Senior Times (April 2018)

SENIOR TIMES APRIL 2018

Malta’s monthly newspaper for the elderly

‘dad’s Journey’ It requires dedication and patience to reach out to anyone with dementia.

SEE PAGE 4

the ghosts of summer past SEE PAGE 10

Niltaqgħu ma’ Philip Michael Chircop, fundatur ta’ Nanniet Malta

Love is in the air It’s tempting to make a leap – but choose wisely, says Christine Galea.

SEE PAGE 17

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ APRIL 2018

EDITOR’S WELCOME

IN THIS ISSUE

Beauty context

T

he pages I enjoy reading most are those illustrating aspects of Malta long lost and forgotten. Well, ‘reading’ is not the right verb because rather than visually and mentally translating signified into signifier, vintage photos have a knack of lighting a fire to past memories and simmering them to a soup of nostalgia, flavoured with a bittersweet sadness that such moments will never break through the gloss of a print and return to life.

There are two photos reproduced in this issue of Senior Times, which I stared at for long minutes.

One is a view of Mellieħa Bay. It’s a century-old view, in dirty black and white with a hint of sepia. A man is seen from behind, walking down the hill, unsuspecting, while a car, driving in the middle of the dusty road – either because the road is one-way or, more likely, because another car will not drive by for hours – is about to overtake him.

The car is the future, about to drive by the past and become the present. The man will be left behind, forgotten. And in a few years, the church, standing alone in the distance like a fort, will be besieged by concrete and the beach will blossom into a thousand and one coloured umbrellas.

The second photo is of a monk, fishing at Pieta Creek in 1957.

Oblivious – or maybe not – to any Biblical reference or intertextuality, the monk looks intently at his line, waiting for it to pull and become taught with the promise of dinner. It’s the kind of visual humour which makes you smile and yearn for simpler times.

And yet, they weren’t simpler times – that is the kind of story we tell ourselves, as a reminder that we have it better, and possibly as a sort of consolation to sweeten the million-thread complexity of modern life. No, they weren’t simpler times – that is an illusion which old photos give through their black-and-white palette. Life was lived in the same three acts we live it now: sadness, happiness and hope.

There was a fourth act – beauty. Because when the world was black and white, it was full of colour. Buildings complemented each other and kept a respectful distance. Signs stopped you politely rather than shout in your face. And roads didn’t get lost but led somewhere.

May the beauty of past years continue to haunt us.

Stanley

SENIOR TIMES

4. ‘Journey with my dad’ It requires dedication and patience to learn to reach out to anyone with dementia, especially one’s father, Charmaine Mifsud tells Charlotte Stafrace.

APRIL 2018 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stanley Borg E-mail: seniortimes @timesofmalta.com CONTRIBUTORS Carmel Baldacchino Tonio Bonello Mons Philip Calleja Dun Jonathan Farrugia Christine Galea Ramona Portelli Charlotte Stafrace Fiona Vella PUBLISHERS Allied Newspapers Limited Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000 www.timesofmalta.com DESIGN Christian Busuttil SALES & SUBSCRIPTIONS Marion Muscat Tel: 2276 4331 E-mail: marion.muscat @timesofmalta.com © 2018. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited.

6. An island floating on a strange sea On a prison island, Franca Fadda Silvetti still found the freedom of home, Fiona Vella says.

8. Il-valuri tal-anzjanità Philip Michael Chircop, fundatur u president ta’ Nanniet Malta, jgħid lil Ramona Portelli kif il-fondazzjoni tgħin lill-anzjani jibqgħu utli għas-soċjetà.

9. Migrazzjoni Uffiċċji ġodda jġibu magħhom opportunitajiet ġodda wkoll, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

10. The ghosts of summer past With the beautiful season simmering to a boil, Senior Times and Bay Retro revisit the beaches of yesteryear.

14. Kieku l-istatwi jitkellmu...

Ir-riforma tal-liġi tal-in vitro fertilization iġġib il-ħajja tal-bniedem qisha oġġett li wieħed jakkwistah on demand, jgħid Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

16. Żjara lil bużnannti f’Ħaż-Żebbuġ Mons Philip Calleja jiftakar id-dar ta’ bużnanntu.

17. Love is in the air In relationships, it’s tempting to make a leap – but choose wisely, says Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

18. A listening ear Through Supportline 179 we offer an empathic and listening ear to all those going through a difficult situation, says Svetlana Buttigieg, service area leader at Aġenzija Appoġġ.

18. Il-maħbubin Silta meħuda mill-ġabra ta’ novelli Mit-Toroq tar-Raħal ta’ Charles Casha.

21. New year, great beginning SK Austria’s visit to Malta treated enthusiasts to a superb football exhibition, says Carmel Baldacchino.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

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NEWS

Ageing in common: a Commonwealth perspective

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opulation ageing is one of the most significant demographic developments that the whole world is currently encountering or will soon encounter. Today, one in eight people worldwide is aged 60 years and over and while older persons will outnumber children by 2030, youths will be outnumbered by 2050.

The whole world and the Commonwealth will require vital social and economic adjustments to the expected future demographic realities. In particular, population ageing raises critical issues for countries, states and cities in areas such as economic growth, employment and retirement, pensions, health care and social support services.

A recent research study, Ageing in the Commonwealth, carried out by CommonAge and the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, shows that the absolute number of older population will increase by 100 per cent in the next 25 years, with the exception of Canada, Malta and United Kingdom which

currently have the highest proportion of older people to their populations.

Like all other countries in the Commonwealth, Malta’s population is ageing. Currently, some 18 per cent of the Maltese population is aged 65+ and by

2040 the population of persons aged 75+ is expected to double.

There is no doubt that such unprecedented demographic transformations will pose a myriad of challenges. However, such challenges should not daunt us.

The Parliamentary Secretariat has adopted a proactive vision as far as ageing welfare is concerned, enriched by the National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing, which is premised upon three themes: active participation in the labour market; social participation in the community; and independent living.

This policy is complemented with other policy measures namely the National Dementia Strategy and the Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older Persons.

As the Maltese Government tries to address the concerns and challenges of an ageing population on one hand, I believe we must go one step further, to find ways to unlock the creativity and talents of older persons and to leverage on technology to enable this population to age well and maximise their health and longevity. All should adopt a positive attitude towards ageing.

Ageing is not about decline – it should be looked at as continuous growth and new opportunities.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ APRIL 2018

CARE

‘Journey with my dad’ It requires dedication and patience to learn to reach out to anyone with dementia, especially one’s father, Charmaine Mifsud tells Charlotte Stafrace.

W

hen a family member is moved into care, what do you do? How important is it to remain involved and keep a connection? When I met Charmaine Mifsud at a care home, I saw a labour of love. Despite the clouds of dementia, she still feels a strong urge to keep reaching out to someone very dear to her.

I met Charmaine and her father, George, regularly at the sessions we currently run as part of a Toi Toi project. I saw her every time I was there, patiently feeding her dad, who, as she told me immediately, is ‘a shadow of his former strong self ’.

When I shake his hands, Charmaine tells me he was an amateur boxer. I asked why she feels the need to visit, twice a day, but I immediately realised her father has a special place in her heart.

“I wish I could do more,” she said.

We stopped to chat on various occasions. Charmaine quickly told me that all she has to do is just close her eyes and

remember the journey with her dad and all she has learnt from him.

“I’m the youngest of four kids – three daughters and one son – and, whereas mum was strict, dad was relaxed. And he solved everything.”

George was always a jolly, hardworking person and showered his family with love.

But what impressed Charmaine most when she was growing up was the immense respect he had for her mum.

“They did everything together, and that was a big lesson to me,” she said.

George and his wife, Grace, also knew how to have a good time. Charmaine mentioned how they used to dance at the carnival balls dressed in matching outfits and how they were always ready to break into a waltz. She talked about how dad and mum met up when Grace was working at the Phoenicia as a waitress.

She remembers fondly his story of waiting up for her after her shift and the courting that started.

“My mum wasn’t very fond of cooking but my dad taught

her a thing or two in the kitchen,” she said.

Besides running the household, her mum used to share her love of music – mostly Italian songs – with George. They even had an accordion at home, and although George was only an amateur player, he loved the sound of it. Charmaine’s siblings could all play an instrument.

George also had a passion for horses– they used to keep one, but that was before Charmaine, being the youngest, came along. He used them for work – he would go down to the harbour to buy the merchandise for his grocery store from where he used to sell sweets.

When business dried up, George went off to Libya to work as a chef for a hotel chain. On his return to Malta, he would always make time for hunting, a passion he retained till he went into care.

Charmaine treasures a photo of her dad writing to her mum, as he used to do every week from Libya.

Although George had lived through World War II, he never liked to talk about it. He

would, though, sometimes tell Charmaine how he would go up on the roof to study, and that he would be called to switch off the light when an air raid siren would sound. Thinking back to her own childhood, Charmaine recalled that, when calculators appeared, George hid them from his family, as he didn’t want them to get lazy in maths.

When Charmaine turned 16, her mother fell ill – this was the first time she turned into a family carer.

When she’s not feeding George, Charmaine watches some DVD’s of family moments with him. He occasionally reacts to them, and Charmaine cherishes such moments. How else does she communicate?

“Through a look, a squeeze of the hand, when I apply ointment, with a gesture. It’s amazing how much one can still relay through a smile or a laugh. Sometimes he can get angry too – he still manages to show me. It’s amazing that when he’s angry, words come easier to him!”

It requires dedication and patience to learn to reach out to anyone with dementia, let alone one’s father, whom you always cherish as a tower of strength.

I asked Charmaine, being a ‘regular’ at the home, how she feels faced with the world of ageing and disability on a regular basis.

“It’s not easy,” she said. “To me it’s the first time I’m faced

SENIOR TIMES ‒ APRIL 2018

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NEWS

Leaders in mobility

Charmaine Mifsud with her father George.

with ageing, since I lost my mother so early. Sometimes I feel alone, but I still crave our moments together. I pray to God to not take him away yet!

