGHAM City Council has issued more than 39,000 fines to drivers inadvertently using a bus lane, raking in more than £1 million in fines. According to a national

rewritten and will most likely need to go through parliament for approval, prompting some departments to ask for the deadline to be extended until 2026.

The bill to approve the wholesale dumping of EU legislation, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) is expected to face fierce opposition when it reaches the House of Lords in February with any delay being further damaging for Rishi Sunak who had vowed to get rid of the laws within 100 days.

Bus lane chaos

newspaper on Saturday, December 31 many have managed to appeal their fines af­

ter a judge found the signage to be inadequate. But a Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “We have met all legal requirements for signage and gone above and beyond these, previously adding additional advisory signage since the changes were first made to provide motorists with further warning and diversions towards the Southern Relief Route.

“We keep this under constant review and have made changes following feedback from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which oversees PCN appeals, and we’d happily listen to any further suggestions from the public.

But drivers in the city aren’t satisfied saying that the signage is inadequate and difficult to see, with more than 2,000 successfully arguing that to be the case.

PATIENTS in the UK are being forced to wait in huge queues for their turn outside emergency care, as one person reportedly spent over 99 hours last week to get a bed at a hospital, at the Great Western Hospital in England.

The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is facing a major crisis, as a record number of cases due to flu, Covid, and

Strep A, has resulted in thousands of people waiting outside emergency care.

According to Dr Adrian Boyle, Chief Royal College of Emergency Medicine, quoted by a national newspaper, this winter has been the worst season on record, with regards to the amount of time each patient has to wait, before getting any medical at­

tention at Accident and Emergency (A&E).

Due to this delay, hundreds of people are dying as a result, he explains.

“We think between 300 to 500 people are dying as a consequence of delays and problems with urgent and emergency care each week. We need to get a grip of this,” said Boyle.

Incredible achievement

A 53-YEAR-OLD man from England successfully completed his 365th marathon in a year on New Year’s Eve, raising over £1 million (€1.12 million) for charity. Gary McKee from Cleator Moor in Cumbria ran a total of 9,563 miles in a year, which helped him raise more money than he was earlier targetting for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.

The father of three, McKee works as a group leader at a nuclear site in Sellafield, and often ran 26.2 miles (42.1 kilometres) every day in the morning, before starting his shift. Last year, he went through over 22 pairs of trainers, completing his daily marathons, regardless of rain, snow, or sunshine.

Aside from this, McKee has climbed Kilimanjaro, trekked through New Zealand and completed the Three Peaks Challenge in less than 24 hours. He has previously run over 100 marathons in 100 days and 110 in 110 days.

Photo by SeventyFourShutterstock.com

HOSPITAL BEDS: Over 500 people die every week in UK due to emergency care delays.

Let it snow

SKIERS may be met with disappointment as a lack of snow in the Pyrenees

and other French ski slopes means some ski stations will remain shut.

Hair brain idea

HAIRDRESSERS across Belgium are sweeping up and bagging hair clipped from their customers, and then handing it over to the Hair Recycle Project which is part of the non ­ governmental, non ­ profit organisation Dung Dung. The organisation then recycles the hair to protect the environment.

The Hair Recycle project feeds locks and tresses into a machine that turns them into matted squares that can be used to absorb oil and other hydrocarbons polluting the environment, or made into biocomposite bags.

Project co ­founder Patrick Janssen, explained that one kilogramme (2.2 lbs) of hair can absorb seven to eight litres of oil and hydrocarbons, and the matted squares can be placed in drains to soak up pollution in water before it reaches a river.

“Our products are all the more ethical as they are manufactured locally, they are not imported from the other side of the planet,” he told a news outlet. “They are made here to deal with local problems.”

The mild winter season has greatly disrupted the plans for ski stations in the French Alps and the Pyrenees this year, due to not enough snow. According to a report by a French news outlet on Tuesday, December 27, this has resulted in over half of the ski slopes across France remaining shut, at a time of the peak holiday season.

The Southern Alps which have over 75 per cent of the slopes opened along with the Northern Alps, have been the least affected. However, the situation is particularly worrying in the Pyrenees, with only 25 per cent of the slopes open so far. Aside from this, the Vosges and the Jura also witnessed a lack of snow, as only 25 per cent of the slopes have been opened to date.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Fewer crimes

QUITE often it’s not Santa Claus who arrives at the homes of families in Copenhagen on Christmas Eve, but enterprising burglars looking to liberate presents as owners are out visiting family, although this year, police figures reveal an all time low of just 47 reported break-ins.

THE NETHERLANDS

Keep it local

WORRIED by the number of overseas students (mainly from the EU) being actively recruited by Dutch Universities, which cause housing problems across the country and lecture hall overcrowding, Education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf has written telling them to concentrate on admitting Dutch students.

