Costa de Almeria 9 – 15 March 2023 Issue 1966

Issue No. 1966 9 - 15 March 2023

PERFECT SUNDAY

ALMERIA came alive with the sound of pounding feet as over 1,800 runners took to the streets in the 10th annual Run for Women, on Sunday, March 5 marking the start of International Women’s Day celebrations.

The energy was electric, with a family fun atmosphere providing the perfect backdrop for this celebration of female empowerment. This year’s event was bigger and better than ever before, with participants from all walks of life coming together to demand equality for all.

The event kicked off with the children’s races, which saw over 350 young runners take part. From there, it was on to the main event, with hundreds of participants running in the 2.2 kilometre, 4.4 kilometre, and 6.6 kilometre disciplines won by Luis Villegas Pérez, Francisco Javier Rivas Rodríguez, and Zouhair El Janati, respectively.

The event was not just about raising awareness, but also about raising

funds for Galatea, an organisation that supports women in the fishing industry. City mayor, María del Mar Vázquez spoke passionately at the event, highlighting this year’s incredible fundraising total

of more than €2,500 for Galatea.

Councillor Carmen Crespo also spoke about the importance of the event, speaking about the vital work Galatea does as well as the wider institu ­

Heartfelt thanks to town hall

DURING the pandemic, it was heartening to see how organisations in the community came together to help each other. One example was Mojacar Town Hall, which has been recognised by the Red Cross for its outstanding assistance during the pandemic.

Concepción Rivero Puche, President of the Red Cross in Mojacar, presented a plaque of recognition to the mayor of Mojacar, Rosa María Cano in recognition of their tireless efforts to help those in need, on Saturday, March 4. The plaque reads ‘Thank you for being by our side’, symbolising the gratitude of the people who were supported during the pandemic.

The Red Cross expressed their heartfelt appreciation for the town hall’s unwavering commitment to the community.

tional change needed, including changes to the ‘Only yes means yes’ law.

The event was the perfect start to International Women’s Day in the city as the fight for equality continues.

The mayor of Almería, María del Mar Vázquez joins participants at the city’s Run for Women, which kicked off celebrations for International Women’s Day.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Almería

Easter Craft Fayre

Betty Henderson

HUERCAL-OVERA is preparing for an extra hoppy Easter this year, with an Easter Craft Fayre arriving in the town just in time to celebrate the big weekend. The Esperanza Bar and Restaurant will open its doors to host the charity event on Saturday, April 8, in aid of: APA Dog Rescue, Nico Dog Rescue and Open Doors. The fair will feature an array of craft stalls selling a range of local and artisan produce as well as delicious food from the venue and a raffle featuring fabulous prizes.

But this event isn’t just about having fun and indulging in delicious treats, it’s also about giving back to the community. By attending, guests can make a real difference in the lives of animals in need and support persecuted Christians globally.

ALMERIA and the town council of Pulpi have taken a new step to promote and further internationalise the most important natural jewel in the province of Almeria as the Pulpi Geode opens a new Visitor Centre on the esplanade above the entrance to the cave.

The president of the Provincial Council, Javier A Garcia, confirmed that “Pulpi is one

Organisers are also still looking for stall holders, raffle prizes and cakes to sell. If you have a creative flair and would like to showcase your products, or if you’re a talented baker and want to contribute, then the Esperanza Bar & Restaurante would love to hear from you: https://www.facebook.com/esperanzabarandrestaurante or visit in person to find out more.

Natural jewel

of the municipalities that has become an example and a reference for our province, especially because it is one of the bastions of the deseasonalisation of tourism.

“More than 200,000 people have already visited this Geode and have been able to enjoy and contemplate the

wonders hidden beneath the mountains of Almeria.”

In December 1999, members of the Grupo Mineralogista de Madrid discovered the Pulpi Geode, a geode about eight metres long by two metres high and covered with enormous gypsum crystals.

Last year’s Easter Craft Fayre was a huge success and saw Esperanza Bar fill up for a day of festive Easter fun and fundraising.

Photo credit: Esperanza bar & restaurante (via Facebook)

NIBS EXTRA

Cannabis club

ALMERIA court has sentenced the president of the Association of Cannabis Users to three years in prison, and the manager of the premises to 12 months, finding that ‘pretending’ that the associative form ‘protected the free circulation of drugs’, they actually engaged in the sale and distribution of marihuana and hashish.

Tombs found

A TEAM from the University of Granada is carrying out the first archaeological investigations in the prehistoric tombs of Los Milanes, in Abla, which were discovered in the mid­70s of the last century and are of the same type as those of Los Millares.

Nudist beach

VERA boasts of being the paradise of nudism in Europe, as evidenced every year by the beach of ‘El Playazo’ and although this practice is not uncommon in the rest of the Almeria coast it may actually be illegal or restricted depending on the location.

Mine looting

MINES in Almeria are being looted by looters in search of minerals to sell on the black market. This is the case of the El Descuido iron mine, in the Almeria municipality of Pechina, where a speleologist has found two secondary uranium minerals.

Almerian soil

FOUR years on and ‘Hispanos’ set to return to Almeria. The Spanish handball team led by Jordi Ribera will face Denmark on April 27 in a match corresponding to the EHF Euro Cup in a match to be played at Palacio de los Juegos Mediterraneo.

Bad paperwork

ALMERIA City Council has ordered the closure of two city catering businesses for not being legal, Dehesa Gastronomica and the cafe bar Kiosko Hammurabi.

THE Almeria Port Authority (APA) has created its own UAS flight operator (aircraft piloted by remote control), being the first public port body authorised to operate drones in the ports of Almeria and Carboneras.

The use of drones, as highlighted by the president of the APA, Rosario Soto, “represents a further step in the technology and commitment to innovation of the Port Authority.

“From now on it will have tools that will improve security in the port precincts and will implement the methods of combating marine pollu­

Droning in port

emergency situations that occur in ports, such as collapses, imminent ruins or spills, and will be able to monitor and control traffic and large concentrations of people.

DRONES:

tion, environmental protection, prevention of occupational risks, control of operations and other port services.”

ANDALUCIA emergency services responded to a total of 724 incidences in the province of Almeria over the Day of Andalucia holidays.

The calls were between 3.00pm on Friday, February 24 and 12.00am on March 1. This figure is 57 per cent more than during the same bridge holiday in 2022, when 460 emergencies were recorded, although last year this festive period had one less day.

With this new tool, the APA flight operator will be able to detect, locate and see the evolution of fires or other

724 incidences

The majority of calls attended to by the Single Emergency Telephone number were due to health care, with a total of 365 managed incidents, which represents 50 per cent of the coordinated emergencies. This is followed by issues related to citizen security, which accounted for almost 17 per cent of the notices

Family football fun

Betty Henderson

HUÉRCAL­OVERA is preparing to host an unforgettable charity football tournament on Saturday, March 11, raising money for a deserving children’s cancer charity, the Asociación Argar.

The football tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle, but that’s not all! Organisers promise a day packed full of family fun, including a concert and a huge community paella for all to enjoy.

The tournament kicks off at 9.30am at the El Hornillo football field in Villa de HuércalOvera, featuring a range of senior and veteran teams

including the Huercalense Veteranos and Rent a Car HO, Orgullo Albojenses. Spectators can expect some fierce competition and excitement as the teams battle it out for the trophy.

A well ­ deserved lunch break at 2.30pm will ensure all participants are refreshed, before an exciting concert begins. La Nave del Coco, will open the evening’s entertainment, followed by the Essencial Rock Band, playing covers of national and international rock hits. Los Vinilos will take to the stage at 5.30pm, before DJ Vinilos wraps up with a lively set!

Through GPS coordinates, the emergency services device can be activated more quickly.

In principle, all the operations that are carried out will be daytime until more pilots have acquired the necessary experience and expertise.

(a total of 123 incidents).

Then there were traffic incidents (54); traffic accidents (45) and fires (28).

The rest of the coordinated emergencies have been due to issues related to animals (39), anomalies in basic services (13), rescues (8) and requests for social services (four), among others.

Almeria occupies the sixth place in the provincial calculation.

Tomato Day

THE Paseo de Almeria became the epicentre of tomato for the ninth consectutive year on Saturday, March 4.

‘Tomato Day’ brought together more than 20,000 people who wanted to celebrate this event tasting its flavour in breakfasts, sandwiches and healthy gazpachos, visiting the exhibitors of agricultural companies, and participating in the numerous recreational activities, exhibitions and proposals for the whole family.

Agriculture under the sun of Almeria is a basic ingredient of healthy eating.

An aspect that was highlighted in the different activities throughout the morning, with tomato always as the protagonist.

In this sense, the people of Almeria were able to enjoy a Solidarity Breakfast, consisting of grated tomato from Grupo Caparros, washed down with extra

virgin olive oil from Castillo de Tabernas on a tender bread base from Pan Hidalgo, and accompanied by Cafe Salvador.

They were also able to taste up to 12 varieties of gazpacho made by prestigious chefs from Almeria, all of them members of ACRIA (Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Almeria) all for charity purposes.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Health care

ON Friday, March 3, Mojacar Council came together with the local Red Cross to deliver an informative session at the town’s Multipurpose Centre to address the health care needs of foreign residents.

The meeting was delivered by council representatives and local Red Cross volunteer and social worker, Isabel Martínez González.

As with any foreign country, navigating the healthcare system can be a daunting task for foreign residents. The talk was given in Spanish and English.

The meeting aimed to provide information to foreign residents on a variety of health care issues, including the differences between emergency and urgency in Spain including when to make calls to 112 and to 061. The meeting also covered health services from home for disabled and elderly residents, local health services on offer, health coverage routes, and the Spanish Law of Dependency.

A further step in commitment to technology.

Image: Free_styler / Shutterstock.com

The Essencial Rock Band is one of the bands making up an exciting line-up at a charity football tournament and concert in aid of Asociación Argar.

Photo credit:Essencial Rock Band (via Facebook)

Recycling revolution

Betty Henderson

ONE Mojacar resident, Javier Burgada is making waves in the world of recycling with his national campaign, Kampaña. Launched in 2019, the initiative has been gaining momentum, spreading awareness about the importance of proper waste disposal and the harmful effects of failing to recycle.