It’s as if he reads my thoughts sometimes. I call him and he still looks in my direction. That usually sends me home happy.”

It’s a far cry from the family gatherings they used to have every Sunday, but those memories linger.

I wondered what her thoughts on ageing and caring were.

“I have learnt that nothing should be taken for granted. I am more relaxed today about the mundane and trivial things. Those come and go. It’s tough to see the passage of time on someone aged, when you know, that this is their last stop, their last bed.”

Charmaine speaks passionately about how she feels when she sees elderly men, abandoned or forgotten by their families.

“Even a person with dementia can feel the touch of a hand, or a smile.”

Her father George is used to the carers, who come and go, but when he sees family he seems more jovial.

“I think not even dementia can take that away from him,” she added.

When she is not feeding or chatting to her father, Charmaine provides an attentive ear to other residents on the floor.

She is also fascinated by their stories and how older adults’ lives were so different; how they

had to do with very little, about the strength of families holding everything together.

She hears about day-to-day lives when food was scarce, but how it made them appreciate having a piece of bread.”

We returned to the real world, as carers get busy, getting food in and clearing up.

Charmaine pointed out the passion and dedication the ‘job’ requires, and of the importance we all can make in the caring chain – how even a small gesture as a smile or a hug can make a difference to someone’s life in care. I asked her if she would make a good carer.

“I wouldn’t – I would take everyone’s problems home, and that’s not good,” she said.

“When I stop to look at dad, I look past his dementia – I still see him polishing a line-up of shoes – his safety shoes and our school shoes.”

Charmaine thinks this is a time to give back. But for her, it’s also a way to keep learning about life.

Charlotte Stafrace runs ActiveAge Malta, and is currently involved in a project called Making Memories, with persons with memory loss, funded by the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.

A few weeks after this interview was carried out, George Mifsud sadly passed away.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ APRIL 2018

INTERVIEW

An island floating on a strange sea On a prison island, Franca Fadda Silvetti still found the freedom of home, Fiona Vella says.

F

Franca Fadda Silvetti with her book.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIAN PIERO SILVETTI

Visiting the prison cells. PHOTO: FIONA VELLA

ranca Fadda Silvetti led a most unusual life. For 33 years, she lived with her family on the island of Asinara in Sardinia, Italy. At the time, the island served as a prison. Silvetti’s husband was the prison’s doctor while she was the only teacher for the island’s elementary school where all the young children attended.

Trusted prisoners were allowed to roam freely around the island to work outside the prison. One of them was her housekeeper and he also took care of her children. After changing into a high security prison, the island was eventually abandoned and turned into a national park. An intriguing visit to this island led me to a book which Silvetti wrote about her memories on Asinara. And her book eventually led me to her.

In her book La Mia Asinara, Silvetti describes in detail her arrival on the island.

“I arrived in Asinara on October 4, 1952 with my two sons, Aldo who was three years old and Gian Piero who was two. I was very young and very much in love with my husband Vindice. He had arrived some days before on the island to start his new job as a prison doctor. On his arrival, he fell in love with the island and he sent me a message which read ‘Come here, you will not regret it!’”

From the first moments, even before she actually stepped on Asinara, Silvetti had to learn to deal with the circumstances of a peculiar life.

“We went up with our luggage on the boat named Redenzione. Before we left for the island, I looked around at the other passengers.

Some policemen were accompanying a group of men of different ages who wore similar clothes. The men were handcuffed and chained.”

Soon, Silvetti started her new life in a two-floor comfortable house in Cava D’Oliva. All the houses were painted white and they were constructed along a semi-circular area which looked out onto the bay.

Although initially concerned that prisoners were regularly in contact with the island’s inhabitants, she managed to take this new reality in her stride once her husband assured her that they were safe.

“Luigi was a young handsome Sicilian who was sentenced to nine years imprisonment after he was found to form part of a group who worked for a renowned thief. He was recommended to us by the prison authorities to help us with the house and with our sons. During our absence, while we were at work, he took care of all the chores and he was also responsible to look after our children and to play with them. Upon our return home, we would find everything in order and the table ready for dinner. There were times when he even prepared our food since he was an excellent cook.”

She started to teach on October 15. It did not take her long to realize that teaching in Asinara was quite tiring and challenging but also very satisfying.

“I had a small classroom which was frequented by 19 children of various ages. Since they had not attended to a kindergarten, most of the children were totally unprepared for schooling. They had no idea about rules and how to behave in groups. To make matters worse, my predecessors had all been males who had found it very difficult to adapt to the solitude of the island and they would often leave the school closed for a whole fortnight.”

Some of the children lived in the far extremities of the island

Franca Fadda Silvetti in the classroom of Asinara.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIAN PIERO SILVETTI

and they had to ride a carriage driven by a trusted prisoner.

“In this particular atmosphere of the island, I was also expected to cope with a form of classism which did not accept that a child of a common policeman would do better in school than the child of a higher person in authority.

Often I had to use sheer diplomacy and the use of white lies to help all the children feel good with themselves.”

Prisoners formed part of the daily routine of Asinara’s inhabitants.

“The school’s caretaker was a prisoner. Each month, the students collected a small sum of money for him which was credited in his account. It was prohibited to give any money directly to a prisoner. Daily needs were catered for by another prisoner who went to each house to take a list of the products which were required such as pasta, sugar and bread. These products would then be brought to each house by an official. In the afternoon, every house would leave a milk container on the windowsill. A prisoner would collect these containers so that these will be returned to each house full of milk.

“Other prisoners worked in the fields with the farmers or helped butchers make meat products. The prisoners were always kept under surveillance.

Officials would visit places and houses where these prisoners worked at various times of the day, even when the owners were not present, to confirm that everything was in order.”

SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

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I felt such pity for the prisoners who were deprived of their freedom, were under constant guard, and far from their loved ones

Although it did not rain much on Asinara, its products were bountiful. The inhabitants were almost totally dependent on the island’s products. Meat was provided by the animals which were bred for this reason and fish were abun-

dant. For several years, there was no electricity on the island and people had to use candles and lamps for the night.

“Like everywhere else, there were good and bad moments but I can say that generally, we lived a pleasant life on Asinara.

Matters changed in the 1970s when the prisons were restructured to become highsecurity penitentiaries to detain some of the most dangerous criminals, such as those that formed part of the Brigate Rosse, terrorists, and others from crime syndicates.

This development led to the end of an era. My husband and I went on pension in 1985 and we had to leave Asinara.”

My visit to Asinara was quite stirring and profoundly emotional. After reading Silvetti’s book, I felt an urge to seek her out and contact her. I was thrilled when she reached back to me and responded to my questions.

“After living intensely for 33 years on the island, I felt as if Asinara was my own property.

I wrote this book because I wanted to leave a valuable memory to my two sons and daughter Silvia and to their

own children so that they would know how we lived on that island. It was a need of mine, especially after my dear husband passed away.”

On asking how did it feel to live on a prison island, she replied: “I never felt in danger.

I felt such pity for the prisoners who were deprived of their freedom, were under constant guard, and far from their loved ones especially during feasts.”

I was curious to know whether her children were influenced by such a life?

“Each day we saw the prisoners going on their work like everyone else. It was a normal fact of life. We never saw them imprisoned but always living among us. They left no negative impressions on my children’s childhood.”

On a prison island, did she ever feel like a prisoner herself on such a lonely island?

“No, I never felt like a prisoner. I had my own family and my own job. There were moments when we suffered some inconveniences because of bad weather which did not allow us to reach the mainland but I never felt imprisoned.”

She was 92 years old when I contacted her. She had never returned to the island.

“I did not have the courage to return. Maybe, egoistically speaking, and due to the lovely memories I had on the island, it would have been better to leave Asinara inhabited by a strange population than to abandon it to its present state, to become a tourist attraction.

For me Asinara is my whole life and now that I’m old, its memories help me to live a serene life.”

Franca Fadda Silvetti passed away at the age of 94 but her memory is still very much alive in her inspiring book.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

INTERVISTA

Il-valuri tal-anzjanità Philip Michael Chircop, fundatur u president ta’ Nanniet Malta, jgħid lil Ramona Portelli kif il-fondazzjoni tgħin lill-anzjani jibqgħu utli għas-soċjetà.

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afna jkunu qed jistennew bi ħġarhom li jaslu għall-pensjoni sabiex jieqfu mix-xogħol, u jkunu jistgħu joqgħodu rilassati bla ma jaħdmu. Oħrajn tibda ttihom rashom meta jaħsbu f ’dan il-mument, għax tant ikunu mdorrija jaħdmu, li wisq jibżgħu li ma jkunux jistgħu jibqgħu jimlew ħinhom.

Iżda ħafna anzjani jirrikorru għal volontarjat, bl-iskop li minbarra li jkunu qed iservu ta’ ġid għall-komunità, jkunu wkoll qed jimlew ħinhom b’att ta’ karità ġusta għall-proxxmu.

Propju tkellimt ma’ anzjan attiv, Philip Chircop li huwa l-fundatur u president tal-Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta.

L-għanijiet u l-qofol ta’ Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta huwa li tinżamm anzjanità attiva, joffru tbissima, jikkumbattu l-iżolament li persuna jaf tħossha waħedha, u l-abbandun. Aktar minn hekk innanniet jitgħallmu jgħixu ħajjithom, bil-mod attiv u seren, u fuq kollox tingħatalhom id-dinjità li tixirqilhom.

Iltqajt miegħu ġewwa luffiċju ta’ Nanniet Malta ġewwa Santa Venera, u hemmhekk intervistajtu sabiex insir naf aktar dwar dak li qed toffri din il-fondazzjoni.

Chircop għandu 65 sena, twieled Santa Venera, u llum huwa nannu ta’ tlett itfal. Ilu jħaddan u jemmen fil-volontorjat sa minn mindu kien abbati ċkejken. Filfatt kien tela jservi bħala abbati l-Vatikan meta kellu 15-il sena. Kien ukoll scout, u litteralment ilvolontarjat jinsab f ’demmu.