BELGIUM

Bum note

PLANS to affix a 725 kilo, seven-metre-long harmonica to the front of the new Toots Thielemans metro station in the Zuidlaan suburb of Brussels to celebrate what would have been the musician’s 100th birthday have been blocked due to health and safety fears.

GERMANY

Going ape

CONSIDERED to be gentler than chimpanzees, the bonobo apes are as curious as their cousins and a zoo in Stuttgart makes sure that they receive plenty of Christmas presents as they love to unwrap boxes and study the wrapping paper before eating their treats.

FRANCE

Racist vandals

A STATUE of Victor Hugo in Besançon created by Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow had its face painted white after rants by right-wing extremists on social media declared that its face appeared to be too much like an African and two young men have been arrested.

NORWAY

Unique find

ALTHOUGH Viking artifacts have been found in Oslo over the years, for the first time a complete Viking grave has been discovered by builders constructing a new house on a small hill overlooking the Holmendammen lake just north of the city centre.

FINLAND

Holy smoke

WORSHIPPERS at a wooden chapel in the town of Rautjärvi were lucky to escape unharmed as it was burned down Christmas Day and police believe that an elderly man who later set fire to his own property and died was the probable arsonist.

IRELAND

Dusk busk

ANOTHER survivor of the pandemic is the annual Christmas Eve busking event in Dublin’s Grafton Street which raises funds for the Simon community. Quiet for the past two years, in the past it has attracted stars such as Bono and Sinéad O'Connor who played unannounced.

ITALY

Wild boar

ANIMAL rights activists are not happy with a new proposal to be debated in the Italian Parliament which would allow for the culling of wild boar. It is estimated that there are now more than two million and increasing numbers cause health and road safety problems in cities.

PORTUGAL

More routes

EASYJET has announced that this coming summer, it will add 15 new routes from Lisbon airport which will include Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Menorca as well as increasing capacity to a number of destinations thus adding more than one million extra seats.

UKRAINE

McChristmas

ON December 23, 2020, burger chain McDonalds opened in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, but the restaurant was damaged following the Russian invasion. Now just in time for this Christmas, the outlet has reopened with its own generator and joins 63 other McDonalds still serving.

SWEDEN

Earworm

A SWEDISH couple, Tomas and Hannah Mazzetti hate the Wham song Last Christmas so much that they want to raise enough money to buy the rights so that they can then take it off air forever, but they are about €15 million short of the likely price.

BUSINESS EXTRA Sellers market

A Handbag!

WITH stock markets still suffering following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and central banks attempting to tackle inflation, some investors are looking for other areas to put their money and currently high quality, expensive handbags with limited production runs are considered a good longterm bet.

Pork scratching

BRITISH pigs in blankets may have ended up in South Korean festive celebrations after the UK government secured the removal of rules banning the export of certain pork products such as bacon and sausages to that country opening an estimated £1 million market opportunity.

Petrol war

WITH the removal of the 20 cents per litre government fuel discount for private vehicle owners, Spain’s two largest suppliers of diesel and petrol Repsol and Cepsa have confirmed that they will both maintain their additional discounts at least for the first quarter of 2023.

Foreign workers

ALERT to the fact there were simply insufficient people available or prepared to work in flower and vegetable picking in the UK in 2022, the government has increased the number of seasonal workers visas for 2023 by 15,000 to 45,000, in time for the daffodil season.

Best customer

SPAIN has emerged as Nigeria’s largest export destination with total exports valued at N873.6 billion (€1.84 billion) according to a report from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics with the bulk being made up of oil and liquid gas although leather from goats came third.

Tackling rising prices

ON Tuesday December 27, the Spanish government agreed a package of measures designed to keep inflation low and to help households cope with rising prices.

The measures are:

• A reduction in the rate of VAT

The VAT rate on all items that attract the current rate of 4 per cent will be reduced to zero, and a basket of basic items like pasta and olive oil will see the VAT rate fall from 10 to 5 per cent.

• Fuel discount

The fuel discount scheme has been extended for a further six months, however, it is to be discontinued for private individuals (excepting Repsol and Cepsa). Only professionals in transport, agriculture and fisheries will continue to benefit from the scheme.

• Property rental

The cap that prevents rental rates from being increased by more than 2 per cent annually

will remain in place and will be reviewed annually in line with the inflation rate. Any contract that expires between now and July will have the rental price frozen, that is no increase in the rental.

• Public transport

The free transport scheme currently in place will be extended for a further 12 months.

• Direct financial support

Households with an income of less than €27,000 could be eligible for a monthly cheque of €200,

essentially anyone who does not meet the Minimum Vital Income level or who is a Spanish pensioner.

That measure is expected to cost the government in excess of €1.3 billion, with more than 5.5 million Spaniards thought to be eligible for direct assistance.