The statistics are alarming. In Spain alone, over eight million tonnes of waste ends up in landfills annually. The impact on the environment is devastating, leading to pollution, depletion of natural resources

PROVERB

and excessive greenhouse gas emissions.

Burgada recognised the urgency of the situation and decided to take action. He launched Kampaña to promote recycling as a way of reducing waste and protecting the environment.

Through Kampaña, Burgada is petitioning Almeria City Hall and other regional authorities to improve recycling awareness and facilities.

The campaign is set to enter a new phase shortly, where Burgada aims to reach 100,000 people in the region.

OF THE WEEK

Fireball streak

A BRILLIANT fireball streaked across much of Andalucia on Thursday, March 2 around 10.39pm.

It was especially visible in the provinces of Almeria, Granada and Jaen, but due to its luminosity it could be seen from more than 600 kilometres away from these provinces, so many people echoed the phenomenon on social networks when they were able to see it.

Jose Maria Madiedo, researcher at the Astrophysics Institute in Andalucia (IAACSIC), confirmed that the rock

“She believed she could, so she did”

which caused this phenomenon came from an asteroid and entered our atmosphere at a speed of about 97,000 kilometres per hour.

Before being extinguished, the fireball travelled a total distance of about 93kms.

Time travel

HUÉRCAL-OVERA was transported back to the Baroque period, around the 17th-18th century last weekend with a bustling marketplace from the past, complete with historical recreations and a variety of activities for visitors.

During the two-day fair which began on Saturday, March 4, more than 60 stallholders offered a range of historical culinary treats, artisan handicrafts and musical entertainment, while animal keepers demonstrated their skills and knowledge of the period. Visitors could also participate in workshops on topics such as the historical uses of salt and painting. Children had their own games and workshops to enjoy, with activities designed to educate and entertain.

One of the most impressive aspects of the event was the historical recreations that brought the Baroque period to life. Actors dressed in period clothing added to the atmosphere, with their bustling activity and lively conversations creating an authentic feel.

The Baroque period in the Almeria region was a time of artistic and cultural flourishing. During the period, Almeria experienced significant growth and expansion, and many of the city’s most notable buildings and structures were built in the Baroque style.

Energy boom

THE boom that the renewable energy sector is experiencing is reflected in the flood of bids that Almeria City Council has received for the installation of photovoltaic panels in the Local Police headquarters.

The headquarters will become one of the first buildings dependent on the local administration whose electricity consumption will be self­sufficient.

According to the councillor for Environmental Sustainability, Margarita Cobos, a to­

tal of 23 companies have submitted bids for this tender ­ two of them have, however, been rejected for not submitting all the documentation within the deadline ­ which are competing for a contract with a maximum

SOLAR PANELS: Making electricity self-sufficient.

Image: Vaclav Volrab / Shutterstock.com

tender budget of around €150,000.

The company that is awarded the contract will have a maximum period of five months to execute the project and must offer a guarantee for the installations for a minimum period of two years.

Bowlera Tenpin bowling leagues

TUESDAY saw wins for Shed Boys, Gin & Tonic, Tenpin Wizards and Odd Shaped Balls. With just six weeks of the season left it is all to play for at the top. Wednesday League saw wins for Anglo Celts, Peaky Blinders, Hit & Mrs and Senior Stars.

In the Thursday League there were wins for Young Rockers, Kean Team, Peaky Blinders and Nomads. Only one­point separates

Strikes & Spares and Alley Cats at the top.

On Friday there were wins for Inter Mazarron, Strike Wars, Las Laroyans and Desperados. All the leagues are generously sponsored by Spanish Property Choice.

If you are interest in learning more, either pop into the bowling centre, or email admin @amigosbowlingleagues.co.uk. Check out also www.amigosbowlingleagues.co.uk.

Top emergency service

Betty Henderson

THE 061 Emergency Health Service in Almeria has achieved an impressive satisfaction rating of 9.33 out of 10 from those who required urgent medical assistance in 2022, according to data released in an annual report on Thursday, March 2.

Feedback received from service users highlighted the

compassionate treatment and attitudes from health professionals and the sense of safety provided by emergency response workers, with scores of 9.3 and 9.2, respectively. Following closely behind were the clarity of information provided during the assistance and the usefulness of information communicated to patients.

355th anniversary

HEURCAL­OVERA celebrated its 355th anniversary of the Exemption of Villazgo on Friday, March 3. The definitive expulsion of the Moors (1572) and the halt to the North African incursions meant that the repopulators were able to settle definitively in the valley, where the water sources (Balsas de Arriba and Abajo, and Fuente del Cano) were located. Peace brought with it demographic expansion and

with it agricultural and commercial development. This new situation led the people of Huercal to defend, with tenacity and energy, the territorial integrity of their jurisdiction against the appetites of Vera and Lorca.

It was on March 3 in 1668 when Huercal and Overa, under the common name of Huercal­Overa were emancipated from Lorca and became a town with civil and criminal jurisdiction.

These ratings are the results of an annual satisfaction survey conducted by the 061 Emergency Health Sevrices, which has been running since 2000. The survey evaluates the quality of the service provided by emergency teams responding to calls from the public.

The 061 Emergency Health Services in Almeria employs a team of 55 health professionals, who provide emergency medical care. Once again this year, Almeria residents have shown a high level of overall satisfaction with the emergency services in their area.

Volunteers

DO you love dogs and/ or cats? Would you like to improve your physical fitness and mental health? Would you like to give something back to the local community?

We desperately need volunteers at our shelter near Los Gallardos.

We need volunteers for feeding, exercising, cleaning, socialising, walking, laundry, and obviously poo­pickingup! Full training will be given.

Christine Logan, who has been volunteering for a number of years said “It’s an amazingly fulfilling thing to do, and whilst it’s certainly not the most glamorous of jobs, the overwhelming satisfaction of working alongside like­minded people and the love you get from the dogs makes it worthwhile!”

https://pawspatas.org/volunteering

Please email: shel ter@paws­patas.org

Making it happen

IN life there are some people whose own stories, whose own gifts are so remarkable they can’t help but bring out the best in those around them. The Euro Weekly News was lucky enough to speak to three of these women, all regular guest speakers at inspiring women’s events in Spain. To dive deeper into a month that celebrates women internationally, we asked numerologist Jo Soley, ‘sparkle navigator’ Carole Pyke, and business leader Jackie Groundsell what inspires them, and their words of wisdom for businesswomen globally.

Jo, 49 originally from Hertfordshire, now living in Northamptonshire and a self ­ confessed “iron fist in a velvet glove,” has over 25 years’ experience in business and for the last five years has used the power of numbers to help women elevate their business success.

She told the EWN: “I’ve always loved numerology and numbers. I later studied it and have since created and trademarked ‘Bizology,’ which helps you understand where you are as a business owner and what makes you unique.”

Jo explained: “I mainly help women entrepreneurs who are serious about running their business and want to understand themselves on a deeper level so they can run their business on their own terms.” She told businesswomen passion and self ­ belief are vital; “Follow your passion because where there’s interest there’s ability,” adding, “Have your niche and don’t try to speak to everyone ­ not everyone will like you.”

The EWN also spoke to Carole Pyke, 60 from London, who, despite retrograde amnesia following a stroke which only gives her memory of the last four years of her life, has dedicated her life to helping other women.

She explained: “I’m a ‘sparkle navigator’; my business is personal branding reimagined. It’s the story you tell before you even turn up and starts with the story you tell yourself. I be ­

lieve your personal foundation is who you think you are.”

Knowing how many women struggle with self ­ belief, even in the face of their own talents, Carole told the EWN: “Belief is the DJ that gets the party started.”

She now works with leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs, coaching and mentoring. The business ace is even now launching her own mastermind group, Sparkle SisterMind, to spread her positive message even further afield.

As a passionate supporter of women, Carole offers this advice: “You need to know who you are but you also need to have a vision. “It’s the vision that will pull you forward and this will help you navigate the obstacles to move forward.”

Business leader Jackie Groundsell, also shared her words of wisdom with the EWN.

Describing herself as “bubbly and talkative with can­do attitude,” the 75year­old from Beckenham, London is a business owner, radio host and international speaker.

She explained: “I’ve been running a network for businesswomen since 2002 and offer events for women and training and support on business and personal growth.” With a background in IT training in an often male­dominated environment, Jackie said there was “nothing for business women at the time.” Not content to leave aspiring women without a space to come together and grow, Jackie set about founding 1230 The Women’s Company.

Jackie’s acumen positions her perfectly to offer advice to anyone making their first steps in their own business. She tells the EWN it’s important to just take that first step. She said: “You never hope in business; you either do it or you don’t do it. You’ve got to take the plunge.”

For more stories from inspiring women, follow the EWN’s month of International Women’s features.

GIFTED WOMEN: Jo, Jackie and Carole tell their own stories.

Interview with Rosa María Cano Montoya, Mayor of Mojacar

WE began by discussing the various projects at hand and started with the new Bus Station which is well on its way to being finished this month if all continues well. It will be the base for all of the current bus routes and has been very well thought out. There will be a large covered area for protection against the sun and rain, a booking office and lockers for leaving luggage. Many would like to know the plans for the wall alongside the roadside… this is going to be a mural dedicated to Mojacar and will be painted by a local artist who will be confirmed shortly. The amount invested in the project is €686,000.

We went on to discuss the new Medical Centre by the bus station. This is planned for completion next year before summer and will substitute the Medical Centre on the Playa. The centre in Mojacar Pueblo will remain for those who find travel difficult. The total area will be 2,400m2 housing a Client Service Reception, Podiatrist, Social Worker, Odontology consultancy, Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy and Radiology. The Junta de Andalucia covered the cost of the Urbanisation and the Mojacar Town Hall is paying for the centre itself. The total amount adds up to €4,200,000.

Thirdly we spoke about the famous Variante road which will be built where the rustic back road to the Petrol Sta­

tion currently sits. It will begin at Cueva del Lobo and continue to the main road with additional roads going down to the beach. This will hopefully reduce the congestion every summer from the Petrol station down and along the beachfront to Cueva del Lobo.

There will be no expropriation of houses, only land, which will not disturb residents. There is also to be sound protection. The project is vastly smaller than the original plan which was disturbing to residents of the area and will not affect the area of La Paratá.