Beda jispjegali li dak kollu li jidħol għalih volontarjat, jidħol għalih b’ruħu u ġismu.

“Ma jgħaddix kollox. Mhux għax ikun xogħol volontarjat, jista’ jgħaddi kollox,” beda jgħidli Chircop.

Din is-sena, propju fit-23 ta’ Settembru, Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta ser tagħlaq ħames snin li ilha miftuħa. Illum tħaddan magħha 850 membri.

“Bdejna bix-xejn. Qabel kont naħdem kollox mid-dar. Illum għandna din il-binja f ’Santa Venera, għalkemm l-istruzzjoni qed tkompli.”

Mistoqsi kif ġietu l-idea li joħloq Nanniet Malta, Chircop spjegali li din l-idea tiegħu tmur lura għal Lulju 2013, meta l-Papa kien qed jindirizza miljuni ta’ żgħażagħ waqt il-World Youth Forum ġewwa l-Brażil. Filfatt iddiskors kien sabiex lin-nanniet għandna nħobbuhom dejjem u mhux f ’Jum in-Nanniet biss.

“Niftakar li bdejt infittex jekk kienx hawn ġurnata ddedikata għan-nanniet f ’Malta, u sibt li ma kienx hawn. Ħdimt fuqha u l-President ta’ dak iż-żmien Ġorġ Abela kien tani lpatriċonju tiegħu. Filfatt Jum in-Nanniet kien ġie approvat sitt xhur wara, u rikonoxxut mill-Parlament Malti. Għal hawn Malta żgur li huwa preġju. Inżid ngħid ukoll li flEwropa sitt pajjiżi oħra biss għandhom Jum in-Nanniet,” kompla jaġġornani.

Ridt inkun naf x’toffri eżatt lill-membri tagħha l-Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta. Filfatt minn din l-intervista miegħu sirt naf li fuq bażi regolari jiltaqgħu mal-membri kull nhar ta’ Tnejn ġewwa il-Furjana.

Ikollhom diskursati ta’ diversi interess bħal saħħa, kif tagħmel testment, flower arrangements, u anke jaraw xi films.

Kull nhar ta’ Tlieta jiltaqgħu wkoll il-Furjana fejn ikollhom żewġ sessjonijiet li joffru linedancing. Matul is-sena jkollhom ukoll diversi ħarġiet, korsijiet tal-kompjuter, u anke safar u cruises.

Ma’ Chircop iddiskutejt ilfatt li l-anzjani mhux kollha jistgħu jkunu nanniet, u l-istess ukoll li n-nanniet mhux kollha huma anzjani.

“Biex issir nannu jew nannu fil-verita għax jagħmluk.

Mhux xi mertu tagħna nnanniet, iżda għax jagħmluna wliedna,” stqarr miegħi.

Iddiskuta miegħi wkoll dwar il-fatt li ħafna anzjani jgħaddu minn trawma meta joqrob iżżmien li jirtiraw mix-xogħol.

“Bħala fondazzjoni aħna noffru lok għalihom bi tbissima. Filfatt ġieli jintuża xi servizz ta’ anzjani membri tagħna fejn bis-saħħa t’hekk, ir-rota tibqa għaddejja filwaqt li jżommu lilhom infushom okkupati u utli xorta waħda

Mhux għax ikun xogħol volontarjat, jista’ jgħaddi kollox

Philip Michael Chircop, fundatur u president ta’ Nanniet Malta. RITRATT: JONATHAN BORG

għas-soċjetà. Il-fondazzjoni toffru wkoll refuġju għarromol fejn jagħmlu ħbieb ġodda. Kellna wkoll każijiet ta’ romol li ma jafux jgħixu waħedhom, u jiġu jfittxu kumpanija. L-iskopijiet talfondazzjoni huma diversi,” sostna miegħi.

Ma’ Chircop iddiskutejt ukoll dwar il-fatt li n-nanniet jeħtieġ li jittoleraw il-ħajja tallum. Tlabtu sabiex jelabora aktar dwar dan. “Żmienijitna huwa differenti minn tal-lum. Fis-sens li llum ħafna żgħażagħ qed jagħmlu tattoos, jista jkun li jkunu omosesswali u fatturi oħra mill-ħajja moderna tal-lum.

Immaġina xi neputi jmur quddiem in-nanna bit-tattoos u tibda tgerger. Żgur li bl-imġieba tagħha tkun qed tgerrex linneputi milli jerġa jmur jżurha.

B’hekk ħafna mit-talks li jkollna, jrawmu u jgħallmu lin-nanniet dwar l-approach tagħhom mat-tfal u neputijiet”.

Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta temmen li għandu jispiċċa dak iż-żmien li n-nanniet qedgħin hemm biex iservu ta’ baby sit-

ters biss. Għandu jkun hemm sens ta’ karattru, kuxjenza, dixxiplina, valuri u rwoli importanti ta’ x’ser ikunu lkarattri t’għada pitgħada.

Mistoqsi jekk josservax xi differenzi minn mindu beda jopera Nanniet Malta għall-ġurnata tal-lum, Chircop ikkonferma miegħi li bi pjaċir u b’wiċċu minn quddiem l-anzjanita’ m’għadix konnessa ma’ saħħa, pilloli, sptar, imma lviżjoni saret attivita’ u rispett.

Rigward pjanijiet futuri fi ħdan l-istess fondazzjoni, Chircop sostna miegħi li hemm ħafna ideat.

“Dawk in-nanniet irtirati m’għandhomx għalfejn iqisu lilhom infushom mhux attivi aktar għas-soċjetà. Minn żmien għal żmien, il-fondazzjoni tilqa talbiet ta’ persuni li jkollhom bżonn xi servizz speċjali, u hawn fejn jidħlu l-anzjani tagħna bis-servizzi tagħhom u jkomplu jkunu attivi.

“Kollox ma’ kollox nixtieq li nibqgħu għaddejjin bir-ritmu li qbadna diġa, u nkunu viċin ta’ ħafna persuni iżolati.

Għandi ħolma wkoll li tit-

waqqaf dar għan-nanniet li tkun bhal villaġġ żgħir u jservu bħala kommunità żgħira bejniethom.”

Fl-aħħar ta’ din l-intervista, Chircop xtaq jgħaddi messaġġ lill-qarrejja ta’ din il-gazzetta.

“Għandna bżonn nibqgħu nsostnu l-kultura ma’ min huwa vulnerabbli. Il-Maltin rinomati għas-solidarjetà. Nappella lillġenerazzjonijiet li tilgħin illum sabiex jibqgħu jirrispettaw ilvaluri kollha tal-anzjanità. Aħna n-nanniet tajna ħajjitna lillkommunità. Wieħed jistenna l-altruwiżmu u lit kun reċiprokata meta nsiru vulnerabbli,” temm jgħid Chircop.

Għal dawk in-nanniet interessati li jissieħbu mal-Fondazzjoni Nanniet Malta huma mħeġġa sabiex japplikaw personalment billi jirrikorru fluffiċju ġewwa 352, St Joseph High Road, Santa Venera, jew billi jċemplu fuq 2144 6568 jew 9920 7043. Il-miżata hija ħames ewro fis-sena. Aktar informazzjoni tista tinkiseb online fuq www.nannietmalta.org jew ibgħat e-mail fuq nanniet.malta@gmail.com.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

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AĦBARIJIET

MIGRAZZJONI Uffiċċji ġodda jġibu magħhom opportunitajiet ġodda wkoll, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

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’dawn l-aħħar xhur kienet għaddejja ħidma sabiex idDipartiment tal-Anzjanità Attiva u Kura fil-Komunità jimxi mill-binja attwali tiegħu ġewwa Ċentru Ħidma Soċjali (dan l-aħħar magħruf bħala Istitut Bugeja) fillokalità ta’ Santa Venera għal oħra li tinsab fuq l-istabbiliment tal-għamara FXB f ’Ħal Qormi.

Dan il-pass kien jitlob xogħol qawwi ta’ ħsieb u preparazzjoni fejn għal darba oħra l-persuna li ħadet ħsieb dan ilproġett kien Matthew Mangion, project manager tad-dipartiment li fis-snin preċedenti serva wkoll fi ħdan it-tim li ħa ħsieb il-migrazzjoni minn Sptar San Luqa għal Sptar Mater Dei rispettivament.

Fost l-aħħar żviluppi, b’seħħ mit-18 ta’ Jannar 2018, it-taqsima tal-ħaddiema soċjali (social workers) imxiet lejn il-binja l-ġdida f ’Ħal Qormi. B’dan il-pass ifisser li issa, l-impjegati kollha professjonali fi ħdan it-taqsima tal-kura

tal-komunità qed jaħdmu minn post wieħed. Dan jagħmilha aktar faċli u effiċjenti f ’kontest loġistiku u ħolistiku.

Pass bħal dan seta’ jimmaterjalizza grazzi għal ħidma sħiħa li kien hemm bejn impjegati tal-istess dipartiment, l-Information Management Unit, il-MITA, l-impjegati tat-taqsima tal-manutenzjoni u l-entità li provdiet it-trasport.

Sadanittant l-offerti għas-sistema tal-arja kundizzjonata u dawk talventilazzjoni għall-ewwel sular kienu evalwati u ngħata il-kuntratt lill-orħos offerta. Dawn illum jinsabu nstallati u kompluti wkoll.

Sat-18 ta’ Marzu 2018 kienu manufatturati u tlestew ukoll l-apperturi nterni u l-għamara kollha tal-uffiċini. Ta’ min jgħid li l-għamara saret kollha internament mill-mastrudaxxa tad-dipartiment bl-assistenza ta’ kollegi tiegħu.

Il-proġett tal-migrazzjoni tad-Dipartiment tal-Anzjanità Attiva u Kura filKomunità issa qed joqrob lejn it-tmiem

L-impjegati kollha professjonali fi ħdan it-taqsima tal-kura talkomunità qed jaħdmu minn post wieħed

meta mbagħad il-binja ġewwa Santa Venera se jsir titjib sostanzjali fiha biex isservi għal servizzi oħra.