More details will follow once the legislation is published, particularly in regard to the foods that will benefit from a VAT reduction.

WASPI women wait

SINCE the pension age for women in the UK was raised from 60 with effect from 2011 a special group WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) was formed in 2015 to lobby parliament.

According to their estimates, more than 212,000 affected women died since they were formed, saving the UK government some £3.18 billion.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is in the process of conducting a very long­term review of the situation and having decided that the Department of Works and Pension had failed to communicate State Pension age changes to the women affected in July of this year, they have now completed stage 2 of the investigation.

For reasons of their

own, they are not however publishing their report until the entire investigation is complete and at a recent meeting the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs committee Amanda Amroliwala (Chief Executive Officer at the PHSO) told WASPI that this will be ‘within the first

quarter’ of 2023.

WASPI hope and believe that the PHSO will have the evidence needed to prove that there was maladministration which has caused injustice for up to 3.8 million women and they are currently seeking legal advice on what their next steps should be depending on the

outcome of the review.

In addition, they have appointed a new PR and Consultancy agency to obtain more coverage for their campaign and during the latter part of the year, the story was picked up by several national newspapers as well as Sky News and the BBC.

UNLIKE the UK where the sale of houses appears to be in the doldrums and the government are still trying to prop up the market, Spain seems to be heading in the opposite direction.

For years, the volume of unsold (and often unfinished) property flooded the market due to the 2008 financial crisis, but finally there are plenty of buyers around.

According to the latest Tinsa IMIE Local Markets statistics published on December 30, the value of new and used housing in Spain rose 2.5 per cent between the third and fourth quarters, placing the year­on­year increase in the last quarter of the year at 8.8 per cent, around 2 per cent above inflation.

On track

SPAIN is to spend €24.2 billion between now and 2026 in order to boost the strength of its railway system both nationally and by increasing the number of international routing agreements across Europe. Part of the strategy is to ensure that passengers receive a better and safer experience when using the railway system which will be modernised as much as possible and where feasible expanded with some new lines.

The other intent is to encourage greater passenger and freight usage as part of its ongoing environmental strategy which looks to reduce the amount of traffic on the roads.

SPAIN’S Ministry of Science and Innovation, through the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), allocated €325 million in 2022 to promote biomedical and health R&D&I.

Of the total investment, the ISCIII granted €248 million through the Strategic Action in Health (AES) 2022, the main annual tool to finance biomedical and health research in Spain. This investment represents 5 per cent more than the previous year.

The balance of €77 million was utilised by way of subsidies corresponding to past annual payments for biomedical and health R+D+I in the country.

NEW MEASURES: Support announced by Spanish Council of Ministers.

WASPI WOMEN: Outside the Houses of Parliament.

is the amount that British company Howden is believed to have paid to take over Banca March’s insurance business in Spain.