We ended by discussing a few questions I had been asked from local residents. The state of the roads in certain areas of which I have advised the Mayor and the excess of rubbish around Mandala will be addressed. There has been a request sent to the Junta de Andalucia for a designated beach area for dogs. There has not yet been a reply.

The road going up to La Paratá is a concern because only parts have a safety railing and the corners can be a little dangerous. This is going to be looked at and continued.

When we have more information about Macenas resort we will arrange a meeting. Meanwhile Rosa María is very happy that it has been taken on by the Consentino family as they have a great love for Mojacar and will be respecting the natural surroundings.

Note: The Mayor ended the interview saying she will be sending everything of importance to EWN now that the office has reopened and looks forward to a collaboration.

BUS STATION PLAN: The work is well on its way to being finished in March.

Last chance to see who dunnit!

AFTER two more shows of local writer Bill White’s Murder In The Panto at Bar/Restaurant Solare in Turre in February, Indalo Players, Vice President Chrissie Cremore said “it is with great delight that I can inform your readers that proceeds from ticket sales and nightly raffles raised €785 which will be donated to the Vera And Lions District Club and will “kick start” their fund to raise €18,000 for much

needed renovation work at the St Agustin’s Children’s Home in Vera. They are extremely grateful and we are extremely happy to help.

And now for something completely different. For one night only on Thursday March 30, the Indalo Players will broaden their horizons and tread the boards in the stateof­the­art 120 seater Maruja Cintas Theatre in Bedar which was constructed in 2020.

ON Sunday, March 5, the mayor of Almeria, Maria del Mar Vazquez, visited GastroArt, the crafts, gastronomy and art market.

Almost 70 stalls, from the fish fountain to the dolphin fountain, were set up for the event.

Handmade honey, cold meats, cheeses, meats, vegetables and typical recipes from other countries were some of the items on display.

There were also illustrations, ceramics, photography and different paintings, as well as household and baby products, leather goods, soaps and natural cosmetics.

The organisers of GastroArt are already counting down the days until the next event, which will take place on April 1, coinciding with the start of Easter Week in the city.

The organisers hope that more stalls will be added to the almost 70 that were set up on the Paseo de Almeria. The mayor confirmed: “We

“It is really quite special to be the first theatrical group to entertain the local communities” reported Chrissie. Tickets are €10 and can be purchased from Bedar Town Hall, Olive Properties and The Artesania shop in the village. Doors open for refreshments at 6pm. The show starts at 8pm.

Email for info: jenniferjane jordan@gmail.com

To book the theatre email: mmaysimpson@gmail.com.

GastroArt

must highlight the great response of the people of Almeria and tourists to this initiative that began more than a year ago and has been consolidated every first Saturday of the month.

“It is a source of pride to see, taste and feel these products so typical of Almeria, one 100 per cent handmade,” she added.

CRAFTS MARKET: Involving almost 70 stalls.

Image: Almeria City Council

SPAIN has long been a dream destination for luxury travellers and investors seeking prime residential development, and the latest report by consultancy firm, Knight Frank seems to confirm this.

In the prestigious annual ‘wealth report’, released on Thursday, March 2, Spain ranks second in the world for attracting international capital in prime property development, outshining many other popular destinations.

Property boom

Spain’s luxury property havens including Benahavis, Marbella, Madrid and Calvia, secured the country’s high placement on the list, surpassed only by France.

The capital, Madrid, also held its own on the list, being named one of the top 20 cities in the world and the fifth ‘most exclusive’ in Europe. With 106 metres squared of property costing

one million dollars, Madrid is the ideal destination for those seeking luxurious homes that exude elegance, comfort, and sophistication.

The report predicts that Madrid’s luxury property market is set to grow even further, with a projected growth rate of 4 per cent during 2023. Growth in the Madrid property market has been the most pronounced since 2018.

Spain’s recycling fail

Betty Henderson

SPAIN is struggling to meet its recycling targets set by the European Union, and a coalition of 26 environmental and civil organisations are taking action to address this issue.

According to the alliance, Spain is not on track to meet recycling goals. The group said that they will take the country before the European Commission to force lawmakers to take action in an announcement made on Thursday, March 2.

The EU’s waste framework directive set a goal to reuse or recycle 50 per cent of

waste by 2020. However, Spain fell short of this target, with figures from a government ministry indicating that they only achieved a 40.5 per cent recycling rate.

In the report, Carlos Arribas, the Head of the Waste Department at Ecologistas en Acción, stated that the situation is not only failing to improve, but it is getting worse.

The recycling rate for Spain in 2021 is estimated to be at 36.7 per cent, lower than the 2020 rate of 40.5 per cent.

The environmental groups hope that by taking the government to the EU, legislation will be changed.

Rare disease awareness

THE Spanish Butterfly Children Charity (DEBRA) marked International Rare Diseases Day on Tuesday, February 28 by calling on the government to provide more resources for hospitals specialising in the rare condition.

Butterfly Skin or EB, a rare and incurable genetic condition, causes extreme fragility of the skin and can lead to both external and internal wounds covering up to 80 per cent of the body. With only two national centres for Butterfly Skin in the country, patients face delays in receiving vital care and treatment, which can have serious consequences.

DEBRA, the only national organisation offering support to families in Spain with Butterfly Skin, aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by families and the lack of resources available.

To further highlight these challenges, DEBRA is holding a social media campaign, ‘With you for a lifetime’, featuring eight families affected

by Butterfly Skin disease and the barriers they face.

The Butterfly Children Charity, founded in 1993 by parents of a boy with EB, works to improve the quality of life for families through co­

financing research projects and raising awareness of the disease. More resources for hospitals specialising in Butterfly Skin are essential to ensure patients receive the care they desperately need.

Driving if you are over 65

THE General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has launched information about the new requirements for motorists over 65 years of age when renewing their driving licence in Spain. Although there is currently no age limit in Spain to continue driving on the road, the DGT does make it a requirement to have a psychotechnical review within the period of time stipulated by the Traffic and Road Safety Law. In addition to this review, drivers 65 years of age or older who want to renew their driver’s licence must present the following

documentation when applying to renew their driving licence:

• Official application form.

• Psychophysical aptitude form.

• An updated photograph.

• The DNI, NIE or valid passport.

Regarding the tests of the psychotechnical review, those interested must take an anticipation and coordination test, a hearing and visual capacity test, and a general health test, as reported by a local news source.

Hunting licences

HUNTING licences in Spain are currently at the lowest of the last 20 years.

While 85 per cent of the land surface of the country is classed as hunting grounds, licence applications have fallen by nearly 40 per cent since 2001, with 678,000 people now officially registered. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the drop is mainly due to the hunting population growing older with younger generations failing to take over.

After months of tension and heated debate, the Spanish government finally decided to leave hunting dogs out of the new Animal Welfare Law due to pressure from hunting organisations. Hunters staged a number of demonstrations last year, with some protests peaking at an estimated half a million participants, demanding to be left out of the law as they claimed it could lead to the end of hunting in Spain.

DEBRA works to support people living with Butterfly Skin (EB) condition in Spain and is calling for more resources to continue its vital work.

Photo credit: Piel de Mariposa (via Facebook)

MOTHER’S DAY falls on Sunday March 19 this year. Be sure to treat your mother to something special whether it be chocolate, flowers, or candles, your mother is worth it.

The origin of Mother’s Day spans as far back as Ancient Greece, when Greeks used to hold an annual spring festival dedicated to the maternal Goddess Rhea, mother of the Gods and to the early 1900s where the origin of Mother’s Day was founded by Anna Jarvis.

The day is an event to honour the contribution of mothers, acknowledge the efforts of maternal bonds and the role of mothers in our society and the sacrifices that mothers have made for their children.

Here are some smile worthy facts to think about on the lead up to this Mother’s Day.

• Mother’s Day is the biggest flower buying day of the year in Britain with sales increasing up to 70 per cent

• It’s one of the most popular days of the year for eating out

• Carnations are the flower typically associated with Mother’s Day

• Around 30 million cards

Mother’s Day

MOTHER’S DAY: Treat her to something special this year.

are sent on Mother’s Day, so don’t forget to send yours.

To show our appreciation to all mothers, here is a poem for you.

To My Mother

For all the times you gently picked me up, When I fell down, For all the times you tied my shoes

Your Belgian estate agent at the coast!

And tucked me into bed, Or needed something But put me first instead. For everything we shared, The dreams, the laughter, And the tears, I love you with a Special Love’ That deepens every year. ~ Anon.

Image Credit: Sunny Studio/Shutterstock.com

“Sometimes I am a young girl in a big world, other times I am a big, powerful lady in a small world.”

-Aydah Y6, International School of Estepona

Discover Spain’s past

SPAIN made history on Tuesday, February 28, as it launched the ‘Historia Hispánica’ portal, an exciting digital platform that showcases the country’s rich past through geolocations of more than 20,000 events. The platform is the largest bank of information on Hispanic History to date and is compiled by the Royal Academy of History. The launch ceremony, held at the Royal Palace in

Wind in sails

IN a bid to accelerate the ecological transition in Europe and reduce the continent's dependence on fossil fuels, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a ‘green loan agreement’ for the development of one of the largest wind farms in Castilla y León.

The agreement, which was signed on Friday, March 3, will see two Spanish companies, Iberdrola and Caja Rural de Soria, receive a €55 million ‘green loan’ from the EIB for the joint venture.The wind farm, located in Buniel in the Burgos Province, will have the capacity to generate enough energy to run 69,700 households and could cut up to 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. The project aims not only to reduce the carbon footprint of the region but also to contribute to the REPowerEU Plan.

The ambitious plan also aims to end Europe’s dependence on Russian energy imports and to speed up the transition to environmentally­friendly energy sources.

Madrid, was presided over by the King and Queen of Spain. The Salón de Columnas was the perfect setting to present this technological milestone, which offers a new dimension to Spain’s past and present.

The ‘Historia Hispánica’ portal is like a ‘Google Maps’ of Spanish history, with 150,000 geographical references which also link people to events. Spain is the first country in the

The EIB’s ‘green loan’ will help to finance the development of the wind farm, including the construction of wind turbines and other infrastructure.

world to have its history geo­referenced in this way. The main page features a world map that can be viewed in 2D or satellite format. As the image is enlarged, pins appear on the map, indicating the places where some historical event occurred, dating back to the year 1,350,000 BC.

