Darkness into Light

GET ready to wake up early and join the community in Benalmadena for the most inspiring walk of the year. The Darkness into Light 2023 walk will bring people together on Saturday, May 6 to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention and mental health support.

The Darkness into Light walk is not just any walk, as it begins at the crack of dawn, with participants starting at 5.30am, and walking until the sun rises. This year, the organisers are committed to making the walk the best one yet. The route is set to be an easy one along the beachfront, with stunning views guaranteed.

As well as raising awareness for better mental health care, this year’s event will raise money for local mental health partner, Afesol Salud Mental.

Organisers are currently seeking volunteers to help in organising and making sure the event goes smoothly. In­

Cruising on

FIGURES from Malaga’s tourism industry headed stateside for the first in­person promotional event since the Seatrade Cruise Med event last September. Officials arrived in Miami on Tuesday, February 22 to meet with American cruise operators.

The group from Malaga include officials from the city’s port, the Malaga Department for Tourism, representatives from the Costa del Sol’s Department for Tourism, and Andalucia’s Ministry for Tourism. The group remained in the USA until the conference with US cruise industry experts and operators ended on Thursday, February 24.

The conference is an important opportunity for cruise operators to develop networks with other professionals who they will be collaborating with in providing excellent experiences for American cruise passengers. The groups also discussed the challenges facing the industry including environmental challenges and restrictions.

The event is the first time that representatives from the city returned to the US since the pandemic.

terested volunteers can sign up by sending the group’s Facebook page a message: https://www.facebook.com/D arknessintoLightCostadelSol/?r ef=page_internal

By participating in the walk, you’ll be showing your support for mental health care, and contributing to an international movement with global Darkness into Light organisations.

Building licence boom

MARBELLA Council this week approved building licences to the tune of nearly €16 million for projects in the city.

According to municipal spokesman Felix Romero, the town hall is currently approving licences totalling €540 m illiona year, which “guarantees the healthy state of the local economy.”

Among this week’s projects to get the green light are plans to build 45 new homes in Altos de los Monteros urbanisation and five luxury apartments with swimming pools in the Cortijo Blanco and Los Angeles urbanisation in San Pedro Alcantara.

In addition, up to 11 licences for smaller projects totalling €2.4 million such as house extensions and repairs also got the go­ahead.

Sr Romero added that the new general town plan currently being drawn up will guarantee that Marbella continues to be “the city with most square metres of green areas per inhabitant” in the whole of Andalucia.

Recycling record

NEW figures released by the Environmental Department in Mijas reveal that 2022 was a record year for recycling in the town with more than 43,000 tonnes of waste recycled.

The figures represent a 10 per cent increase on recycling figures from 2022 to approximately 1.34 kilograms per resident per day, up from 1.26 kilograms per resident per day. The report revealed that the town recycled a total of 43,862 tonnes of waste collected in containers on the streets and in community collections.

Figures revealed that the most net waste was recycled in August with a total of 4,485 tonnes, but the month with the biggest improvement in recycling was April, when the recycling rate was 17 per cent higher than the year before.

Local councillor for Waste Management, Laura Moreno, praised the excellent data saying, “This shows that as a town we are committed to recycling and the environment, we are increasingly aware of the environment and the need to reuse and recycle.” She added that the figures show that the council’s recycling initiatives are “bearing fruit.”

ON Saturday February 25, the Costa del Sol community came together to celebrate ‘some enchanted evening’ for the amazing Val William’s 84th birthday at La Sierra Restaurant at Cerrado del Aguila golf resort.

Guests arrived in their best dressed, ready with gifts to donate to the raffle that were to be later auctioned off to celebrate the evening that was dedicated to helping raise funds in a small way for the chosen charity Age Concern, Fuengirola, Mijas and Benalmadena.

The evening was lit by candlelight, with fabulous mu sic from the wonderful Ricky Lavazza and daughter Emma where they sang terrific melodies and emotional tributes to Val in her mother tongue of Welsh. With special guests, daughter Ceri Lindsell and son Huw Williams, daughter in law Carys and granddaughter Shakira, the family came all the way from London and Sussex to attend the beautiful evening.

When talking to Ceri and Huw about Val they said “Mum is great we’re very proud of her, she has a huge amount of energy and what she does is brilliant, she helps bring the community togeth­