Il-migrazzjoni tad-Dipartiment talAnzjani minn Santa Venera fil-fatt mhix l-ewwel waħda tax-xorta tagħha.

Fis-snin preċedenti kien ħalla l-post l-Uffiċċju tal-Kummissarju tat-Tfal li mar jaħdem minn Santa Luċija.

Aktar tard imxiet ukoll it-taqsima ta’ persuni mingħajr dawl, kif ukoll ilKummissjoni dwar Persuni b’Diżabilita’ rispettivament.

Tonio Bonello huwa editur tal-midja (information and communications executive) fl-uffiċċju tas-segretarju permanenti, fi ħdan il-Ministeru għallFamilja, Drittijiet tat-Tfal u Solidarjetà Soċjali.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

PHOTOS

The beautiful Royal Navy Clinic at the Piazzetta, opposite the Chalet, in Sliema. PHOTO: BAY RETRO Gozo boats are loaded with goods at Pinto Wharf as the power station’s chimneys belch out smoke. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

The ghosts of summer past The days when Xlendi Bay had all the charm in the world. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

With the beautiful season simmering to a boil, Senior Times and Bay Retro revisit the beaches of yesteryear.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAY RETRO

A monk fishing at Pieta Creek in 1957. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

A friendly greeting for ferry passengers arriving in Gozo in 1968.

PHOTO: TIM CORNWELL/BAY RETRO

SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

Families enjoy a sunny day out at il-Menqa, st Paul’s Bay in the 1960s. PhoTo: Mark MusCaT/Bay reTro

Balluta Church a century ago.

PhoTo: MaTThew Vella/Bay reTro

a vintage view of Mġarr harbour.

PhoTo: Bay reTro

an amazing view of Mellieħa Bay a century ago. PhoTo: Bay reTro

Tents are set up on the sand at Mellieħa Bay in the 1950s.

PhoTo: JosePh DegaBriele/Bay reTro

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

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ACROSS 1. Unhappy about a chap not getting a hot meal (5) 6. Many a well-ventilated shop (5) 9. Ragtime jazz from a fictional character (7) 10. In the home, the French make an appeal (5) 11. Briefly, for instance, a sop?(5) 12. Tough material to work in (5) 13. The parson, good fellow, failed to follow suit (7) 15. What a parliamentarian becomes when he goes out East? (3) 17. Work two ways, to be honest (4) 18. Dignified way to get an appointment (6) 19. Being dishonest, they’re obviously not on the level (5) 20. Stagger around like old Steptoe? (6) 22. Hurt more than a little (4) 24. Spring in Spain (3) 25. Can they cast with geometric precision? (7) 26. Like strong meat? (5) 27. He’s good enough to organise a fair for mid March (5) 28. Musical lines from “14 Down” (5) 29. Eradicate spronging? (4,3) 30. Separate ideas, possibly (5) 31. Are its players often on the green side? (5) DOWN 2. Unaware that there’s a new sale for an old record (6) 3. Female with a very big mouth (6) 4. Parent getting up to a certain duplicity (3) 5. Looked a bit odd about a broken leg (5) 6. Gadgets one frees of faults? (7) 7. Little article on a cat (4) 8. The din at tennis? (6) 12. Exclude from trade barriers (5) 13. Searches under ground? (5) 14. In boxing matches, one may include her! (5) 15. Her mount is out of line (5) 16. Dogs discovered wild by Speke? (5) 18. Look out for a measure that’s thorny (5) 19. Dream always in part of a series (7) 21. A prose product of dramatic nature (6) 22. To bolt wildly, being sozzled (6) 23. Go, devious varlet! (6) 25. In search of singular desserts (5) 26. Mistress Overdone, for instance, is wicked out West! (4) 28. Bus coming up from down under (3) MARCH ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 3. Slept 8. L-or-ry 10. Re-ply 11. Mai 12. Colon 13. Manx cat 15. Not up 18. To-R 19. St-ride 21. Horati-O 22. Op-en 23. Meat 24. Samp-led 26. S-catty 29. Lax 31. Tuner 32. Modicum 34. Resin 35. Cur 36. Gloss 37. Watch 38. Essay.

DOWN: 1. Woman 2. Bri-X-ton 4. Loot 5. Pro-nto 6. Tenor 7. Cloud 9. Ran 12. Car-away 14. Cor 16. T-ire-d 17. Pests 19. Simplon 20. M-O-ist 21. He-man 23. Mexican 24. Stress 25. L-a-D 27. Cur-ly 28. Terse 30. Lurch 32. Mica 33. Cut.

ACROSS 1. Normal (5) 6. Indicate (5) 9. Bring over (7) 10. Love (5) 11. Woollen fabric (5) 12. Spoilt children (5) 13. Bands (7)

15. Domestic fowl (3) 17. Warmth (4) 18. Invent (6) 19. Visits (5) 20. Icy (6) 22. Black-marketeer (4) 24. Number (3) 25. Edible mollusc (7)

MARCH ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 3. Tapas 8. Vague 10. Bites 11. Tut 12. Smear 13. Linctus 15. Cello 18. Hot 19. Junior 21. Peruses 22. Beer 23. Seat 24. Pellets 26. Shades 29. Oar 31. Solid 32. Dutiful 34. Canes 35. Pin 36. Jewel 37. Tenet 38. South.

DOWN: 1. Satin 2. Butcher 4. Aims 5. Abacus 6. Siren 7. Hello 9. Gun 12. Sutures 14. Tor 16. Likes 17. Orate 19. Jealous 20. Abyss 21. Penal 23. Stripes 24. Pedalo 25. Eat 27. Holes 28. Dices 30. Tunes 32. Debt 33. Fin.

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Abate Absorb Acceded Acute Barbs Barns Binaries Champion Circumstantial Disappearances

Enjoy Exalt Experimentation Griping Impel Insipid Intuitively Issuing Kitten Lenses

Medal Nasal Niece Nosed Nozzle Observers Paler Parable Pasta Pyres

Routs Selfishness Sheik Siting Slobs Thief Tilde Tints Tunic Uphill

SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

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Ngħidu kelma

COMPETITION

QWIEL MALTIN U XI JFISSRU Mewt ix-xħiħ bħal dbiħ ilħanżir, il-werrieta ferħana sejra ttir.

When a miser dies, the heirs feast like when they kill a pig.

Empress Godspeaker (Book One)

by Karen Miller

Meta ddaħħal iċ-ċurkett tat-tieġ, tgħaddas rasek għal kull m’hu meħtieġ.

Once you put on your wedding ring, you must submit to all that is necessary.

Iż-żwieġ mingħajr namur, konsegwenzi u dulur.

Marriage without love leads to sad consequences and sorrow.

L-Għama ta’ Lourdes

by Emilio Lombardi

Historic Times This month, we are giving away three bestselling paperbacks. To win, tell us the date when this Times of Malta front page was published. To give you a hint: Malta recently celebrated 76 years from this historic moment. Send your answers via e-mail to seniortimes@timesofmalta.com or by post to ‘Senior Times Competition’, Allied Newspapers Limited, Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000. The first three correct answers that we receive win a paperback each. Last month’s winners are Emma Saliba, who wins a copy of Climbing the Bookshelves by Shirley Williams, Emmanuel Muscat, who wins a copy of Folklor Minn Malta - L-Imnara by E.L. Begbie and Marlene Lautier, who wins a copy of Taste of Malta by Anton B. Dougall.

Il-qattus u l-far qatt ma ħasbu għalenija.

The cat and the rat never shared the same thoughts.

Shadow’s Edge

by Brent Weeks

Qabbilli waħda

SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9

5 7 9 2 4 3 8 1 6

4 2 6 8 1 9 7 5 3

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Agħmel xita agħmel, ħalli jikber il-ħaxix, il-ħaxix intuh il-mogħża, u l-mogħża ttina l-ħalib, il-ħalib intuh lin-nanna, u n-nanna tagħmlilna l-ġbejniet.

Ajma żaqqi kemm tuġagħni, kilt il-għeneb mhux misjur, iddendilt mal-kannizzata, qisni kelb tal-kaċċatur.

Ara ġejja l-mewt għalik, biex tixwik, biex taqlik, ara ġejja, ara waslet, din id-daqqa min tahielek?

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

RELIĠJON

Kieku l-istatwi jitkellmu...

Ir-riforma tal-liġi tal-in vitro fertilization iġġib il-ħajja tal-bniedem qisha oġġett li wieħed jakkwistah on demand, jgħid Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

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har is-Sibt 7 ta’ April saret il-Festa l-Kbira fil-Belt Valletta, fejn bħala parti mill-programm ta’ attivitajiet biex niċċelebraw il-Belt Valletta bħala Kapitali tal-Kultura Ewropea, nħarġu l-erba’ statwi prinċipali tal-knejjes talBelt. San Pawl, Santu Wistin, San Duminku u l-Madonna talKarmnu nħarġu mill-knejjes rispettivi tagħhom għall-ħabta tas-6pm u ttieħdu pjazza San Ġorġ fejn “iltaqgħu” għallewwel darba quddiem il-palazz tal-President.

Hemm sar mument qasir ta’ talb minn Mons. Arċisqof u mbagħad l-istatwi mxew wara xulxin akumpanjati minn erba’ baned u mill-partitarji sa quddiem il-bini tal-Parlament fejn reġgħu twaqqfu għal ftit. Wara, kull statwa qabdet ir-rotta lejn il-knisja tagħha sakemm kollha reġgħu sabu posthom.

Sakemm iddaħħlu l-istatwi l-atmosfera kienet waħda millaqwa. Folol ta’ nies ġew minn Malta kollha biex jaraw dan l-avveniment uniku rreklamat bħala “kulturali u reliġjuż”.