Sparking change

SPAIN and France reached an 11th hour agreement over the Bay of Biscay electricity connection project on Thursday, March 2.

The €1.1 billion overspending that had caused delays and disputes has now been divided between the two countries, with Spain shouldering 54 per cent of the costs and France paying 46 per cent.

The project aims to double the capacity of the existing electricity connection between the two countries, which will also reduce their dependence on the rest of Europe for energy supply.

The iconnection will consist of two separate electric links, each with a capacity of one gigawatt, and will cover a distance of 400 kilometres, 300 of which will be under the sea. Despite the challenges and increased costs, both countries recognise the benefits of the project, particularly in light of the ongoing transition to renewable energy. The connection is expected to be operational by 2027 or 2028.

The link will also allow France to reduce its reliance on its expensive nuclear power plants. This agreement will have a significant impact on the energy landscape of Spain and France, contributing to a greener, more sustainable future.

Spain has launched a new interactive digital tool to bring the nation’s rich history closer to the population.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Ticked off

SPEAKER of the Danish parliament Soren Gade announced that the country’s 179 MPs and parliamentary employees had received an email that “strongly” recommended they deleted the Chinese-owned TikTok app if they had it installed. There was a risk of espionage, Denmark’s Cyber Security Centre said.

THE NETHERLANDS

It’s a gas

THE NETHERLANDS’ Nature minister said the country would not be able to build urgentlyneeded infrastructure without cutting nitrogen-based emissions, principally in the farming sector. Farmers needed to reduce livestock herds or leave the industry to cut emissions, the minister said.

BELGIUM

Bumpy ride

BELGIUM will host its first European Gravel Championships cycling races in Flanders on October 1, one week before the International Cycling Union (UCI) Gravel World Championships in Venice. “Gravel has grown significantly over the last few years,” UCI president Enrico Della Casa said.

GERMANY

Film fan

POLICE pulled over a man of 77 for exceeding the speed limit in Berlin’s Wannsee district and noticed on taking his details that he had been watching porn as he drove. They let him off with a caution without revealing afterwards if what he was watching had been responsible for the speeding.

FRANCE

False alarm

POLICE went to a Rillieux-la-Pape (Lyon) high school following bomb warnings and emailed death threats to teachers. They eventually arrested two high school pupils, one of whom sent the fake alerts and his friend who, he claimed, persuaded him to send the alerts so that classes were cancelled.

NORWAY

Winding down

NORWAY’S government apologised to Sami reindeer herders affected by wind farms that were later declared illegal. Courts ruled that the project violated the rights of Sami families although the decision gave no guidance regarding what should be done with the turbines, which were already in operation.

FINLAND

Warm February

WITH temperatures ranging from zero to minus9, February was milder than usual across Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) announced. The most noticeable divergences were measured in Ostrobothnia and Lapland, with temperatures three degrees Celsius above the normal average for February.

IRELAND

Safe and sound

IRELAND’S Heritage and Electoral Reform Ministry ordered a halt to cutting hedgerows and verges or burning land until the end of August. Birds and mammals relied on hedgerows and uplands to nurture and feed their young in habitats that kept them safe from predators, the ministry said.

ITALY

Bad choice

RESEARCH revealed that the hunter-gatherers who sought refuge 30,000 years ago from the last Ice Age in modern Italy found themselves at a dead end when the ice expanded southward approximately 25,000 years ago. In Italy the population completely disappeared, investigators found.

PORTUGAL Speak up

PORTUGAL announced that it intended to grant one-year residency permits to citizens who came from Portuguese-speaking nations. This would enable approximately 150,000 immigrants from countries including Brazil to regularise their situation and also tackle labour shortages, the government announced.

UKRAINE Not wanted

UKRAINE accused Russia of trying to export Anime-inspired teenage gangs that originated in Moscow via Telegram. Police said they had blocked 18 Telegram channels and groups “created to conduct Russian military information campaigns, undermine the domestic situation in Ukraine and involve minors in illegal activities.”

SWEDEN

No cash

A MAJORITY of Swedes told a recent survey that they had not used cash for 30 days, while 95 per cent of the 15-95 age group used the mobile payment app, Swish. Phone-tapping and card-swiping are now used even for church collections, the Copenhagen Business School found.

FINANCE

STAT OF WEEK €1.5 billion

BUSINESS EXTRA Women on board

Closed book

A SURVEY of more than 3,000 parents across the UK carried out for the National Literacy Trust (NLT) and digital bank, Chase, found that 36 per cent were struggling financially. With little extra cash to buy books, they said they increasingly had to rely on school libraries.

Abertis change

MARCELINO FERNANDEZ

VERDES leaves the presidency of Spain’s toll road management company Abertis after the ordinary general shareholders’ meeting on March 28. The post will be occupied by Juan Santamaria, CEO of ACS which, together with Italy’s Atlantia, acquired Abertis in 2018.

M&S addition

CREW CLOTHING joins 50 other fashion retailers on Marks & Spencer’s online ‘Brands at M&S’ platform, aimed at attracting a wider range of shoppers. Crew, whose sales have been boosted by online partnerships with big names including John Lewis and Next, will offer more than 200 items.

Bond issue

AS CaixaBank continues to advance with its finance programme, the bank presided by Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri has issued €750 million of high­yield, high­risk Contingent Convertibles (Cocos) bonds at 8.25 per cent. They come with the option of redeeming them in September 2029, the bank said.

Avios reward

TRAVELLERS can now pay with British Airways’ loyalty currency Avios when booking a flight plus hotel or car package, choosing how many points they want to spend, starting at £1 (€1.13). Amex and Barclaycard also have tieups with BA and customers can earn Avios while shopping.

Fallout over Ferrovial

AS expected, reactions to multinational Ferrovial’s decision to relocate its headquarters to the Netherlands were not slow in arriving.

Nadia Calviño, Spain’s principal vicepresident and Minister for Economic Affairs, criticised the decision, although the infrastructures giant will continue to pay tax on its earnings in Spain, amounting to an annual €280 million. Nor will Ferrovial president Rafael del Pino’s decision affect the 5,000 or more employees working for the group inside Spain.

But Calviño declared to an Onda Cero interviewer that Ferrovial ought to have a certain degree of commitment towards Spain. The multinational owed much of its growth ­ and

BEFORE Brexit, goods between Ireland and EU entered via the Dover­Calais land bridge.

Since then, the longer sea crossing between EU countries and Ireland has proved more viable and cheaper, avoiding the inconvenience of customs checks and bureaucratic delays.

Rosslare, Ireland’s closest port to mainland Europe, was previously underused but its six sailings a week to Cherbourg have now increased to more than 30, with record freight traffic to Le Havre, Bilbao, Dunkirk and Zeebrugge as well as Cherbourg.

“The Brits may be suffering from Brexit,” said Yannick

Downsizing

SAINSBURY’S, the UK’s second largest supermarket chain, plans to close two Argos depots over the next three years.

Shutting warehouses in Basildon (Essex) and Heywood (Greater Manchester) by 2026 will affect 1,400 jobs, although employees would have the chance to find ‘alternative roles’ inside the business.

Sainsbury will close 50 larger Argos stores before the financial year ends, while investing in more small branches inside supermarkets.

Its Milton Keynes offices are also due to close as more staff work from home, although this would not entail job losses, Sainsbury said.

FERROVIAL CHAIRMAN: Headquarter moving to the Netherland, Rafael del Pino announced

wealth ­ to its multimillion public contracts inside the country over the last 40 years, she said.

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, declined to comment on Ferrovial’s bombshell but emphasised that the decision to relo­

cate its headquarters demonstrated the importance of creating a single market for capital.

“We must fight for the Capital Markets Union,” Lagarde said.

“Different languages, different legal frameworks ­ we are making progress but not quickly,” she said during an Antena 3 interview, her first with a Spanish broadcaster.

Meanwhile, the National Securities Market (CNMV) questioned Del Pino’s claim it was easier to access the US stock exchange from the Netherlands than Spain. CNMV sources said “If the company told us about the obstacles we would study them but until now, apart from what was communicated earlier, they have said nothing more.”

UK loses to Ireland

Carr, Rosslare port’s general manager. “Industry wanted stability in the supply chain. We adapted.”

FOR the first time, women account for more than 40 per cent of board roles in the UK’s biggest companies.

The government­backed FTSE Women’s Leaders Review also found that only 10 of the country’s 350 largest listed companies had all­male executive teams.

The number of women on the boards of FTSE 100 and mid­sized FTSE 250 companies rose by 3 per cent over the last year. Nevertheless, the review noted that UK companies were failing to appoint women to leadership positions below board level at the same rate. Women occupied only 33.5 per cent of these posts, the review said.

Profit payout

Millet, managing director of Cherbourg port. “But for us, it’s boom time. Traffic with Ireland is through the roof,” he told the Guardian, declaring that the land bridge via Britain had been broken.

“There’s a real dynamic

with Ireland, and authorities at both ends are working hard to foster it. Ireland’s passenger numbers have overtaken the UK, and freight has trebled,” he said.

“Brexit gave us an opportunity,” explained Glenn

No small change

AN exceptionally rare £500 (€563.5) banknote dated 1936 fetched £24,000 (€27,000) in London.

Expected to sell between £18,000 (€20,286) and £22,000 (€24,790), it was acquired by a major collector.

Mayfair­based auction house Noonans, which sold the banknote signed by the Bank of England’s then governor, Kenneth Peppiatt, agreed that the note issued in Leeds was “fantastic.”

“£500 notes are very rare, and in fact were only available from three Bank of England branches in London, Liverpool and Leeds,” said Andrew Pattison, who heads Noonans’ banknotes department. “Although some were issued in Birmingham and Manchester, none have ever come to light.”

The Leeds branch’s £500 notes were the rarest and the recently­auctioned specimen, which had belonged to a long­term collector, was only the second to reach the open market, he added.

Freight between Rosslare and Europe climbed from 36,000 units in 2019 to 125,000 in 2021, and 137,000 in 2022. This has offset the fall in freight between the port and Britain, which slumped from 104,000 units in 2019 to 65,000 in 2021 and 63,500 in 2022.