3I Group 1.337,50 1.345,50 1.331,50 139,82K

Abrdn 189,55 190,90 188,70 677,32K

Admiral Group 2.136,0 2.148,0 2.128,0 58,05K

Anglo American 3.246,5 3.261,5 3.235,0 214,34K

Antofagasta 1.557,00 1.561,00 1.545,00 83,15K

Ashtead Group 4.753,0 4.800,0 4.751,0 44,28K

Associated British Foods 1.578,5 1.597,5 1.576,5 100,45K

AstraZeneca 11.254,0 11.326,0 11.250,0 87,13K

Auto Trader Group Plc 518,80 525,00 518,80 273,73K

Aveva 3.217,0 3.218,0 3.215,0 46,95K

Aviva 445,30 448,50 443,80 332,05K

B&M European Value Retail SA413,80 415,10 408,60 243,56K

BAE Systems 857,00 863,40 856,40 574,68K

Barclays 159,36 159,74 158,24 2,56M

Barratt Developments 399,30 411,80 398,80 431,24K

Berkeley 3.788,0 3.854,0 3.787,0 35,33K

BHP Group Ltd 2.571,50 2.582,50 2.554,00 63,58K

BP 477,75 480,30 477,06 606,19K

British American Tobacco 3.296,0 3.304,0 3.278,0 169,02K

British Land Company 397,60 400,30 396,60 147,04K

BT Group 113,25 116,00 113,10 1,30M

Bunzl 2.751,0 2.783,0 2.751,0 40,55K

Burberry Group 2.036,0 2.047,0 2.028,0 70,75K

Carnival 582,3 588,8 580,8 37,47K

Centrica 96,20 96,84 96,12 1,05M

Coca Cola HBC AG 1.966,5 1.971,5 1.923,5 83,61K

Compass 1.924,50 1.936,00 1.923,50 104,46K

CRH 3.302,5 3.313,0 3.281,5 53,05K

Croda Intl 6.640,0 6.694,0 6.648,0 2,08K

DCC 4.119,0 4.177,0 4.115,0 32,09K

Diageo 3.650,0 3.659,5 3.637,5 438,98K

DS Smith 321,32 322,00 319,70 396,64K

EasyJet 325,50 329,10 322,60 308,43K

Experian 2.834,0 2.860,0 2.831,0 70,00K

Ferguson 10.410,0 10.545,0 10.410,0 72,80K

Flutter Entertainment 11.260,0 11.445,0 11.240,0 132,75K

Fresnillo 899,00 899,00 875,98 16,19K

Glencore 557,00 559,50 556,10 4,51M

GSK plc 1.442,60 1.447,80 1.434,20 456,62K

Halma 1.988,5 2.020,0 1.988,5 81,36K

Hargreaves Lansdown 862,20 868,00 856,00 150,92K

Hikma Pharma 1.566,50 1.578,00 1.564,00 28,10K

HSBC 517,70 519,20 515,60 2,15M

IAG 124,50 125,72 124,10 2,29M

Imperial Brands 2.073,00 2.077,00 2.065,00 367,40K

Informa 622,00 623,20 618,00 291,18K

InterContinental 4.760,0 4.766,0 4.732,0 28,78K

Intermediate Capital 1.157,50 1.167,85 1.155,26 15,14K

Intertek 4.043,0 4.065,0 4.043,0 17,69K

ITV 75,40 76,03 74,87 267,99K

J Sainsbury 219,48 220,00 217,88 65,29K

Johnson Matthey 2.123,0 2.141,0 2.074,0 41,69K

Land Securities 627,40 634,00 626,60 128,04K

Legal & General 250,40 253,90 249,80 1,43M

Lloyds Banking 45,74 46,17 45,67 11,35M

London Stock Exchange 7.176,0 7.230,0 7.164,0 48,15K

Melrose Industries 134,10 134,45 132,85 2,22M

Mondi 1.413,00 1.423,50 1.413,00 70,58K

National Grid 1.002,00 1.008,50 996,60 506,01K

NatWest Group 266,50 267,80 265,90 879,45K

Next 5.824,0 5.848,0 5.726,0 54,95K

Norilskiy Nikel ADR 9,10 9,10 9,10 0

Ocado 621,80 638,40 620,80 154,50K

Persimmon 1.225,5 1.253,5 1.224,0 109,92K

Phoenix 611,31 616,20 610,60 127,51K

Prudential 1.137,50 1.149,00 1.132,50 572,93K

Reckitt Benckiser 5.759,4 5.762,0 5.714,0 98,44K

Relx 2.299,00 2.313,00 2.297,00 324,07K

Rentokil 511,80 521,00 511,80 255,78K

Rightmove 515,60 523,60 515,60 177,78K

Rio Tinto PLC 5.808,0 5.846,0 5.787,0 184,91K

Rolls-Royce Holdings 92,61 92,68 91,45 4,30M

Sage 745,40 752,80 744,80 114,74K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.102,50 1.107,00 1.094,50 2,65K

Schroders 438,9 450,2 438,9 368,06K

Scottish Mortgage 709,72 714,60 709,00 296,26K

Segro 767,60 778,80 767,20 236,33K

Severn Trent 2.668,0 2.702,0 2.667,0 35,93K

Shell 2.343,0 2.346,5 2.330,0 1,21M

Smith & Nephew 1.108,00 1.113,50 1.102,50 208,26K

Smiths Group 1.603,50 1.621,00 1.601,50 89,96K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.650,0 10.770,0 10.650,0 7,19K

SSE 1.709,97 1.721,50 1.709,50 152,41K

St. James’s Place 1.103,00 1.116,00 1.098,50 115,15K

Standard Chartered 627,00 629,60 624,80 360,51K

Taylor Wimpey 101,15 103,45 100,95 1,71M

Tesco 225,00 225,80 222,98 257,24K

Tui 134,25 135,15 131,75 852,90K

Unilever 4.191,5 4.201,0 4.174,5 172,46K

United Utilities 996,80 1.007,00 996,80 129,32K

Vodafone Group PLC 84,53 84,86 84,23 15,38M Whitbread 2.592,0 2.618,0 2.581,0 37,61K WPP 817,60 823,40 817,40 120,61K