Il-briju tal-partitarji kien impressjonanti u kien hemm għors sħiħ.

Iżda li kieku dawk l-erba’ statwi setgħu jitkellmu, tgħid x’kienu jgħidulna?

Forsi b’ironija temporali jumejn wara dan l-avveniment intlaħaq qbil waqt laqgħa talHouse Business Committee biex il-proposti l-ġodda għarriforma tal-liġi tal-in vitro fertilization (IVF) jitressqu filParlament biex jiġu diskussi u eventwalment approvati u ffirmati mill-President filpalazz tagħha sabiex il-liġi tinbidel uffiċjalment.

Xamma ta’ dan kollu ilha ġejja, għax ftit ġimgħat ilu l-Prim Ministru kien diġà semma li l-liġi tal-IVF kellha tiġi aġġornata għax kienet “antikwata”. Il-liġi kif inhi s’issa, li kienet ġiet approvata fl-2012, tippermetti li jiġu fertilizzati biss żewġ bajdiet millisperma tar-raġel tal-omm u li dawn it-tnejn jiġu mpjantati f ’ġufha sabiex ma jkunx hemm bajd iffertilizzat “żejjed” li jispiċċa ffriżat għal żmien indefinit.

Imkien ma tingħata l-iċken konsiderazzjoni għad-drittijiet tat-tfal li għad jagħmlu diversi snin iffriżati sakemm xi ħadd jadotthom.

Ejjew għal mument inpoġġu fil-ġenb it-tagħlim tal-Knisja li ma jaqbilx mal-IVF peress li dan ma jirrispettax in-natura ladarba ħajja ta’ bniedem tkun qed tinbeda ġo laboratorju u mhux fil-ġuf. Sakemm dan isir b’mod responsabbli f ’kuntest ta’ koppja miżżewġa (ċivilment jew kanonikament) fejn jiġu mpjantati l-bajd kollha li jiġu fertilizzati, wieħed jifhem li hemm ċertu kunsens fil-kuntest ċivili dwar il-leġittimità tal-IVF. Mill-informazzjoni li qed toħroġ f ’dawn il-ġranet il-proposti l-ġodda jinkludu: li n-nisa jistgħu jisilfu ġufhom biex iġorru tarbija ta’ ħaddieħor, li jiġu fertilizzati aktar minn żewġ badjiet fejn iż-żejda jiġu friżati u jingħataw għall-adozzjoni, li koppji omosesswali u persuni waħedhom ukoll għandu jkollhom aċċess għallIVF, u li jsiru d-donazzjonijiet tal-bajd u tal-isperma fejn iddonaturi jibqgħu anonimi.

Il-ħsieb wara dawn l-emendi huwa li f ’pajjiżna ma jkunx hawn diskriminazzjoni bejn koppji etero- u omosesswali u lanqas bejn koppji u individwi f ’dak li huwa d-dritt li jkollhom it-tfal, sabiex tiġi garantita l-ugwaljanza.

Tajjeb insemmu wkoll li l-liġi proposta tieħu ċerti

Dawn l-embrijuni x’se jsir minnhom jekk l-ammont ta’ persuni li jridu t-tfal ikun inqas mill-ammont ta’ embrijuni li hemm disponibbli?” prekawzjonijiet fejn per eżempju li jiġu fertilizzati aktar minn żewġ bajdiet biss meta l-koppja jaċċettaw li l-embrijuni żejda jingħataw għalladozzjoni, u li jekk l-omm tagħlaq 43 sena, il-bajd iffertilizzat tagħha jmorru għalladozzjoni biex ma jibqgħux iffriżati għal dejjem.

Apparti minn hekk il-liġi tipprevedi li kull analiżi ġenetika fuq l-embrijuni tiġi projbita.

Insemmu wkoll li t-tfal li jitwieldu minn donaturi anonimi se jkollhom aċċess għallistorja medika tagħhom wara li jagħlqu 16-il sena sabiex ikunu jafu min huma l-ġenituri bioloġiċi tagħhom.

Iżda li kieku dawk l-erba’ statwi setgħu jitkellmu, tgħid x’kienu jgħidulna?

Il-problema li nara f ’dan irraġunament huwa li kollox idur mal-kelmiet “dritt” u “ugwaljanza”. Id-drittijiet u l-ugwaljanza li huma kkunsidrati fil-ħsieb ta’ dawn l-emendi huma esklussivament tal-persuni li jridu t-tfal. Imkien ma tingħata l-iċken konsiderazzjoni għad-drittijiet tat-tfal li għad jiġu fid-dinja jew li għad jagħmlu diversi snin iffriżati sakemm xi ħadd jadotthom.

Jekk nitkellmu dwar drittijiet u ugwaljanza fost it-tfal ikollna ngħidu li t-tfal kollha għandhom id-dritt ikunu jafu min huma l-ġenituri bioloġiċi tagħhom, it-tfal kollha għandhom id-dritt isejħu “ma” u “pa”, it-tfal kollha għandhom id-dritt ikunu preservati milli jitqiesu bħala “dritt” ta’ min

iridhom, għax huma m’humiex oġġetti li tordnhom u takkwisthom.

Jekk irridu nidħlu fi kwistjoni aktar taħraq, nistgħu ngħidu kelma fuq l-embrijuni li se jiġu friżati: dawn nimmaġina li huma maħsuba għall-koppji sterili jew omosesswali jew inkella għal nisa bla sieħeb li jridu tarbija (għax huwa dritt tagħhom!).

Nistaqsi: dawn l-embrijuni x’se jsir minnhom jekk lammont ta’ persuni li jridu t-tfal ikun inqas (kif wisq probabbli se jkun) mill-ammont ta’ embrijuni li hemm disponibbli?

Kemm se jgħaddi żmien qabel ma ssir emenda oħra fil-liġi biex wara ċertu żmien embrijuni li ħadd ma jridhom jiġu mwarrba (fi kliem ieħor, mormija u maqtula)? U kemm se jgħaddi żmien qabel ma ssir emenda biex jibdew isiru lanalżi ġenetiċi fuq l-embrijuni qabel dawn jiġu mpjantanti jew jingħataw għall-adozzjoni, għax wara kollox kulħadd għandu dritt ikun jaf li l-prodott li se jixtri huwa tajjeb, mhux hekk?

U nerġa nsaqsi: li kieku dawk l-erba’ statwi setgħu jitkellmu, min jaf x’kienu jgħidulna?

Kieku San Pawl, Santu Wistin, San Duminku u l-Madonna setgħu jitkellmu probabbilment kienu jispiċċaw waħedhom quddiem il-palazz u quddiem il-Parlament.

Għax probabbli dak li kienu jgħidulna kien ikun li huma ma jridux ikunu kompliċi f ’karnivalati psewdo-reliġjużi li l-għan tagħhom huwa biss li jżommu l-poplu lluppjat u jagħlaq għajnejh quddiem immoralitajiet gravissimi li hu jkun qed jagħti l-kunsens għalihom għax iżomm ħalqu magħluq. Min irid jisma’ lil dawn l-istatwi jkellmuh ma jistax jaqbel ma’ liġijiet li jġibu l-ħajja tal-bniedem qisha oġġett li wieħed jakkwistah on demand.

Jekk nixtiequ nibqgħu nagħtu ġieħ ġenwin lillMadonna u lill-qaddisin jeħtieġ li ħajjitna u ħsiebna jkunu f ’konsistenza mależempju li taw huma.

Għalxejn infaħħruhom jekk m’aħniex lesti l-ħażin insejħulu ħażin kif għamlu huma matul ħajjithom.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ APRIL 2018

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15

DENTAL CARE

New broom sweeps clean!

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or how long have you been conscious of your teeth? And how long has it been since you chewed on a delicious crust of Maltese bread? What holds you back from fixing your teeth?

7. Try-in of implant bridges.

GOALS ✓ Eliminate any source of infection

Total timeframe: six to eight months

✓ Regain a normal dentition of 24-28 fixed teeth

Yes this is a lot of work and yes it comes at a cost. But can you really put a price on your daily comfort?

How far are you willing to go to comfortably and confidently enjoy even just simply a meal out with your friends? After six to eight months of dental and implant treatment you’ll immediately know why you chose to go ahead with this plan and you’ll also know where your money went. Ask your dentist for details.

✓ Regain the comfort and stability of eating any kinds of food ✓ Regain that CONFIDENT smile!

TREATMENT PLAN 1. Extract all remaining teeth and provision of temporary removable dentures.

8. Fitting of implant bridges.

9. Placement on an oral and dental maintenance program.

2. Allow two months for complete gingival healing.

3. Implant planning in upper and lower jaws using custom-made surgical guides 4. Bilateral sinus lift bone grafting and simultaneous placement of 8implants in the upper jaw and 4implants in the lower jaw.

5. Allow four to six months for bone healing and osseointegration of implants.

6. Exposure of implants and impression taking for new implant fixed prostheses.

Intra-oral view post-treatment

Intra-Oral Pre-treatment

Post-treatment

A CASE STUDY DR JEAN PAUL DEMAJO IS A DENTAL AND IMPLANT SURGEON.

A middle aged man presents himself with a few remaining teeth in a terrible state. He has been in this state far more than he can remember and has finally decided to fix his mouth. He does not smoke and is in good health.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

MEMORJI

Żjara lil bużnannti f’Ħaż-Żebbuġ Mons Philip Calleja jiftakar id-dar ta’ bużnanntu.

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l-aħħar tal-ġimġħa tax-xahar ta’ Settembru 1936 – aktar minn 80 sena ilu – nannti Karmni, li dak iż-żmien kellha qrib is-70 sena, ħaditni maghħa għand ommha, bużnannti Anna, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, li kellha mad-90 sena, biex tgħarrafha li binha Francis kien ġej għal ftit jiem Malta u xtaqet li ġġibu għandha biex jaraha.