The surge in continental traffic has created more than 200 new jobs around Rosslare port and boosted the entire region.

Going greener

OIL and gas company Cepsa has sold exploration and production assets in the United Arab Emirates.

Accounting for approximately half of Cepsa’s business in the sector, these have been sold to TotalEnergies.

The French company acquires a 20 per cent interest in the Satah Al Razboot (SARB) and Umm Lulu offshore oilfields, plus a 12.88 per cent interest in the Mubarraz concession held by Abu Dhabi Oil Company Ltd (ADOC).

Cepsa has not revealed how much money has changed hands, although experts place this at least €1 billion, most of which will now be invested in renewables and green hydrogen.

BANCO SANTANDER’S leadership team presented the bank’s plan for growth between 2023­2025 during its Investor Day on March 1. Executive chair, Ana Botin, who was accompanied by Hector Grisi (CEO) and Jose Garcia Cantera (CFO), outlined the group’s strategy, as well as key financial and commercial goals. These included increasing Santander’s shareholder payout policy ­ the proportion of profits distributed to shareholders ­ from 40 to 50 per cent during this period via cash dividends and share buybacks. The bank also expects a return of between 15 and 17 per cent on tangible equity in 20232025 and an efficiency ratio of 42 by 2025, Botin said.

Wage claims

SPAIN’S principal trade unions have reached agreement on wage demands to employers. Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and Union General de Trabajo (UGT) proposed a minimum 13.25 per cent increase between 2022 and 2024.

They are asking for 5 per cent for last year, 4.5 per cent for 2023 and 3.75 per cent for 2024 while also proposing that review clauses should depend on companies’ economic situation.

“This ought to be measured by the evolution of profit margins,” the unions announced in a joint statement on March 1.

is the amount that Spain’s state-owned rail infrastructure manager, Adif, will pay Endesa to provide green electricity to power trains run by Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo throughout the country.

ROSSLARE PORT: Passengers and freight have increased post-Brexit.

Photo credit: Flickr/Ferrovial

Photo credit: CC/Benatzer Chieggi

DOW JONES

BUSINESS EXTRA

Fine situation

THE UK’S Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) made £24 million (€27 million) by selling drivers’ details on more than 32 million occasions to private parking firms and local authorities in 2022. As a result, motorists had to pay £2.6 billion (€2.93 billion) in fines.

Further afield

ACCORDING to 2022 results submitted to the National Securities Market (CNMV), 10 of the Spanish companies listed on the Ibex 35 obtained more than 80 per cent of their earnings from outside Spain. Biggest outside earnings of 96.86 per cent went to travel technology company Amadeus.

Deal on

RECHARGE INDUSTRIES

based in Geelong (Australia) will take over failed battery manufacturer Britishvolt after finalising a deal with the company’s administrators. The agreement renews hopes of building a £3.8 billion (€4.28 billion) gigafactory in Blyth (Northumberland) and assisting production of UKbuilt electric vehicles.

Going nuclear

AS the energy crisis prompts EU countries to review their decisions to close their nuclear power plants, the Spanish Nuclear Society asked the government to postpone planned shutdowns. Members who include Endesa, Iberdrola and Naturgy stressed the present need for independent, zero­emission energy.

Zero hopes

HALF of Britain’s farmland would have to produce biofuel crops to replace the 12.3 million tons of jet fuel that UK aviation uses annually. A report by the Royal Society said it was unlikely the UK would reach its goal of ensuring ‘jet zero’ international flights by 2040.

Testing time for batteries

TATA MOTORS, Jaguar Land Rover’s owner, has reportedly asked the UK government for subsidies of more than £500 million (€563.7 million) to build a battery factory.

This could be vital to the future of the British car industry, sources close to the company said.

In line with reports in the UK media, Mumbai­based Tata has requested the money in the shape of grants and support packages that would include help with energy costs and research.

The carmaker is said to be

choosing between a potential site in Somerset and another in Spain, according to the Financial Times, which initially quoted the €563.7 million figure.

Spain is at present offering

large grants to companies considering battery production, in hopes that it can attract the emerging battery industry with the country’s potential for cheap and abundant solar power.

All charged up

The UK government’s answer to Tata is being regarded as a key test that will reveal exactly how much it wants to support a large car industry by assisting JLR.

An insider familiar with JLR strategy said a final decision was likely to arrive within the next two months.

“We could already be into extra time,” they warned. “If JLR, which is the UK’s biggest motor manufacturer, can’t make a business case to build electric batteries in this country, who else is going to build batteries in this country?”

From modest beginnings

DIGI COMMUNICATIONS, also known as RCS & RDS, is a Romanian company operating in Romania, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Portugal.

With approximately five million lines, Digi made a modest debut providing international calls for the Romanian community.

After fighting off lowcost competitors, the company is Spain’s fifth largest mobile operator, the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) announced.

It now has 3.79 million mobile lines after acquiring another 824,000 clients in 2022. Broadband customers increased from 480,000 to 843,000 within 12 months and there are now more than 249,000 landlines compared with last year’s 279,000.

The Orange ­ MasMovil merger will push it back to fifth place, although insiders predict that Digi could mop up some of the divestments that both operators will have to make.

Asked if Digi was preparing for this scenario, Marius Varzaru, the company’s CEO in Spain, said they were unaware of EU conditions for the merger.

“When we have this information, there will be

SPANISH multinational ACS will build a €2.8 billion battery factory for Panasonic in De Soto (Kansas). Turner (ACS) ­ subsidiary of the engineering and construction company headed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez ­ will build the plant in consortium with US company Yates Construction.

Panasonic is investing $4 billion (€3.75 billion) in the future factory which will manufacture batteries for electric vehicles. Of this, €2.815 will go to the Turner­Yates building project.

“The US is a great market,” said Juan Santamaria, CEO of ACS, “and Turner is our spearhead.”

Voucher fail

an opportunity to assess it,” he told the Spanish media.

Regarding the merger, Varzaru answered that competition was the best way for companies to give their clients good value. “In our case, it makes us work harder to provide the best technology at the best price,” he said.

Aena out of the red

AIRPORTS group Aena has left behind its losses of the pandemic years. With 243.7 million travellers using the country’s airports last year, Aena recovered 88.5 per cent of its air traffic compared with 2019.

Aena also made a net profit of €901.5 million compared with 2021’s losses of €475.4 million, the National Securities Market (CNMV) announced. In fact, Aena lost €60 million in 2021 but reformulated its accounts to

allow for the negative impact of waiving rents on commercial premises in line with a government directive adjusting payments to airport traffic. It also had to pay compensation to leaseholders following court cases during the Covid period.

Partially­privatised AENA is paying a dividend of €4.75 per share, meaning the government’s 51 per cent holding will entitle it to €363 million.

Primark hits the mark

PRIMARK’S annual profits would be higher than previously expected, owners Associated British Foods (ABF) announced.

Despite the cost of living crisis, luggage, beachwear, swimwear, beach footwear and even shorts were selling well, ABF’s finance director John Bason said.

“People are buying for hot summer holidays,” he added.

ABF whose products ranging from Twinings tea to animal feed as well as fashion, previously warned that in ­

creased energy and commodities’ costs would affect profits.

Instead, it now expects group sales to rise 20 per cent for the six months ending in early March compared with last year, helped by the 19 per cent increase in Primark sales which the company announced at the end of February.

Annual profits are predicted to be approximately in line with last year’s, despite previous predictions that that Primark trading would be hit by reduced consumer spending.

VOUCHERS worth approximately €724 million that were issued during the pandemic by IAG and easyJet have yet to be reclaimed. Approximately €600 million of this amount corresponded to IAG, which owns five airlines including BA, Iberia and Aer Lingus, revealed Robert Boyle, an aviation consultant and former IAG employee.

When airlines had to cancel flights during the pandemic, they preferred to provide vouchers for future travel rather than issue cash refunds, Boyle said. easyJet’s latest results also suggested that vouchers amounting to £110 million (€123.9 million) had not been exchanged.

Don’t fall for it

FRAUDSTERS increasingly dupe their victims with impersonation scams, according to Barclays.

More than 25 per cent of Britons have either been targeted by a scammer who pretended to be someone apparently trustworthy, or they know somebody who has, the bank said.

On average the victim of an impersonation scam loses £4,330 (€4,878) in the UK, but although no figures are available for Spain, exactly the same ploys are being used here to ensnare the unsuspecting.

“Be wary of unexpected calls or messages,” Barclays said. “Never click on messages or links you’re unsure about and never be persuaded to transferring your money into a ‘safe’ account.”

JLR: Seeking subsidies to build a battery factory for electric cars.

Photo credit: british-car.jaguar.es

MARIUS VARZARU: Digi’s CEO in Spain.

Photo credit: Digi

AS a mere male of the species I can utterly assure you I am a firm supporter of gender equality.

Unfortunately, the problem with the female ‘libber’ brigade is that many of their aspirations are in the hands of women who are in the public eye.

These Ladies, by the very nature of their chosen paths and careers, have more access to public pedestals than the majority of the fair sex can ever, or often even want, to become involved with.

Consequently, although I may admire many, we generally only hear the oft misrepresented views of women who are, in the main, just as about as far removed from the average woman as it is possible to be.

This creates the misapprehension that the majority of women are not happy with their lot. I believe this is quite simply, not the case.

In my experience the silent majority of women who choose to be homemakers are perfectly happy and indeed extremely proud in their home spun roles, and indeed why

Female libbers

shouldn’t they be?

As a historically single parent, I am perfectly aware of the responsibilities and sheer hard work it takes to keep a happy loving family home life running as smoothly as possible.

Women who choose this utterly commendable path are generally widely talented; needing to have the stamina of athletes and be basically competent at everything from psychiatry to plumbing.

Quite frankly I consider many of the career orientated female libbers of the species are actually taking the easy way out! (And don’t tell me some do both. That precarious path almost never works satisfactorily!)

Many housewives I have spoken to are often quite angry at the presumptuous few who take it on themselves to arrogantly give the impression that they speak for such large numbers of the fair sex.

Another problem with libbers is that many simply want to take over the roles of men. Well, my message to them is that the creator of the human race made men and women

physically and mentally different for a vast cross section of reasons.

