RTN North Edition 721

Page 1

FREE!

Your English Newspaper

NORTH EDITION roundtownnews.com

Issue 721

09-15 AUG 2013

EMAUS carers win back pay DEDICATED EMAUS carers have won a bumper pay packet after running a hard-hitting media campaign and lobbying the Valencia Parliament. by Jack Troughton

Ladies of the dance

FLAMENCO DANCERS of Restaurante Viva Espana gave a spellbinding and colourful performance at last Sunday’s Grant A Wish Fun Day. The quartet’s energetic and dramatic dance routines were a hit with the crowd enjoying the sunshine at Sanet y Negrals. For the full story turn to page 21.

See page 70

THE SOCIAL workers run the children’s homes across the Costa Blanca and look after vulnerable youngsters – yet until last month had not been paid for seven months. The campaign was intended to shame the authorities into action and highlight the plight of the EMAUS kids – the “forgotten children” - who had been relying on hand outs from food banks and the generosity of expat charities and fund raisers. A month’s cash was paid to the carers in July, followed by a further six month’s worth of wages has been received after the Social Services department in Valencia were handed 9 million Euros from the central government in Madrid. It has led to a cautious celebration amongst the 106 carers employed by Arcos de Altea who are responsible for 85 children living in EMAUS homes,

monitoring another 106 in foster care or being adopted, and a baby unit. It has also allowed the workers to pay domestic bills and return to something like normal life – even treating their young charges to days out and sweets. PURSE However, they are still waiting to see if they will be paid for August and in the hope of avoiding the desperation of the last few months, are keeping a close eye on purse strings. EMAUS has now received 1.7 million Euros for the children. But the other arms of the charity - looking after the elderly, the disabled and battered women – have yet to receive money and it is believed it is still owed in the region of 4.4 million€. Carer Anca Roman told RTN the social workers looking after the children had been owed the most. “We didn’t get paid because we were the worst, but because we made a lot of noise. Continued on page 3


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.