Dan Francis, li qabel kienu jsejħulu Ċikku, kien engine fitter ġewwa d-Dockyard. Kien ġie magħżul jaħdem bħala engineer fuq il-Bridge ta’ San Francisco, California, fl-iStati Uniti ta’ l-Amerka u kien ukoll irċieva premju mill-President Franklin Roosevelt.

Dak iż-żmien jiena kelli sebgħa snin. Iżda din il-mawra ma’ nannti għand bużnannti, ommha, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, ma nista ninsiha qatt.

Meta wasalna bil-karozza tallinja kulur isfar, fil-pjazza talknisja, nannti daħħlitni l-knisja nagħmlu vista qasira u biex turini l-istatwa ta’ San Filep, statwa tal-fidda, unika f ’Malta.

Ghedt karozza tal-linja kulur isfar għaliex dak iż-żmien bosta min-nies kienu illitterati u kienu jgħarfu d-destinazzjoni tal-karozzi mill-kulur.

Wara nannti ħaditni bilmixi, idi f ’idejha, għal Triq Mula, fejn kienet toqghod ommha, bużnannti.

X’ħin wasalna quddiem ilbieb tagħha, bieb ta’ remissa, u nannti waqfet tħabbat ilbieb, jien bqajt imbellah inħares lejn dan il-bieb, għoli xi tmien piedi u wiesa ftit inqas minn għaxar piedi. IlBelt ma kellniex bibien ta’ djar ta’ dik l-għamla u daqs. Għalhekk waqaft imbellah u skantat. Ma mmaġinajtx li dak seta kien bieb ta’ dar. Wara sirt naf li dal-bieb kien kbir u jissejjaħ bieb ta’ remissa, għaliex f ’din l-ewwel kamra kien jinżamm il-karettun taż-żiemel ta’ ħu nannti Pinu, b’passaġġ miegħu li minnu jidhol iż-żiemel u jghaddu n-nies għal ġewwa.

Meta nannti daħħlitni u mxejna minn fejn kienu jdaħħlu

Wara, nannti ħaditni bil-mixi, idi f’idejha, għal Triq Mula.

ż-żiemel, dħalna għall-ewwel kamra wara r-remissa, minn bieb tal-ħġieġ, li fiha kien hemm mejda tonda b’erbgħa siġġijiet madwarha, fejn ħut nannti kienu jilqgħu n-nies puliti li jmorru jarawhom. Kien hemm ukoll magna tal-ħjata mgħottija, li fuqha kienu jaħdmu ħut nannti, Pawla u Filomen.

Minn din il-kamra kont tgħaddi għal bitħa wiesa, li minnha kont tgħaddi għal bitħa oħra iżgħar minnha, warajha.

F’nofs il-bitħa l-kbira kien hemm ħorża ta’ bir b’żewg bankijiet tal-ġebel ħdejh, li fuqhom kienu jintefgħu jixxemmxu, jieklu xi biċċa ħobż biż-żejt, iparlaw dwar dak li jkunu semgħu u flgħaxija jgħidu r-rużarju.

F’din il-bitha fuq in-naħa taxxellug. kien hemm bieb għallkamra twila u dejqa tul il-ħajt b’mejda dejqa li fuqha kienu jieklu u warajha bieb li minnhu tidħol għall-kċina fejn kienu jsajjru u jaħslu l-platti. Minn hemm kont toħroġ għall-bitħa

ż-żgħira, b’erba banketti, barmil li minnhu kien jieqaf kien jixrob iż-żiemel hu u dieħel għall-istalla, bottijiet bl-ilma li minnhom jixorbu l-qtates u l-ħamiem.

Din il-bitħa kellha bibien bi staneg li jagħtu għall-kamra li fiha kien hemm xi 60 tiġieġa u sriedaq kbar, bieb ieħor li jagħti għall-istalla u bibien oħra li jieħdu għall-kmamar fejn kienu jimirħu l-fniek u ieħor li jieħu għall-ġardina.

Fil-bitħa l-kbira kien hemm bieb pulit miżbugħ isfar skur li jieħu għal żewgt ikmamar li kienu jsejħulhom “id-dar”.

F’waħda minn dawn il-kmamar kien hemm sodda kbira, gwardarobba u xkaffa b’Madonna tixgħel u statwa ta’ San Filep ħdejha. Fil-kamra l-oħra kien hemm erbgħa sodod, tnejn ma’ ħajt u tnejn ma’ ħajt ieħor, f ’nofshom gradenzina bi kwadru tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù, arloġġ antik b’żewġ vażuni taċ-ċaqquf pariġġu miżbugħin b’disinji tal-fjuri

fuqhom u ritratti tal-bużnannu mal-bużnanna u ritratti ohrajn.

Fil-bitħa, ħdejn il-bieb taddar kien hemm kamra żgħira b’ħafna mandolin u larinġ imdendel mat-travi ta l-injam, u xkejjer tal-ġwież tat-tiġieġ.

Jiena tbellaht nara dan il-larinġ u mandolin mdendel biex ma jitħassarx u jittiekel jew jintgħasar meta jgħaddi żmienu.

Fil-bitħa l-wiesa kien hemm ukoll għadd ta’ turġien. Taraġ jagħti fuq fejn kien hemm kamra kbira fejn jorqdu l-irġiel u bi kredenzi u gwardarobba fejn jintrefghu il-ħwejjeġ.

Imbagħad taraġ ieħor mal-ħajt ta’ dawn il-kmamar li jieħdu għal fuq il-bejt li jdur fuq id-dar, fuq il-kmamar ta’ ħdejha kien hemm kamra miftuħa fejn jintrefgħu xkejjer tal-ikel tal-annimali u jintrefa’ ħaxix jinxef.

Barra din il-kamra kien hemm tarjola li magħha jittellgħu u jitniżżlu għall-ġardina iżżrieraħ għall-ikel tal-annimali, kif ukoll patata, basal u tewm.

Fil-bitħa kien hemm taraġ ieħor li jieħu għal fuq il-kċina u għall-kamra magħrufa bħala l-kamra tan-newl.

Meta dħalt fiha rajt lil Pina tinseġ in-newl – strument ta’ linjam, li jieħu tliet kwarti talkamra, li fuqu jintisġu gvieret tas-suf u xallijiet u lożor ħoxnin.

Taraġ ieħor kien jieħu għal fuq id-daħla u għal kamra oħra fuq ir-remissa. Din kienet kamra li fiha kien jinħazen l-ikel taż-żiemel u għodda.

F’nofs il-bitħa ltqajt ma’ bużnannti, mara xiħa, bla snien, tifraħ bina u titbissem, bi qroqqa f ’ħoġorha. Din ħaġa li qatt ma kont rajtha – qroqqa titmelles fuq ħoġor mara u tħares lejna. Kultant bużnannti kienet tiftaħ ħalq il-qroqqa biex titmagħha ftit ful u tagħtiha tixrob minn bott.

Fil-bitħa ż-żgħira kien hemm passaġġ jagħti għall-kmamar tat-tiġieġ u l-fniek b’bieb bejniethom li jagħti għall-ġardina b’xi 30 siġra tal-larinġ u lumi, b’rokna b’xi siġar tal-banana u għeneb u bankijiet tal-ġebel u rkejjen fejn joħroġ jitmattar iżżiemel u oħrajn li f ’ħin tal-ġurnata joħorġu t-tiġieġ iqaqu.

Bużnannti mietet. U meta faqqgħet it-tieni Gwerra Dinjija u fl-1941 bdiet nieżla xita ta’ bombi fuq il-Belt u waqa’ ġuħ kbir, aħna konna evakwati ĦażŻebbuġ. Nannti ħadet lilna u lill-kuġini tagħna, ulied iż-żewġ uliedha, refuġjati Ħaż-Żebbuġ.

Fil-gwerra aħna konna ngħixu f ’dawn id-djar li meta kbirna fhimniehom aħjar.

Bħat-tiġieġ aħna konna nifirxu u norqdu fil-kmamar fl-art.

Konna nqumu ninħaslu fi fliskaturi u rridu nitimgħu magħna l-annimali – inzekzkulhom u jiġu warajna.

Meta xi drabi nisma’ li jitwaqqgħu djar biex jinbena bini ġdid, nifhem li llum hija dinja oħra. Iżda nħoss li bħalma jintrefgħu xelters flibliet, għandhom jinżammu xi djar bhal din ta’ bużnannti, biex il-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna jifhmu kif kienu jgħixu l-bdiewa u n-nies ta’ qabilna ġewwa l-irħula.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

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17

OPINION

LOVE is in the AIR

In relationships, it’s tempting to make a leap – but choose wisely, says Christine Galea from the Cana Movement.

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fter trudging through an entire winter, most people look forward to welcoming the beautiful season of spring, along with the warmer weather it brings with it.

Springtime is a season of wonderful clichés: birds chirping, bees buzzing around, flowers blooming in all their glory, and yes, it’s also the time of year when people are reputed to fall madly in love: the feeling of butterflies in the stomach and pounding heart, if you get the picture.

There’s scientific backing to the fact that spring is the mating season for animals, and while this is not actually proven to be the same for humans (there are those who would argue that in our case, this happens all year round!), it seems to be as if springtime signifies for humans, what it does for animals: a time to venture out and meet potential mates.

However, it’s one thing to meet just any mate and quite another to meet the right one.

If one wishes to establish a strong and fulfilling relationship, it makes sense to wait for the opportune time, to choose a suitable person and for the right reasons – and not just succumb to spring fever.

Dr Barton Goldsmith, an internationally recognised counsellor and author, describes the process as “an art form”. It may feel euphoric to embark upon an emotional roller coaster and fall madly in love at first sight with someone, but it won’t lead anywhere if that significant other isn’t emotionally available to us, or we don’t know where they stand on the relationship field. Rather, this creates anxiety which we can do without.

Logically, it makes more sense to choose wisely and not just leap into a relationship right off the bat, tempting as

this may be. I’m not saying that one needs to draw up an extensive checklist of what attributes and character traits they wish their mate would possess – we all know that in life, it’s almost impossible to find the ideal, perfect partner.