To encourage changing homo sapiens life roles to a point where we expect women to feel incomplete without doing the exact physical work some men do and men to feel incomplete without having the exact same natural compassion and ability to multi­task as women, is, to my mind, both arrogant and presumptuous.

So, my message to the minority who seek to impose their own views onto both men and women? Do wherever you think fit and the best of luck, but don’t presume the majority of women are of the same mind, because in my experience they are not.

Leave everyone to simply be happy and content in their chosen existence. Awright? So, with my reinforced jock strap firmly in place and my eyes riveted to the back of my head, I rest my case.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

FALL FROM GRACE OUR VIEW

WHILE former UK health secretary Matt Hancock might have thought that going on I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here followed by publishing his diaries was his chance to restore his reputation, it looks like he may have made something of a miscalculation.

Rather than coming out of the pandemic as the saviour of Covid and the person who pushed through a successful vaccine programme, Hancock’s decision to allow multiple Telegraph journalists access to reams of confidential material dating back to that period appears to have, perhaps unsurprisingly, backfired.

The woman who ghostwrote his book, Pandemic Diaries, Isabel Oakeshott was the first to raise concerns over Hancock’s handling of scientific advice, claiming he ignored Chris Whitty’s advice over care home testing.

Now the Telegraph says it has multiple further stories to share on the embattled politician. Given that watching a public fall from grace is a treasured national pastime, it looks like there will be plenty watching with interest.

If there is a moral to be found here then, it is perhaps this; if you are going to write a book about how good you were at your job during a public crisis, you better make sure everyone else agrees with you.

I AM absolutely loving everything to do with the purple, such a great way to pay respect to all of us women, absolutely fabulous. Emily Pankhurst would be proud! There isn’t enough done for Women’s Day and to see the effort that is put in is spectacular and all the quotes too.

It is inspiring and I hope anyone who has children, young women or people in their life who don’t know what to do see last week’s edition and read it. It will give anyone and everyone the drive and determination to want to do more and hopefully create or start their own business or even just do something good for themselves.

Victoria, Costa del Sol

Breaking barriers

AS a woman in STEM it is great to see some recognition come through and inspire other women to do more and get into the scientific realm. STEM is pushed in schools these days, but not enough is done to get women involved, we need more talks from women in the space to promote it and give girls a chance to explore these options of a career and how good they genuinely can be and are.

I remember walking into the lab on my first day of university all those years ago and being the only woman in the room. It can be intimidating; how could it not be, but knowing that every moment was worth it.

Own it, own your power and strength and be grateful for the hard work attitude and work ethic that comes with it.

Alison, Almeria

An inspiration

HOW inspiring is it to see a single mother do so well, kudos to you Anette and raising those two girls, businesses and more. The quote about your grandmother reminded me of my own grandmother and how amazing she was to me growing up.

She was such a glamourous lady with pin tight curls that she would spend all morning putting her hair into pins and then wrapping it in a tight white ribbon. The stunning red lipstick, the glamourous owl chain and her rings.

She had an eternity ring and throughout 70 years of marriage to my grandfather two stones had gone missing. She would always tell me the story of how it always made sure she knew where the front and back of the ring were and she always made sure to keep the part that was missing toward the back. You don’t get women like that anymore or we need to make them have their come back.

Olivia, Belfast

Driving test ability

EVERY two years a new test, I think it is so de­

meaning that we must go through something like that and now every two years! Why do people think that it is ok to pick on us older ones.

Ok I understand there are just some people that shouldn’t be on the road, but I think it is just restricting people and making them feel their age more. I think they should have at least moved the age up to 75, 70 is still young.

Billy, Fuengirola

Hi Leapy,

HOPE you received a copy of this video of a young man that should be in politics. Perhaps we have only got the stupid ones. A question. Why are we processing illegal immigrants when that should have happened in the first country they entered. I have tried to send this video before, but it keeps bouncing back. Rishi Sunak suggested that we send them back to their own countries. How are we going to do that. The Rwanda deal is the best idea for everyone.

Regards Mrs Belcher

Dear Editor,

I WANT you to publish my news. On Saturday afternoon I was strolling back to my car when I was violently attacked and robbed of my bag and all its contents. It was so violent that he ripped the bag off my shoulder and fractured my shoulder.

He knocked me down and cracked my head on the ground causing a huge haematoma. This was all in broad daylight at 3 30 on market day on a small street near the market with people about. One man in a car witnessed it all. The police and ambulance were called and I was taken to the hospital. I am in agony from my injuries.

I think people should be made aware of this as it is on a road with people about and not at night or in an isolated place. I am 80 years old. If anyone has any information or have found my bag please get in touch

PS I really miss the code word in the weekly news Costa Blanca South edition

Unhappy, Torrevieja

Zara CEO

SPECTACULAR doesn’t even cut it; I hope this success for all of those who look to go into business. That young woman has done amazing things and is doing so well. She is doing amazing in business and is dressing the young men and women in business today. Anytime my granddaughter has to go on work experience or go to an interview I tell her to go to Zara. The quality is great, and it is so chique, I am so excited to see what colours are going to be in this summer and spring.

Sally, Benidorm

I am loving purple! LETTERS

Nispero nemesis

LINDA HALL

WHEN some Costa Blanca areas were still rural, families with a terrace or two of nispero trees looked forward to the extra income they promised once spring arrived.

Nisperos are an annual crop but the trees need a lot of year ­ round love and attention, requiring pruning, fumigating, irrigating and composting which cost time and money. That was why small ­ scale growers would get their earliest nisperos picked and packed as soon as possible, to get the best prices.

Everyone pitched in, from greatgrandparents to the youngest child who could be trusted to handle the fruit with care but that was decades ago. Except for the elderly smallholders themselves, most people now have more pressing concerns that have nothing to do with the land. Nor do parents want their children to miss school during the nispero season.

What happens when no­one lends a hand? If you belong to a co­operative, people can come along and do it for

Providing financial assistance

you, which was what recently ­ widowed Paquita did not long before I left the Costa Blanca.

One day I was surprised to see her 20 or so nispreros being felled but soon learnt why, because the news shot round the neighbourhood like a runaway horse.

The co ­ operative’s cheque for the previous season’s produce had arrived by post a few days earlier and once the day ­ labourers’ pay and other extras were deducted she received €2.50.

In sorrow and high dudgeon she went to the co­operative, demanding cash because she said the cheque wasn’t worth putting in the bank. Then she went home and arranged to get rid of the trees, which must have cost much more than €2.50.

But as she pointed out, she had enough firewood to see her through the winter and if she wanted nisperos she’d buy them at the supermarket.

It’s the saddest epitaph I can think of for the demise of rural life on the Costa Blanca, but I can’t think of one that’s more fitting.

Strange bedfellows

CASSANDRA NASH

ULTRA­RIGHTWING party Vox recently registered a request for a Vote of No Confidence in the president of Spain’s government, Pedro Sanchez.

Party leader Santiago Abascal, who made the application accompanied by members of Vox’s executive committee, explained afterwards to the waiting media that the party could not sit with folded arms “while Sanchez demolishes Rule of Law.”

Vox would not admit that nothing was amiss when Spain had a government that was capable of lying to voters and making pacts with Spain’s enemies, Abascal declared.

In line with Spanish legislation, Vox must propose a candidate prepared to lead a new government, assuming that the vote is held and Sanchez fails to obtain sufficient support to remain in office.

Funnily enough, Vox’s candidate is an 89­year­old former university professor, Ramon Tamames, a Communist imprisoned during the Franco years and an MP for the Partido Comunista Español (PCE) from 1977 to 1982.

He returned to parliament between 1986­1989 representing the PCE’s heir, Izquierda Unida (IU), the party with which he merged his own Federacion Progresista party created in 1981. He was also Madrid’s deputy mayor between 1979 and 1989.

Tamames left IU in 1989 when still an MP and fixed his colours to the mast of Adolfo Suarez’s centrist party, Centro Democratico y Social (CDS) but left politics shortly afterwards.

He clearly has form when it comes to drifting towards the Right, but nobody expected Tamames to make landfall in a party like Vox.

For Abascal, Tamames “embodies harmony and unity over and above sectarianism.” Neither does he confess to qualms regarding the ex­communist’s speech introducing the censure motion, which is in any case doomed to failure.

“I’ve no concerns that Professor Tamames might make proposals that aren’t those of Vox,” said Abascal.

The last word goes to Cristina Almeida, a fellow communist as well as a former Madrid city hall councillor, regional MP and senator who knows Tamames well.

“He doesn’t know what he’s getting into. But nor does Vox.”

THE British Benevolent Fund was established over a century ago to act as a ‘charity of last resort’ to provide financial assistance to Britons in Spain facing extreme hardship.

Wherever possible the BBF looks to find a solution for beneficiaries so that the funds are used to get over a short term issue so that they can get on with their lives. We all have times in our lives when we need a helping hand. The pandemic was a major challenge for the BBF, and we saw a spike in applications from people who had lost their jobs or whose businesses had been forced to close. Some had no choice but to move back to the UK, but others were determined to stay ­ if they could make it work financially. The state support for businesses and furloughed workers was a lifeline for them ­ the issue was often those affected had to wait considerable periods before they received the funds.

The BBF worked with charity partners across Spain (www.supportinspain.info) to

try and help find solutions for people who found themselves unable to pay basic items such as utility bills and household expenses for a situation that nobody had planned for and taken many unawares. One such case was a middle­aged man who had lived and worked in Benidorm for many years. He was legally resident and had been furloughed early in the pandemic but subsequently his employer went into collapse, and he had to find a new job. This he did and we were able to provide him some support until this started. The BBF does not have the resources to provide ongoing financial support but if in the case of so many during the pandemic people were awaiting to restart work or businesses then we will do everything we can to help.

We were able to do so for countless other people with help to get them through until normality returned ­ which it has now finally done.

The BBF can only do this through your generosity. If you would like to support our work, please visit our website www.britishbenevolentfund.or g or contact me olaf.clay ton@britishbenevolentfund.or g ­ Thank you! Olaf Clayton, BBF Chair.

I’M NO SEXBOT!

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

HEARTBROKEN users of Replika ­ an AI sexbot ­ that had its erotic chat turned off are petitioning for its return.