3M 120,57 120,86 2,06M

American Express 147,32 147,62 144,40 1,76M

Amgen 263,16 264,88 262,14 1,45M

Apple 129,61 130,48 127,73 75,34M

Boeing 188,91 190,25 186,19 4,51M

Caterpillar 240,20 241,61 238,27 1,65M

Chevron 178,32 179,20 176,65 4,14M

Cisco 47,50 47,74 47,26 11,36M

Coca-Cola 63,95 64,15 63,70 7,16M

Dow 50,65 50,80 50,00 2,74M

Goldman Sachs 343,43 344,64 341,24 1,27M

Home Depot 320,41 321,83 317,59 1,55M

Honeywell 214,75 215,25 212,77 1,88M

IBM 141,06 142,26 140,45 2,32M

Intel 26,21 26,29 25,75 30,54M

J&J 177,56 178,30 177,07 2,82M

JPMorgan 133,22 133,27 132,31 6,53M

McDonald’s 265,93 267,81 264,88 1,39M

Merck&Co 110,82 111,70 110,75 4,46M

Microsoft 241,01 241,92 235,65 19,73M

Nike 117,35 118,07 115,80 4,56M

Procter&Gamble 152,59 153,24 152,14 3,80M

Salesforce Inc 132,54 132,95 129,50 5,76M

The Travelers 189,44 190,04 187,96 676,54K

UnitedHealth 529,88 533,68 528,86 1,38M

Verizon 39,26 39,53 38,81 17,31M

Visa A 208,06 208,53 205,50 3,68M

Walgreens Boots 37,47 37,97 37,36 5,24M

Walmart 142,15 143,02 141,75 3,04M

Walt Disney 87,18 88,24 84,97 12,96M

Most

628,159

Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. +11.23% 31,557

AppLovin Corporation +10.96% 2.601M

Symbotic Inc. +10.52% 157,934

Fluence Energy, Inc. +10.21% 1.525M

Most Declined

PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna Tbk -22.86% 296,078

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. -14.50% 6.09M

Federal National Mortgage Association -10.42% 32,035

PetroChina Company Limited -5.63% 138,900

Woori Financial Group Inc. -5.24% 58,353

Harbour Energy plc -4.53% 433,487

Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. -4.35% 22,588

MINISO Group Holding Limited -3.94% 529,044

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc -3.28% 894,663

POSCO Holdings Inc. -2.60% 201,582

Deutsche Lufthansa AG -2.60% 24,597

Currency outlook: Hawkish ECB turbocharges the euro, Pound rally undermined by dovish BoE

Euro

EUR/GBP: Up from £0.85 to £0.88

EUR/USD: Up from $1.04 to $1.06

The euro enjoyed strong support through December. Supported by positive data including an upwardly revised Eurozone GDP print and stronger-than-expected German industrial releases.

The bulk of the euro’s gains were linked to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest interest rate decision. The ECB hiked rates by 50bps and signalled that it will continue to tighten monetary policy at its current pace through the first part of 2023.

However it wasn’t all plain sailing for the euro, with concerns over a potential escalation of the war in Ukraine weighing on EUR sentiment throughout the month.

Looking ahead to the start of 2023, it’s likely the primary focus for EUR investors will be on the Eurozone’s latest GDP release. While a slump in the bloc will not surprise markets, the focus is on the size of the contraction.

A larger-than-expected slowdown could stoke concerns over the size of the recession facing the Eurozone and push the euro sharply lower.

Pound

BUSINESS

EXTRA

Dropping sales

NOVEMBER was a bad month for Spanish retail sales which fell 0.6 per cent compared to last November after rising 1 per cent in October according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Oil ban

FOLLOWING the decision by the European Union and G7 members to put a price cap on the purchase of Russian oil, Putin has issued a decree banning the sale of oil to those countries running from February 1 to June 30.

Inflation drops

ALTHOUGH core inflation in Spain stands at 6.9 per cent, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December which is a more immediate indicator of price rises is estimated by the National Statistics Office as 5.8 per cent, the lowest figure since November 2021.

GBP/EUR: Down from €1.16 to €1.13

GBP/USD: Up from at $1.19 to $1.20

The pound initially firmed in December as some above-forecast PMI releases bolstered hopes the UK may see a milder recession than previously feared.

However, Sterling then faced a major setback as the Bank of England (BoE) concluded its final interest rate decision of the year.

While the BoE also raised rates by 50bps, two members of the Monetary Policy Committee called for rates to be left unchanged. Stoking speculation the BoE could pause its tightening cycle in early 2023.

GBP exchange rates then trended broadly lower through the latter half of December amid concerns over the UK’s ‘winter of discontent’, with GBP investors fearing widespread industrial action would severely disrupt economic activity at the end of the year.

Turning to January, ongoing strikes could see the pound face an uphill battle. Although some positive data releases could still garner some support for Sterling.

US Dollar

USD/GBP: Down from at £0.83 to £0.82

USD/EUR: Down from €0.96 to €0.93

December confirmed the US dollar’s bullish

First time buyers

THE UK Mortgage Guarantee Scheme will be extended by a year, having already helped over 24,000 households get onto the property ladder.

Launched in April 2021, the scheme supports firsttime buyers, who make up 85 per cent of scheme transactions, buy a home with a 5 per cent deposit.

Under the scheme the government offers lenders the financial guarantees they need to provide mortgages that cover the other 95 per cent, subject to the usual affordability checks, on a house worth up to £600,000.