But neither should we throw all caution to the wind and disregard any undesirable qualities just because we may be physically attracted to the other person. Physical attraction (translated into magnetic chemistry) is important, but it’s not the be all and end all and makes a weak cornerstone if we wish to build upon a solid foundation.

Certain basic positive qualities make for the foundation of a good relationship Some might argue: how about taking a chance and going out with someone who might not exactly be my type? Attraction can possibly grow the more one gets to know the other’s personality. The only way to find out is to take that chance, bearing in mind that certain basic positive qualities make for the foundation of a good relationship: integrity, reliability, kindness and generosity.

Of course, it’s an added bonus if they possess other qualities, like a joy for life or a good sense of humour, but these attributes don’t necessarily have to be there for a couple to build a happy and lasting relationship. It stands to rea-

Springtime is a season of wonderful clichés, including falling in love.

son that it augurs for a healthy relationship if these qualities are not only one-sided!

Two things are tantamount: primarily, choose a mate around whom you can be yourself, one who does not judge you and makes you feel completely accepted just as you are; and secondly, one who is willing to remain in the relationship out of his or her own free will, without any conditions.

There’s no point in hanging around someone who doesn’t share the same personal val-

ues or stays with you for the wrong reasons. It’s certainly not conducive to a safe and comfortable partnership, one which could possibly lead to a lifetime of joy – which is after all, what most of us aspire to when we fall in love.

I don’t claim to be an expert at romantic relationships. Far from it! I gleaned all I have written from my own experience and that of couples who were quite willing to share their own encounters. What I do know is that it’s very sad to

invest in a long-lasting relationship, leading to marriage and parenthood, and then to see it fail.

As the old adage goes, winter turns into spring, but when love turns sour, the tables are easily turned and it’s spring which turns into winter. I think there’s is nothing quite as wonderful as meeting an elderly couple who have weathered the cold season and for whom love is still very much in the air – even after springtime has come and gone.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

SUPPORT/BOOKS

A listening eAr Through Supportline 179 we offer an empathic and listening ear to all those going through a difficult situation, says Svetlana Buttiġieġ, service area leader at Aġenzija Appoġġ.

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hat kind of services and support do you offer through Supportline 179?

Supportline 179 is the national helpline which has been operating for the past 22 years. It initially started as a telephone service for people suffering domestic violence or child abuse – however along the years the Supportline opened its remit to various problems and social issues including, but not solely, mental health, loneliness, relationship issues, separation issues, bereavement, behavioural problems and addictions.

Through Supportline 179 we offer an empathic and listening ear to all those going through a difficult situation.

The primary mission of the Supportline 179 service is to provide immediate and unbiased help to those seeking information, support or require a referral to social service agencies.

How many calls do you handle through supportline 179?

Through Supportline 179 we handle around 11,000 calls a year.

Do you conduct any followup to these calls, or refer to other authorities?

A team of professional social workers and psychology officers follow up on the calls which the volunteers take on a daily basis.

If the caller wishes to be referred or linked to another service, the professionals would pass on the referrals to the most appropriate service in such circumstance. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous and just wishes to talk, they have every right to do so.

What are the main requests that you receive through supportline 179?

The requests on Supportline can vary from just a listening ear, to a person who would like to receive more information on a particular service and support group. A volunteer might be dealing with a person who is homeless and needs a shelter for the night and in the next call they might be talking to a person who would like to report a case of child abuse.

Statistics show that the main requests on Supportline 179 are those related to listening and loneliness.

subjects, the agency sometimes also sends the volunteers to trainings and seminars organised by other entities and organisations.

is the supportline 179 operated by volunteers?

The Supportline 179 is operated mainly through volunteers under the help and guidance of professional staff. Volunteers are supported and guided by professional social workers and psychology officers who are on call on a 24-hour basis and to whom the volunteers can reach out in a time of crisis.

What kind of training are such volunteers given?

Our volunteers are professionally trained. They are required to attend a weekly induction course which is over 14 weeks.

The initial seven weeks focus on helping skills and include topics such as selfawareness, listening, empathizing and communication, while the second seven weeks focus more on crisis situations such as child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness and suicide.

During the year, refresher courses and other ad hoc trainings about various upcoming issues and presenting problems are also held for the volunteers.

Those who would like to join our dynamic and motivated team of volunteers can phone us on 2388 5110 or visit our Facebook page Supportline179.

What duties do these volunteers carry out?

The volunteers are required to attend to all the incoming phone calls during their shift. Part of their duty also includes attending training sessions organised by the agency and to attend support groups and individual supervision sessions for their personal and professional growth. In order to keep the volunteers updated about various services and

How many volunteers do you currently require to operate supportline 179?

At present we have around 35 volunteers who currently offer their time to answer the calls on Supportline 179 – however many more are required to strengthen the service. The more volunteers we have, the better in order for the service to be more available to the general public.

Il-maħbubin Silta meħuda mill-ġabra ta’ novelli Mit-Toroq tar-Raħal ta’ Charles Casha.

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’terran, ftit ’il bogħod mill-ħanut ta’ Rożi, kienu joqogħdu Manwel u Liża. Dawn kienu żżewġu kbar u tfal ma kellhomx. Imma mill-mod kif kienu jġibu ruħhom ma’ xulxin, kont tistħajjilhom xi żewġ żgħażagħ li għadhom filbidu tal-imħabba tagħhom.

Kien hemm min kien jidħak bihom, kien hemm min kien jiggustahom u kien hemm min jarahom kesħin. U kien hemm ukoll min kien jitkaża bihom.

Imma d-dinja hekk magħġuna.

L-istess ħaġa tidher b’tant modi differenti, skont innuċċali li nilbsu. U ħafna drabi dan in-nuċċali jkun imċajpar u mtappan u ma tantx aħna lesti li nnaddfuh biex naraw aktar ċar. Kultant nieħdu aktar gost naraw dak li hu mċajpar.

Ta’ kuljum, Manwel u Liża kienu jmorru għall-quddiesa tat-tmienja u kull nhar ta’ Ħadd filgħaxija kienu jmorru l-Belt jaraw film bħalma kienu jagħmlu ħafna nies mir-raħal.

Din kienet waħda mill-ħarġiet favoriti tagħhom. Kienu jilbsu l-aħjar ilbies qishom sejrin xi tieġ. Ħarġa oħra li kienu jħobbu jagħmlu kienet li, kull nhar ta’ Sibt filgħodu, jmorru sas-suq tal-Belt, aktar bħala ħarġa milli biex jixtru xi ħafna affarijiet. Darba fix-xahar kienu jmorru saċ-ċimiterju biex iqiegħdu l-fjuri fuq loqbra tal-ġenituri tagħhom.

Kellhom ċerta rutina li, għalkemm kienet torbothom, fl-istess ħin kienet tagħtihom sigurtà u ordni f ’ħajjithom.

Wara kollox naħseb li kull familja fir-raħal kienet tiddependi fuq xi forma ta’ rutina.

Għodwa waħda, ftit wara li Manwel u Liża waslu lura millknisja, Liża ħassha ħażin u ma setgħetx titkellem u lanqas ma tħarrek idha jew sieqha fuq innaħa tal-lemin ta’ ġisimha. Manwel twerwer u ħareġ jitlob għallgħajnuna. Fi ftit ħin, fid-dar ta’ Manwel u Liża kien hemm bosta mill-ġirien. Min daħal biex jagħti l-għajnuna, min biex jara x’ġara, min għax ra lil ħaddieħor dieħel hemm ġew u għamel bħalu, u min għax sab l-opportunità biex jaqta’ xi kurżità oħra.

Lil Liża ħaduha l-isptar fejn damet għal ftit ġimgħat

sakemm bil-mod il-mod irkuprat, għalkemm ma ġietx kif kienet qabel. Biex timxi kienet tbati u Manwel u Liża kellhom ibiddlu r-rutina talħajja. Manwel beda jmur jixtri mill-ħwienet tar-raħal jew mingħand il-bejjiegħa li kienu jiġu fit-triq. Il-mawra saċċimiterju waqfet ukoll għax Manwel kien jibża’ jħalli lil Liża waħidha. Liża kienet taqta’ qalbha li tmur sal-Belt u ma baqgħux imorru jaraw film kull nhar ta’ Ħadd.

Manwel ma baqax dak irraġel dejjem nadif u ordnat. Sar mitluq u rari kont tarah jitbissem u donnu li kien tilef kull interess fil-ħajja. Kultant Liża kienet toħroġ quddiem il-bieb tad-dar, bilqiegħda fuq siġġu u tgħid kelma mal-ġirien. Il-ħajja għal din il-koppja nbidlet millejl għan-nhar. Donnu li Manwel ma setax iniżżilha li martu kienet mardet u ma baqgħetx kif kienet. Min-naħa tagħha Liża qatt ma kienet tilmenta u dik it-tbissima ħelwa li minn dejjem kellha qatt ma għebet minn fuq wiċċha. Darba smajtha tgħid lil Manwel: “Imma għalfejn dan l-għaġeb kollu? Billi nbati biex nimxi, ma jfissirx li spiċċat id-dinja.

Hawn għadni Manwel! Wara kollox nikbru qegħdin. Ħadd ma jibqa’ kif darba kien.”

Manwel tbissem imma żgur li dakinhar kien għamel sforz kbir biex Liża taħseb li kien qiegħed jaqbel magħha.

Darba waħda, waqt li kont ġej lura d-dar mil-Liċeo, Manwel sejjaħli minn wara l-antiporta tad-dar tiegħu u talabni biex l-għada, is-Sibt filgħodu, nagħmillu qadja urġenti l-Belt għand in-nutar

SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

li kienu jinqdew bih. Tani envelowp kbir u qalli: “Kemm tagħtihulu biss. Jekk ma jkunx hemm hu, ħallih ma’ Nardu li jaħdem miegħu.

Jaf bih.”