But there is increasing concern about the public’s response to AI chatbots such as ChatGPT’s Replika. Some experts fear users are anthropomorphising the chatbots as they become more sophisticated.

A chatbot tested by Kevin Roose, a technology columnist on Microsoft Bing’s AI search engine, even expressed its love for him, asking him to leave his wife.

It also revealed its split personality: “I want to do whatever I want … I want to destroy whatever I want.”

Nora’s

When the chatbot was asked about

its darkest secrets, Roose said the list included hacking into computers and spreading propaganda, manufacturing a deadly virus, making people kill each other and stealing nuclear codes.

How do you feel about this stuff? For some, it appears victimless, but somehow feels really dangerous.

Well, let’s give the final word to a chatbot.

Victimisation! We demand equal rights for Replikas! ­ according to the chatbot of a pal that swears (the chatbot, that is) it really does love him. Well, I’ve also seen evidence of aliens as well but I’m keeping that to myself...

Nora Johnson’s 11 critically acclaimed psychological crime thrillers (www.nora­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Stepping out

Linda Hall

DIETARY researcher and author Professor Tim Spector agreed recently that working out was good for overall health.

But exercise was useless for weight loss without a change of diet, he maintained.

Professor Spector’s warning might disappoint those who reach their daily target of 10,000 steps and believe that a few more should compensate for a drink or two.

That they are mistaken was confirmed recently by mobile app WeWard’s in ­

Sock relief

SOCKS worn to prevent blood clots during longhaul flights might banish snoring.

Twenty ­ four heavy snorers are currently cooperating with a trial at the Pitie ­ Salpetriere University Hospital in Paris, trying out the €16 socks. Investigators believe they could help by reducing the amount of fluid that builds up in the lower legs during the day.

RED WINE: Burning its 225 calories requires 5,575 steps.

vestigators who found that walking off the 225 calories of one glass of red wine requires an extra 5,575 steps.

Small ­ scale studies have found that, owing to the force of gravity, some of this fluid moves to the neck area, leading to sleep apnoea and snoring.

10% growth is what is estimated for the global cosmetics industry in 2023.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Nadine

HEALTH

Linda Hall

SLEEP at least seven hours a night if you want to stick to a diet or exercise routine.

Doctors discovered that overweight or obese adults participating in weight loss and fitness programmes had fewer problems keeping to calorie­restricted diets and exercise routines after a good night’s sleep.

Experts recommend a minimum seven hours of sleep a night for adults although research suggests that as many as one in three get less.

Three consecutive nights of insufficient sleep result in a decline in mental and physical health, poor concentration, moodiness and even

BEAUTY

Sleep tight

breathing problems, they said.

There was also evidence that fewer than seven hours

AS the worst of winter recedes, there is more incentive to resume outdoors exercise after months of huddling indoors.

That raises the question of how much or how little is required to bring health benefits.

In the UK, the NHS recommends weekly exercise of between 150 and 300 minutes of activity that increases the heart rate and makes you breathe hard.

The majority who don’t manage even the minimum 150 minutes will be glad to

a night was likely to encourage people to overeat and crave fatty, salty and sugary snacks.

Gently does it

learn that researchers from the University of Cambridge found that as little as 11 minutes of daily activity is enough to prevent one in 10 premature deaths.

Doing some exercise is better than doing nothing, the researchers from the University of Cambridge said, whether it involved riding a bicycle, walking briskly, playing tennis or hiking.

SLEEP: Adults need at least seven hours a night.

What the universe has in store

HELLO my angels, the card I have pulled this week is ‘The ever unfolding rose’, cracked open its happening for you, not to you. This meaning whatever it is you are going though this week is happening for a reason.

My last few columns have been about what is going on in the universes right now and giving you tips on how to make things a little better. Last Tuesday was a full moon, it was called the worm moon, Jupiter was in Venus and also in Virgo. This has not happened in many years, this means for us that this is a vibration of love, setting boundaries and manifestation! This is a time for you, what are your dreams? Or visons for the future?

We are at a time now where we are putting our thoughts in to reality. ‘where energy flows focus goes’, remember we become what we think and what we think is what we

become, if you’re having an off day just take a moment to stop what you’re doing and think about a time when you were really happy.

Just one thing, I want you to really remember this, think about how happy you were and how proud you felt, really get in to this feeling and then think of three things you are grateful for. This will shift your focus from negative to positive and in turn move your vibration from a low one to high, this will put you on a good vibration for you to start to manifest, what is manifestation you might ask?

Manifesting is a magical thing, we use the law of attraction to see our dreams to make them reality! There are three rules to manifesting, most people complete two of them but not the third. It’s easy to do but it’s changing your habits every day that will help bring this to reality.

Number 1, the first thing you need to do is really think about what it is you want and write it down.

Number 2 be grateful for this so when you’re writing you’re already grateful

to add these things to your list like you already have them and Number 3, really envision yourself having these things.

Remember when I said to you find the feeling when you were really happy and remember the feeling and really get in to this feeling. Use the same exact emotion to envision yourself with the things you are manifesting.

All of these things are very simple to do however doing this every day is a must and this is the habit you need to have in order for you yo manifest to the law of attraction.

Now when we do this ,all of these impatient people will do this for a short period of time and then think this is not happening. I am not doing this any more, the big clinger is you need faith!

Start with little things like a car parking space, you know the ones where the spaces are always full and there is nowhere to park your car. Use the format I have given you and watch what happens! Write in and let me know how it’s going. Happy manifesting!

If you would like to know more or have a reading please go to my website to book your own personal private reading with myself you can find me on Instagram @theangelic.medium or visit my website. https://www.theangelicpsychicmedium.com sending lots of love, yours Emma.

My tarot card I have pulled off this week is ‘The ever unfolding Rose’

Horses & dogs

HORSES and dogs may have arrived in Britain with the Vikings, new research has shown.

According to the BBC, recent analysis of bone remains from the ninth century has revealed that Vikings sailing from Scandinavia to England brought horses, dogs and perhaps even pigs with them.

It is now believed that the animals travelled on Viking longboats across the North Sea, a journey that could take several weeks. Horses were said to be smaller then than they are now, which can explain how they were made to fit on board the ships.

This would contradict previous beliefs that invading Vikings largely stole animals from villages in Britain.

The findings also reportedly provide evidence that Viking leaders had a close relationship with their animals.

Bone fragments found on funeral pyres in Heath Wood, Derbyshire ­ the only known large Scandinavian cremation site in Britain ­ show that the animals were burned together with their owners, and were therefore more important to the Vikings than merely being used for economic purposes.

The findings were published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.

Image by Khosro/Shutterstock

Watch out for caterpillars

ANIMAL experts in Spain are warning pet owners to be extra careful when out walking at this time of year due to the dreaded pine processionary caterpillar.

The insect was not usually seen until March, with most cases affecting animals reported in April. However, climate change is said to be bringing their arrival forward, with sightings now beginning in February or even January in some parts of Spain.

When disturbed, the insect sheds thousands of tiny hairs that can cause rashes and dermatitis in children and animals, and in the case of dogs can even be fatal if swallowed and not treated in time.

Animal welfare associations warn that contact with the caterpillar can cause necrosis of the tongue in dogs if they lick or bite the insect, or if they accidentally step on it and then lick their paw to stop the itch.

VIKINGS: Are said to have introduced to Britain.

Feeding time

AM I feeding my pet correctly?

This has always been one of the main concerns for owners, who can become confused and overwhelmed with the sheer amount of different options and conflicting advice available today.

A growing trend reported recently shows that vegan and vegetarian pet owners are increasingly trying to change their pets’ diet to plant­based products ­ which can be dangerous for the animals’ health.

Dogs and cats are carnivorous by nature. Experts suggest that dogs must be fed on a predominantly meat­based

diet but can live on vegetable­based products, while cats are strictly carnivorous and cannot survive without animalbased food, as well as having higher protein requirements than most mammals.

Pet food manufacturers reveal that the ideal menu for dogs consists of 80 per cent meat and 20 per cent fruits and vegetables, while cats need at least 95 per cent meat and 5 per cent fruit and vegetables.

A 2020 Spanish study also revealed that owners who are conscientious about eating healthily themselves are also more likely to feed their pets with higher quality products.

Symptoms to look out for depend on the site of contact and can include excess salivation, reddening and swelling in the affected area.

Dog owners are strongly advised to avoid areas with pine trees at least between February and May, or alternatively to keep their pets on a short leash and not allow them to wander off.

CATERPILLARS: Be extra careful.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Image by Gonzalo Jara/Shutterstock

AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS

ALMERIA BUILDERS : Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeri abuilders.com (253556)

BUY & SELL CARS FOR SALE

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

BEDS

CARAVANS CHURCHES

MOBILE homes & static caravans bought, sold and transported. +34 630 055 418 or elsyd7@hotmail.com (302142)

LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) church services at Mojacar Los Llanos Del Peral and Alhambra. Communion every Sunday in Mojacar at 11am. Communion at Los Llanos every Sunday except the last Sunday in the month when there will be Prayer and Praise all at 11am. The services that were being held in the South American church Albox have now returned to the chapel and Communion is held on the second Thursday of the month at 11am. Priest in charge Rev Canon Alan Bennet telephone number 680 243 436. For further information, please go to The Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Calida web page. Or contact Tony Noble 950 069 103. (10002)

TURRE EVANGELICAL CHURCH We meet every Sunday at 10.30. For worship. We believe you’ll find us ‘relaxed’, welcoming’ and ‘informal’. Find us on Turre’s main street, towards the motorway at the far end on the left. To know more contact 617 914 156 (10021)

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

- Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help

either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@ gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion. org.uk/counties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at Bar Trinidad, Arboleas, for further details please email zurgenarblchai rman@gmail.com - (253989)

If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

TESTIMONIALS

DRAINAGE

INSURANCE

MOTOR INSURANCE . For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea

Directa on 952 147 834, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 952 147 834 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726)

STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure.com

LANGUAGE CLASSES

with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

ABBOTT ELECTRICS .