It was originally planned to close at the end of this year but will now be extended until the end of 2023 and will help to boost the flagging UK property market.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP said:

“For hard­working families facing today’s challeng­

ing economic conditions, it’s right that we continue to help them secure their first home or move into their dream house.

“Extending this scheme means thousands more have the chance to benefit, and supports the market as we navigate through these difficult times.”

To also support people to get onto the property ladder, the government has increased the level where first­time buyers start pay­

ing stamp duty from £300,000 to £425,000. Furthermore, first­time buyers can get relief on properties costing up to £625,000, as opposed to £500,000 previously.

Other government home ownership options available include Shared Ownership which gives first time buyers the option to buy a share of their home (between 25 per cent and 75per cent) and pay rent on the remaining share.

run was well and truly over, with USD exchange rates plummeting to multi-month lows.

The ‘greenback’ slumped through the first half of the month amid a prevailing risk-on mood and expectations for a dovish pivot from the Federal Reserve at its December policy meeting.

A larger-than-expected drop in US inflation further undermined Fed rate hike bets and sent the US dollar sharply lower in the middle of the month.

However, the Fed surprised markets by proving more hawkish than expected. With the US dollar rebounding from its worst levels as the Fed signalled interest rates will peak higher than previously forecast next year.

A cautious mood and stronger-than-expected GDP release then offered additional support to the US dollar in the run up to Christmas.

USD investors will be keeping a close eye on the latest US employment figures in January. A below forecast payrolls print could see the US dollar get off to a poor start in 2023.

Currencies Direct have helped over 325,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.

EU sued

US energy giant ExxonMobil which markets fuel in Europe under the Esso and Mobil brands has announced that it is going to take legal action to try to make the EU cancel its proposed windfall tax on oil firms.

The EU hopes to raise around €140 billion by charging a new 33 per cent tax on major energy suppliers by way of a ‘crisis contribution’ from their increased 2022 profits caused in part by the hike in energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

ExxonMobil argues that Brussels is not only exceeding its legal authority, but could hurt the European economy in the long­term as it would have second thoughts about further investment in the EU.

Good advice

FORMER Spanish government minister Luis de Guindos and now vice­president of the European Central Bank (ECB) said at a meeting of the Spanish Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs’ Associations (CEAJE) that the ECB expected Spain to enter into a short­lived recession in the first quarter of 2023.

He also told those present that “My advice for all young entrepreneurs is to persevere, and to always do so with caution, despite the challenges. And I would encourage all young people to study, learn languages and get to grips with new technology so as to be prepared for the future and able to better manage situations of uncertainty or instability.

GUARANTEE SCHEME: The key to home ownership.

Credit: Hippopx CCO

Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca.

STERLING: Faced a major setback as the BoE concluded its final interest rate decision.

Peter Loveday

WITH their plastic bottles, food cartons and litter left laying everywhere in their wake, plus the output of untold thousands of vehicle exhausts as they idled in traffic jams, badly misled young protesters of 2022 have left a carbon footprint that will probably not be ‘offset’ until they reach their coming of age.

This present generation has to be the most spoiled, self­centered, misinformed bunch of youngsters the civilised world has ever produced.

They have air­conditioning in the classrooms, mobile phones and gismos, they ride in cars to school, they suck up junk food like hoovers and insist on the latest trendy outfits at all times. All of these luxury products, which they seem to think is their God given right, are manufactured or supplied by ginormous companies that pour billions of tons of carbon dioxide emission into the Earth’s atmosphere.

These children’s selfish attitudes and life styles cause far more damage to our environment than the previous generations they are so keen to accuse. The generations preceding them were mobile and ‘designer’ free and took bicycles or walked to their destinations.

Most had never experienced jet travel or air conditioning and opened windows when it was hot, instead of closing them. They received new shoes or clothes only when the previous attire needed replac­

Spoiled rotten

If we truly wonder who is responsible for these utterly disruptive attitudes and protests, it’s all pretty obvious.

ing, ate home­made sandwiches instead of Whoppers and read books.

However, in these modern day youngsters’ defence, most have of course been brainwashed and misled by the ‘usual suspects’! Many of the culprits are those who laughably profess to be ‘schoolteachers’.

Stringy haired trendies, who actually started the rot when the first long haired leftie ‘free thinker’ plonked his behind on his desk and told the class to call him John! The same leftie brigade who welcome drag acts into the classrooms to ‘enlighten’ four­year­olds and abolish winning and losing.

A whole generation of youngsters who not only have no respect for their elders but truly do believe they are actually superior. Ever increasing numbers of them would rather walk into the class with a knife than a ruler.

