Albatera Launches it’s Activities Calendar

Evelin Berná, Councillor for Youth in the Albatera Council, has presented the first youth activity to be carried out from the 2023 calendar of activities, an Origami workshop.

"The last workshop was very well received so we have decided to bring it back. All the young peoplewill be able to enjoy and learn about origami", she said.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, February 18, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Casa de Cultura Miguel Hernández. Those young people who want to carry out the activity must register through the email juventud@albatera.org, or in person at the Youth Information Centre.

Sonrisas Harmony welcomes 11 new members

DIVAs – the Drama group from the Hondón Valley are performing a Panto in March.

Dick Whittington by Peter Denyer is being performed on Friday evening 3rd March and Saturday afternoon 4th.

Tickets are now available but the Saturday matinee is very popular so in order to avoid disappointment, please reserve your tickets now.

We look forward to meeting new friends for a very enjoyable and entertaining Panto.

If you love to sing and you havenít joined Sonrisas Harmony, you are missing out. This multinational ACappella Chorus was formed last year, with 21 members. They have now grown in number and status.

After performing to packed out audiences over the Christmas period, Sonrisas Harmony have increased by an astounding 11 new members.

Their American born Musical Director Valerie Lynch said ì it is an honour to stand in front of this wonderful bunch of ladies each week, the sound of their beautiful voices and the energy they bring to rehearsal is so uplifting ì.

Many of the ladies have never sung in any formal chorus before. One new member said ì I was so nervous walking into the rehearsal room, I didnít know what to expect having only sung in the shower. I should not have worried; I was made so welcome and now I feel part of the Sonrisas Family.î Another commented ì It is great how we get to sing and have an additional social group tooî, jokingly adding ìyou have to come if only for the occasional home-made cakesî.

In April Sonrisas Harmony have been asked to take part in the opening show to one of the biggest events on the European ACappella singing calendar in Calpe. Chorus groups will come from all over the world to take part.

May 2023 of course brings the celebration of King Charles lll coronation, Sonrisas Harmony have a very special event planned and places will be limited. To know more, you can follow them on their social media page.

Join us at rehearsal any Tuesday 10.30 ñ 13.30 AEstribor Restaurant function room next to the arches, just off the AP7 junction: Los Alcazares Norte.

Search Facebook or find us at: www.sonrisasharmony.es

Alicante Passport Control Only Accepting Tie Cards As Proof Of Residency

Dear Editor,

The system at Alicante Airport Passport control would appear to have changed again in that the National Police Officers who are manning the passport desks are refusing to accept the small green residency cards from travelling Brits as proof of residency.

Last week, on both leaving and returning to Spain, the officer manning the desk directed me to a notice displayed on the passport booth.

He told me that with effect 1 February, anyone who is not in possession of a TIE will have his or her passport stamped. As a regu- lar traveller I am therefore concerned that the authorities could stop me from entering the country at a future date.

Name withheld

E DITOR COM M E NT:

I raised the matter with the British Embassy in Madrid who were quick to respond in confirming that having their passport stamped will not affect the entry rights of anyone who is in possession of Spanish Residency:

A British Embassy spokesperson said: “Even if you are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, border guards may stamp your passport when you enter or exit your country of residence. The European Commission has said that this does not serve any real purpose, but it is a matter for individual member states to decide. The important thing to know is that a passport stamp does not affect your rights in Spain.

We are aware that some UK Nationals have been questioned about their green residency certificate at border control and we are raising this with the relevant authorities. The green certificate remains a valid document to prove your residence and Withdrawal Agreement rights in Spain. However, both we and the Spanish Government strongly encourage those who have not done so already to exchange it for the biometric TIE, which is more easily recognised and will simplify administrative processes and border crossings.”

The Homeless And Their Pets

This is the first time in my 67 years that I have ever written to a newspaper Editor, but I was a bit perturbed reading the Editor's reply to last week's letter about the new Pet Laws coming into force and I would like to express my opinion on the section about dogs being taken away from homeless people. Dogs are pack animals and they bond with their owners more strongly than most humans would expect.

Once a dog has bonded with their owner, they will stay loyal to the end of their lives. If you take a dog away from their owner and put it in a pound, that dog will pine very deeply for its loss.

You will be putting it into an environment where it is just "one more dog" and despite the efforts of caring volunteers, will never be as happy as it would ever be if it had been left with its owner. A dog does not care whether it lives in a palace or a cardboard box, as long as it is with their own human, they are happy.

The homeless people I have seen with dogs treat them better than a lot of people who have a generous roof over their heads, treat theirs.

If you think that a dog would be better off in a pound than with its owner, then you know nothing about dog pyschology. The welfare of the animal comes first - yes, but be sure you are doing the right thing.

The most callous thing about your statement is the inference that it is fine that people are forced to live in the streets, but not their dogs. I have been told that people choose to be homeless - I find this very hard to believe, but in a world that is growing increasingly more heartless and dismissive, it is a sad fact that more and more people are finding themselves in these circumstances and even sadder that nobody seems to care about this.

Graeme Park

E DITOR COM M E NT: Dear Graeme,

Firstly, we need to make one thing clear regarding your response to our reply to the letter last week. That is, we were referring specifically to the welfare of the animals. Your allegation of “inference that it is fine that people are forced to live in the streets” is utterly baffling. At no point did we even sug- gest that. In fact, The Leader has always been a strong advocate for raising awareness of the plight of homeless people, from highlighting issues such as, for example, the large church in Torrevieja which stands empty and locked up, whilst homeless people surround it outside, unable to get shelter.

The support we give to homeless charities, to food banks, which also benefit the homeless, our collections of food over the years. We can go on, but you are welcome to search through the archives on theleader.info and see for yourself.

You also say that, “I have been told that people choose to be homeless”. This is utter nonsense. Nobody chooses to be homeless. Whoever told you this, ought to do a little more research.

The second point we have to clear up is that you are raising concerns about, “dogs being taken away from homeless people”. Again, quite where you got this from is baffling, so it is not mentioned in the response we published, nor is it mentioned in any of the previous articles we have written about this Law. Nobody has ever suggested that the removal of animals would take place, from anybody. There is of course the exception in the case the animal is at risk, but that applies now. What is included in the legislation was the ability to prevent dogs being used for the purpose of begging.

Begging is of course another contentious issue we have spoken about in the past, but as we are dealing specifically with animal protection, that is the element that was included in this law.

The final point we have to make, which again, we made in the reply, but to expand on that a little, is that we don´t make the laws, we simply report them.

In this case, it is likely now to be too late, but if you do take exception to proposed laws, you should raise them with your political representatives.

Again, it highlights the importance of registering to vote (not nationally), and then getting involved in your local political field.

The Neglected Orihuela Costa

This morning I phoned up and spoke to Kevin. I said how impressed I was that the run down state of the Orihuela Costa and it’s infrastructure were being highlighted by The Leader. It is sad to see this once beautiful area neglected.

So imagine my pleasure when the next edition also carried a plea for the area’s restoration and upgrade.

Even better, the proposals mentioned in the article would bring pride, pleasure and enjoyment to the people who live, work, holiday or visit the area.

Well done The Leader. Let us hope that by reading your articles others will be inspired to add their words and voice to make it happen.

Janice Johnson

Letters for this page should be sent by email to: office@theleader.info