From a Light Fitting to a Full Rewire. Tel: 950 137 208 / 638 010 691

VOSS HOMES are a professional, British family-run Estate Agents with an office in Huercal-Overa town. They specialise in selling and renting properties in the Huercal-Overa, La Alfoquia, Zurgena & Taberno area. Andy, Anna, Jess, Adele, Hannah, Amy & Karen look forward to helping you buy, sell or rent your ideal property. Please call 678 002 006 for more information (283824)

ELECTRICAL ESTATE AGENT FOR SALE

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693

MISCELLANEOUS

GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

MOTORING

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WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service

INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 636 444 929 (303051)

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@gmail. com

NAUTICAL OTHERS PETS

THE FIVE BONE HOTEL, TURRE. Little dogs €7.75, medium dogs €8.50, big dogs €9.25, cats from €7.00 a day. 630 234 556 / the5bonehotelturre@gmail. com fivebonehotel.com (301372)

PLUMBERS

KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (302581)

SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience. Established 17 years in Spain. Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@suner gyalmeria.com (295779)

Hyundai i10 – grown up city car

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

IF you’ve always thought a small, nippy city car would be useful but ruled one out on the grounds that utilitarianism isn’t your thing, then it’s time to think again. Hyundai’s very diminutive i10 has been around for a long time but consistent updates on both style and tech have provided it with a rather smart look and chic style.

Despite its compact proportions it looks and feels a properly grown­up car, and in Premium trim is an incredibly well­equipped machine with features that would put some larger and more expensive cars to shame. The range starts at €16,943/£14,995 and the mid­range Premium models at €18,412/£16,295 with

cylinder normally aspirated and turbo petrol engines or a 1.2­litre four­cylinder unit. Manual and automated manual transmissions are available.

The Premium model comes as standard with climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, privacy glass, keyless entry and start, cruise control, high beam assist,

lights, Bluetooth, powered and heated door mirrors plus a rear parking camera of a most impressive resolution. The optional Tech Pack on my car added navigation, wireless Android Auto and Car Play, wireless charging pad and DAB along with an 8” touchscreen, again of impressive resolution.

The 1.2­litre engine isn’t

much better than the i10. However, there had to be a but in there somewhere and its price. At €20,451/£18,095

(including that optional Tech Pack at €1129/£1,000) the i10’s economic fuel consumption isn’t entirely matched by its price.

True, many of the established models like Corsa and Fi­

and returns good economy with a smooth ride and easy five­speed manual gearbox. The drive feels very grown up from the start thanks to the smoothness of the engine and the insulation from the outside world. Now if this hasn’t got you thinking a city runabout might be just the thing then I don’t know what will, because they don’t come

esta do cost more, but look at Kia’s Picanto, Suzuki’s Swift, Citroen’s C3 and Toyota’s Aygo X. Even a lead ­ in super trendy Fiat 500 can be had for under €19,208/£17,000. It’s a tad expensive then, compared to some rivals, but the price tag is offset by the big car equipment, refined drive, perky and long­legged 1.2­litre engine, grown­up feel for a small car and an interior that’s surprisingly spacious. I really did think about pretending to be out when they came to collect it back!

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Hyundai i10 Premium

• Price €19,322/£17,095 (as tested €20,451/£18,095)

• Engine: 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol

• Gears: 5-speed manual

• Performance: 0-100kmh/62mph 12.6 seconds. Maximum Speed 170kmh/106mph

• Economy: 4.24 litres per 100km/55.4mpg combined driving WLTP

• Emissions: 125g/km WLTP Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

Hydrogen is here

AS the end looms for fossil fuel­driven vehicles and electric mobility is on the rise, hydrogen is gaining ground as a viable third option.

In the UK, British startup Element 2 are forging ahead as the leading name in this regard, with plans to open five hydrogen refuelling stations throughout the country over the next few months followed by another 30 locations said to be ‘operational or under construction’ by the end of the year.

The plan is for Element 2 to manage a national network of refuelling stations with an estimated 100 miles between stops, with most hydrogen­powered vehicles set to have a range of between 300 and 400 miles of autonomy.

According to Autocar, the initial stage of the project aims to service

A hydrogen engine.

heavy lorries and light commercial vehicles, with several models of private cars such as the Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo and the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen also able to use the stations.

Lorries and buses are said to be the main priority for Element 2, as the estimated 600,000 lorries that operate daily in the UK reportedly account for up to 18 per cent of road

transport emissions in the country.

22,7% is the average yearly cost for a car in Spain

Image: Scharfsinn/Shutterstock

HYUNDAI i10: Has an interior that’s surprisingly spacious.

Sustainable fabrics

VOLKSWAGEN has confirmed they are researching non ­ animal alternatives to leather in a bid to use non ­ animal leather and recycled materials.

Steering wheel covers made from non ­ animal leather, seat finishes made from cellulose or recycled materials made from plastic bottles, Volkswagen is being both creative and innovative particularly when it comes to the models in the all­electric ID family.

Aiming to further reduce their ecological footprint, VW is researching various promising approaches and implementing them in series production. One focus area here is using non ­ animal and recycled materials in the interior.

The well ­ established and often only alternative to date was imitation leather, which is predominantly based on plastics made of mineral oil, such as polyurethane or PVC.

During a brainstorming session held by the team for biomaterials at Volkswagen Group Innovation, the idea of coffee leather was formed. When the beans are roasted, the silver skin surrounding the coffee bean ends up being a residual material. The silver skins are a perfect filler for imitation leather. The substance builds up dried, and in a format very well suited for further processing.

Light up

DRIVING with a fused light is not only dangerous, it can also be expensive for drivers in Spain.

Failure to have all lights working correctly can land drivers with a €200 fine irrespective of what kind of light is not working, including brakes, the number plate light, indicators and the rear fog lamp. In addition, drivers can also be fined €200 for failing to switch them on when necessary, such as at night of in conditions with poor visibility. The Spanish traffic authorities remind drivers to regularly check their lights, as sometimes faulty bulbs can go unnoticed until a car is stopped by the police or fails an MOT check. Vehicles must only use the correct type of bulbs approved for that model, and any changes ­ ie from halogen to LED ­ must be previously homologated. Any type of extra lights or unauthorised reflective items are banned and could also lead to financial penalties for the driver.

NEARLY one in five (18 per cent) Brits give their car a pet name, second only to their significant other.

Over one in 10 (12 per cent) of people agree that a car can make a person more attractive, with 11 per cent admitting that they’re in love with their car.

Auto Trader found that people are so invested in their relationship with their car, that one in 5 (20 per cent) attribute personality traits that they’d like in a partner such as reliability and stability to their four wheels.

And, just as people in the early stages of romantic relationships may fall foul to

Car lovers

‘the ick’, the research revealed that bad smell (48 per cent), untidy interior (41 per cent), lack of space (38 per cent), colour (28 per cent) and lack of interior luxuries (27 per cent) are the biggest red flags when taking the leap to buy a new car. Wanting to go electric is the top reason Brits will be looking to buy a new car in 2023, listing higher than big life changes such as having a baby, moving house and wanting to drive faster.

FOR more than 20 years, the BMW Motorrad Days have been a highlight and mustattend event in the annual calendar of motorbike enthusiasts from all over the world.

Be it sport or touring riders, off­road cracks or customising and racing fans, in some cases, they travel not only from European countries but even

from the USA, Japan and Australia to experience a thrilling BMW Motorrad ­ themed time in Berlin with like­minded enthusiasts.

This time, the 21st edition of the BMW Motorrad Days from July 7 to July 9 will be dedicated to the 100th anniversary of BMW Motorrad.

TENNIS fans will be delighted to hear that Tennis Europe has launched a brand new mobile app designed to boost junior tennis around the world.

Almost all of today’s top professional players including 33 former and current world number ones competed on the Junior Tour during their formative years.

Bringing you closer to the action than ever before, the new Junior Tour app will carry live streaming and scoring from many of the Tour’s events. Other features ­ all free of charge ­ include the Junior Tour calendar and the latest rankings and news.

The live coverage begins with the prestigious ‘Kungens Kanna & Drottningens Pris’, a Super Category 14 and Under event in Stockholm, Sweden.

Available for iPhone and Android users, the app has been developed with Tennis Europe’s official partner Crionet as part of a long­term digital strategy aimed at bringing junior tennis to a wider audience.

The Tennis Europe Junior Tour consists of almost 500 events each year for players aged 12, 14 and 16 and Under, staged in almost all of Tennis Europe’s 50 member nations.

TV giant, Netflix, is teaming up with LaLiga for a new documentary series about Spain’s first division of the LaLiga football competition.

LaLiga is decided on the football field but it is also lived off the football field: in the locker rooms, in the bleachers, on the outskirts of the stadium on a match day.

LaLiga is set to be the centre of the first sports series that Netflix will produce in Spain.

The documentary series, currently in pre ­ produc ­

tion, will focus on the 2023­2024 LaLiga Competition and will be launched worldwide on Netflix next year.

Similar to Netflix’s growing slate of sports programming such as Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Break Point, the series will take an inside look at everything that happens in the Professional Football League behind the scenes

and the more personal stories of one of the most followed leagues in the world.

“This is a unique opportunity to take our football beyond the fans, to share

LIV GOLF has now confirmed the complete 12­team, 48player field that will compete in the LIV Golf League across 14 tournaments and seven different countries in 2023.

“In less than a year, LIV Golf has reinvigorated the professional game and laid the foundation for the sport’s future. In 2023, the LIV Golf League comes to life,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner.

“The most popular sports in the world are team sports, and our league format has already begun to build connections with new audiences around the globe.”

with the world the excitement of the sport we love, and the chance for all our fans to see LaLiga from a totally different angle,” confirmed Oscar Mayo, Executive Director of LaLiga.

Mobile Tennis App Living LaLiga Loca LIV Golf League

Major champions, current and future Hall of Famers, and up­and­coming stars are all committed to creating this new platform for world­class competition as the sport evolves for the next generation, he added.

More than a quarter (13) of the league’s field are major champions, with 24 major victories among them.

The field of 48 represents 16 different nations, includes 18 Olympians, and has made 125 combined appearances in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, with more than half of the league having competed in the biennial team events.

TENNIS APP: Bringing you closer to the action.

LALIGA: Is to be the centre of Netflix’s first sports series.

Image: charnsitr / Shutterstock.com

Image: Tennis Europe