The main contributors are the third generation of children who have been raised by the children of another generation whose own parents suffered abominably when their very existence was threatened by the death and destruction of a world war. Rather than allow their offsprings to relive the horrors and deprivations their ancestors experienced themselves they have often quite understandably spoiled their descendants rotten ­ and all this public disruption and rampant disorder is the unfortunate result. The lefties absolutely love it. It could actually win them the next election.

Happy New Year everyone. Keep the faith.

Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS OVERLOAD OUR VIEW

ALTHOUGH most people enjoy Christmas, even the most tinsel­hardened Britons in Spain may be forced to admit that marking both December 25 and January 6 ­ and every holiday in between ­ is perhaps becoming a little too much.

The imposition of British traditions on Spanish culture now mean that what was previously a few days of festive celebration is now almost a fortnight extravaganza.

The Spanish may always have marked December 25 with a bank holiday, but in recent years they have also adopted the very British traditions of exchanging gifts and taking children to see Father Christmas, stretching the holiday period even further.

This assimilation of UK values into Spanish traditions do tell us two important ­ and rather lovely ­ things about the country we have chosen to call home however.

Firstly, that the Spanish really do love a fiesta. And secondly that they are quick to welcome the traditions of others with open arms.

For all the UK’s multiculturalism, festivities like Diwali aren’t widely adopted, yet over the past decade or so the Spanish have taken to a British Christmas like a turkey to gravy.

You can have too much of a good thing however and after the December hooha of ever­changing shop hours, bank holidays, overeating and overdrinking, it can be comforting to get back into the routine of work.

January is a time for reflecting on the past year’s achievements and failings as well as to plan ahead. And just as a change is as good as a rest, the familiar Monday to Friday routine can add the perfect backdrop for some reasoned contemplation on what’s ahead.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

IN the late 90s I came across and got to know Richard Turner. If you think his name sounds very English, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. But I have not used his real name which is equally very English.

Richard was very English indeed. He read the Evening Standard, supported Arsenal, patronised the Black Lion and watched University Challenge and Midsomer Murders. He drove a Vauxhall and attended church each week, after which he would mow the lawn before settling down to a roast lunch.

The lunch would be prepared and presented by his wife. Richard’s wife was named Elizabeth and she was also Englishvery English. Neither of them had ever set foot outside the British Isles and had no desire to do so. Their favourite town was Salisbury. They had no children and no pets.

They would eat Sunday lunch together and would indeed do ev­

erything together. This arrangement was facilitated by the fact that they were partners in their local news agency business.

Once a month they would don their scarves and go together to support Arsenal. In the evenings they would sit side­by­side each competitively trying to get the quiz answers in University Challenge and to guess the murderer in Midsomer Murders. And agreeing with each other on all the news reports and comments.

Richard had always voted Con­

servative and so had Elizabeth. Their favourite singers were Phil Collins and Van Morrison and they liked the novels of Dick Francis and Jeffrey Archer. Occasionally, they would go to the local theatre or to a cinema together because, when one of them suggested a play or a film, the other beamed in enthusiastic agreement.

Richard rarely went to the pub without Elizabeth because he had no male friends. As she had no individual friends either, he accom­

panied her on shopping expeditions. Their friends were all couples where the man and the woman had both been approved as suitable by Richard and Elizabeth together.

The normal social intercourse with their joint friends was a regular visit to a good restaurant. When Richard chose the venue it was always an Indian restaurant where he and his wife liked king prawn masala and chicken biryani.

They had a similar unflappable

temperament and were both keen walkers ­ together, of course. It would be fair to say that Richard and Elizabeth were compatible, but I noted some serious potential challenges to this unusual harmony.

For example, Richard preferred Chardonnay while Elizabeth went for Riesling. Ever more rebellious, he liked some classical music (mainly Chopin) while his wife didn’t. But I found these blemishes encouraging as they suggested that each character was not completely subsumed in the other.

When I asked them where they would like to go if they ever travelled abroad, they looked at each other. “Canada, I suppose?” said Elizabeth. Richard hesitated and sighed. “Yes, that would be nice.”

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Richard and Elizabeth read the same books, but not necessarily together.

Photo

WOKE OR NOT

I WAS shocked by the recent article ‘The norm’ by Leapy Lee. (December 22 ­ 28 , 2022)

Leapy is definitely an old ‘lad’ of the 60s or more like the dark ages.

He compared old drag queens to today’s transsexuals.

No facts, just silly right ­ wing hysteria about gender neutral toilets.

How more outdated, out of touch and offensive could old Leapy be?

It sticks in his craw that minorities are allowed to shout their beliefs from the rooftops.

I’m surprised he didn’t use the old phrase about it being rammed down his throat!

I will shout loud and proud from the rooftops for equality, diversity, fairness and compassion. And if that’s being woke then I’m proud to be woke.

Leapy is absolutely not the norm, he’s from the dark old past.

Darren Bradshaw (Torreblanca, Fuengirola)

Christmas specials

I would just like to say how much I have enjoyed the Christmas articles in the paper over the last few weeks. I am of a certain age, and being the biggest Christmas fan, thought that there is very little that I didn’t know about Christmas, and was fascinated reading about the meaning behind certain songs and traditions. Well done.

Joy Lovall

Pick it up

Fed up now of seeing dog muck on the street. If you are going to have a dog please be responsible and pick up their mess, it is not the street cleaners or anybody else’s job to do this.

B Simpson

Keep on doing

Leapy, I love reading your column, it really does make me smile, not just because you say what other people are thinking, but you stand by your thoughts, never apologetic, which takes a real strong character. Keep doing what you are doing and don’t mind the woke generation.

Brian James, Marbella

Total shambles

We will still be unravelling from the Brexit referendum in 10 years time. Ok it may in the long run make good on some of the promises made during the Brexit campaign, but on the whole it will only cause misery. I live in Spain and like thousands of expats who have recently moved abroad or are thinking about moving abroad it has caused nothing but heartache and headaches and for some destroyed long held hopes and dreams of living outside of the UK. Complications with driving licences, residencia applications, visas etc is not the problem of the host country they are simply following the EU rules for non EU citizens, blame the politicians and the UK population that voted for it the first place. Total shambles from the start.

New junction numbers

I read your article shifting gears about the new road numbers, and I have to agree that this is so confusing. I understand about them being replaced due to duplication, but the hassle that faces many landlords and businesses having to explain the new junction numbers to holidaymakers and consumers alike. Sometimes a small problem for the few, can become a bigger problem for many.

Cathy Moore Malaga

Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

G Barry

THE NORM: Woke or not, everybody has a voice.

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PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

NEW LIFE Church Whether you live in Nerja or are visiting our area, you are very welcome to come and join us at our Sunday gathering. Join us

THE ANGLICAN Chaplaincy of Nerja & Almunecar. Every Sunday there is a Holy Communion service at midday in San Miguel church in Nerja. Every Wednesday morning at 9.30 we have an online ‘Zoom’ HC service - please contact Fr

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

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FOR SALE

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MISCELLANEOUS MOTORING NAUTICAL

INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 636 444 929 (301483)

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OTHERS SITUATIONS VACANT

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…..and A Happy New Year! Next generation

THE Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have announced the launch of the Accelerator Programme.

The groundbreaking initiative is designed to accelerate the careers of young aspiring tennis players in 2023.

The programme will see playing opportunities at ATP Challenger Tour ­ level reserved for the world’s top junior players, creating an accelerated pathway into professional tennis. The new initiative supplements the 2023 Challenger Tour changes announced in September, which signal ATP’s long ­ term strategy for the circuit through significant prize money increases, a balanced calendar and an increase in total and premium playing opportunities.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, confirmed: “Tennis has always been a sport that rewards hard work, and we must create an environment that allows young, aspiring players to reach their potential. It is our responsibility to open the door to opportunity and allow them to thrive in the sport. The Accelerator Programme is creating a pathway for the next generation of champions and we look forward to seeing it come into play in 2023.”

A fine way to end 2022

In the festive spirit of Walking Football, last week, Boca Seniors and Competa Chicas said ‘Goodbye’ to 2022 by joining forces, forming three teams, to take part in a charity football event, Juguetes Para Todos, in aid of disadvantaged children.

Apart from enjoying themselves tremendously, all players and spectators generously donated toys to this worthy cause and no doubt brought smiles of joy to many little faces; well done, all! Certainly, this positive involvement in the community is likely to be reflected in further charity events organised by our Walking Football clubs in 2023.

‘He’s running, ref!’

As in the 11 ­ a ­ side game, the Walking Football referee is sometimes subjected to a certain amount of dissent from players who do not agree with certain decisions,

the most common example of which is when a player is penalised for running.

As the very name of the game suggests, running anywhere on the pitch is forbidden and a new rule introduced this season dictates that, should a team accumulate four running offences during a game, a penalty will be awarded to the opposing side. Thus, the result of any game may be influenced by the number of running of ­

fences committed. Any player can be penalised for running, whether he has the ball or not, anywhere on the pitch. Consequently, the ref needs an extra pair of eyes in the back of his head to spot every single infringement. So, players and spectators alike, if you see the Walking Football ref wildly spinning his head during a game, spare him a thought… he’s trying to scan the entire pitch to implement the laws of the game fairly

and to the best of his ability. It's never easy being ‘the man in the middle’! Watch out for future features concerning our league referees!

Back to business

Walking Football League and Cup games resume in 2023 and, of course, in April, we have the Eurocopa Tournament in Portugal to look forward to. You can also access up ­ to ­ date news concerning all clubs on Facebook walkingfooty.com.

Image: Walking football league

Boca Seniors Competa Chicas Charity.