Għalkemm kont ġa ftehemt ma’ ħbiebi biex noħorġu m’għedtlux le u l-għada mort naqdih. Meta ġejt lura, Manwel tani xi ħaġa tal-flus talli kont qdejtu. Għall-ewwel għedtlu li ma kellux għalfejn jagħtini l-flus iżda, meta baqa’ jinsisti, jien ma bqajtx nirrifjuta għax wara kollox kont ħadt pjaċir b’dawk il-flus billi ma tantx kien ikolli x’nonfoq.

“Lil Liża ma nissugrax inħalliha waħidha,” qalli hekk kif bdejt miexi lejn il-bieb ta’ barra.

Indunajt li kellu aptit jitkellem.

Kien qiegħed jara x’ħa jivvinta biex iżommni hemm ġew.

“Sewwa tagħmel,” qbilt miegħu. Kont ġa poġġejt idi fuq il-pum biex niftaħ il-bieb tal-antiporta.

“Lil Liża minn dejjem kont inħobbha. Mindu konna tfal,” kompla jgħidli biex iqanqalli l-kurżità u jżommni ftit ieħor hemm ġew.

“Mela lil Liża kont ilek tafha qabel ma żżewwiġtu?” staqsejtu. Sa fejn kont naf, dawn kienu żżewġu kbar fl-età.

“U żgur li kont ili nafha!” qalli Manwel wiċċu għad-dawl. “Ħalli ngħidlek l-istorja tagħna.”

Rani nħares lejn il-kuritur li kien jagħti għan-naħa ta’ ġewwa. Induna x’kien għaddej minn moħħi.

“Serraħ rasek. Liża rieqda.

Wara kollox li se ngħidlek nista’ ngħidhulek quddiemha għax hi daqsi tafha l-istorja tagħna.” Ħassejt li kelli nieħu paċenzja u noqgħod nisimgħu.

Poġġa bilqiegħda fuq siġġu u beda jgħidli: “Jien u Liża konna noqogħdu fl-istess triq. Sa minn meta konna żgħar, dejjem flimkien.

Donnu li bejnietna kien hemm xi ħaġa li kienet tiġbidna lejn xulxin. Konna dejjem nilagħbu flimkien u, kull meta s-subien tat-triq kienu jinkuha jew isawtuha, jien kont naqbeż għaliha.

Kbirna u l-ġenituri ta’ Liża, għal xi raġuni jew oħra, ma tantx kienu qegħdin jieħdu pjaċir li jien u Liża konna daqshekk qrib ta’ xulxin.

Missierha kien jagħmlilha ħafna xenati kull meta kien jaraha tieqaf tkellimni. “Ġie żmien meta missieri kien bla xogħol u ddecieda li jitlaq bil-familja b’kollox lejn lAwstralja għand oħtu. Kontra qalbi kelli mmur jien ukoll. Kont għadni kif spiċċajt mill-iskola u qiegħed infittex ix-xogħol.

Imma, qabel ma tlaqt, kont

wegħedt lil Liża li għad nerġa’ lura u niżżewwiġha. Kont niktbilha b’mod regolari imma l-ittri kienu dejjem jaslu lura. Ma stajtx nifhem x’kien qiegħed jiġri u minn moħħi bdew għaddejjin ħafna ħsibijiet koroh.

“Fl-aħħar qtajt qalbi u ma bqajtx nikteb aktar. Imma lil Liża bqajt inħobbha u ma stajtx ninsieha. Għaddew is-snin u kont qiegħed inħejji kollox biex ninżel Malta u mmur infittex lil Liża, meta b’kumbinazzjoni ltqajt ma’ xi Maltin li kienu għadhom kif waslu l-Awstralja ftit xhur qabel. Waqt li konna qegħdin nitkellmu, sirt naf li dawn kienu jafu lil Liża. Staqsejthom dwarha u qaluli li Liża kienet iżżewġet.

Kien xokk kbir. Għalkemm qatt iktar ma kont smajt b’aħbarha, it-tama li għad nerġa’ niltaqa’ magħha u niżżewġu kienet għadha żżommni ’l bogħod milli niżżewweġ lil ħaddieħor.

Issa fhimt li Liża kienet abbandunatni għax kif jgħidu ‘bogħod mill-għajn, bogħod mill-qalb’.

B’rabja kbira fuqi, qbadt u ħassart il-pjan li kont għamilt. Ma kellix għalfejn niġi Malta la Liża kienet saret ta’ ħaddieħor.

Madanakollu, dejjem bqajt bixxewqa li niġi lura lejn art twelidi mqar għal żjara qasira ta’ ftit ġimgħat. L-għeruq hemm jibqgħu, tmur fejn tmur. U flaħħar qbadt u nżilt Malta.

“Għall-ewwel ma kontx fi ħsiebni li mmur infittex lil Liża imma, meta kont hawn, ix-xewqa kbira li dejjem kelli reġgħet bdiet tħeġġiġni li nsir naf aktar dwar Liża. Minn hawn u minn hemm sirt naf fejn kienet marret toqgħod.

Sirt naf ukoll li ma kienx minnu li kienet iżżewġet! Ma nafx għala dawk il-Maltin li ltqajt magħhom l-Awstralja kienu qaluli hekk. Liża kienet għadha xebba u kienet qiegħda tgħix waħidha ġo dar żgħira l-Furjana. Mort u sibtha.

“Kif ratni baqgħet imbellha.

Tgħannaqna u għedtilha: “Ġejt lura biex inżomm kelmti miegħek.” Liża nfaqgħet tibki u bqajt inħaddanha miegħi sakemm ġiet f ’tagħha. Stqarret miegħi li kienet baqgħet tħobbni u kienet dejjem titlob li xi darba nerġa’ lura Malta.

Tlabtha tgħidli għala l-ittri tiegħi kienu jiġu lura. B’leħen dgħajjef qaltli li missierha ma kienx iħalliha tarahom. Kienet tibża’ wisq minnu. Kien raġel qalil u ma kienx ta’ min idendel kusu miegħu. Wara mewtu Liża tħajret ssir taf x’kien sar minni imma sadanittant jien kont qtajt mill-ittri u hi waħħlitha f ’rasha li jien kont insejtha u sibt lil ħaddieħor. Ma ħadithiex kontrija.

Wara kollox jien kont għamilt

minn kollox biex inżomm kunta magħha. Fl-aħħar millaħħar kien missierha li ħassar kollox bejnietna.

“Ftit xhur wara żżewwiġna u ġejna noqogħdu f’dan it-terran.

Iż-żgħożija tagħna kienet għaddiet, imma xorta waħda ridna ngħixuha kif dejjem konna noħolmu li nagħmlu. Għalhekk kontu tarawna dejjem id f ’id, qisna xi żewġ namrati. Naf li kien hemm xi wħud mill-ġirien li kienu jidħku bina imma aħna ma konniex nagħtu kas.”

Wara li smajt din il-ġrajja, stajt nifhem aktar l-imġiba ta’ Manwel u Liża, u kif din talaħħar kienet kollox għal dak ir-raġel li kien hemm quddiemi, bilqiegħda fuq is-siġġu b’għajnejh miksurin, imma fl-istess ħin bi tbissima ta’ paċi għax kien qiegħed iġedded memorji sbieħ.

Darba sejjaħli u qalli: “Nixtieqek tagħmilli pjaċir.”

“Mela le,” weġibtu.

“Kif taf ma tantx qed noħroġ.

Saħħti marret lura. Għada Liża tagħlaq sninha. Tmur tixtrili bukkett fjuri sabiħ biex nagħtihulha?”

“Immurlek mela le,” għedtlu u kien pront tani l-flus.

Fir-raħal kien hemm waħda li kellha għalqa kbira wara d-dar. Fiha kienet tkabbar ilfjuri u tbigħ il-bukketti għal xi okkażjoni speċjali. Bqajt sejjer dak il-ħin stess u xtrajtlu bukket sabiħ għall-maħbuba ta’ Manwel.

Jien u sejjer lura lejn id-dar bdejt nifhem xi tkun l-imħabba bejn tnejn min-nies li jwiegħdu lilhom infushom lil xulxin għal dejjem. U xtaqt li xi darba jien ukoll insib is-sieħba tiegħi bħalma kien sab Manwel.

Charles Casha twieled il-Marsa fil-21 ta’ Settembru, 1943. Ittieni wieħed fost tliet subien, Charles trabba f ’ambjent ta’ wara l-gwerra, meta t-toroq tagħna kienu mingħajr traffiku

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u t-triq kienet id-dinja ċkejkna ta’ dawk li kienu joqogħdu fiha.

Kienet dinja differenti li Casha pinġa fl-istejjer tiegħu li dehru fit-tliet kotba Minn Tarf sa Tarf tat-Triq, Minn fuq L-Għatba u Mill-Gallarija. Fl-2012 ġie onorat bil-Midalja Għall-Qadi tarRepubblika. Din is-silta meħuda mill-ġabra Mit-Toroq tar-Raħal (KKM, 2017). Għal iżjed informazzjoni żur is-sit http://chcasha.wixsite.com/ author

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

SPORT

New year, great beginning SK Austria’s visit to Malta treated enthusiasts to a superb football exhibition, says Carmel Baldacchino.

O

ne of the most popular tourneys of the post-war period was that of SK Austria in 1947-48. The Austrians came to Malta with a big reputation and the football-hungry Maltese responded in their thousands. The Violetten, as the Austrians were popularly known because of their violet shirts, are ranked by many of those lucky enough to have seen them play, as the best foreign team to play in Malta since the war.

SK Austria needed no introduction. The famous Austrian club won immortality in the world of football for cradling the famous ‘Wunderteam’. SK Austria is the oldest and proudest Viennese football club. Since the introduction of the Austrian League in 1911-12, SK Austria has won the championship 24 times and together with Rapid Wien they were never relegated. With 27 victories in the Austrian Cup and six in the Austrian Super Cup, Austria Wien, as the club is popularly known, is the most successful club in Austria. SK Austria also reached

the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final in 1978 and the semifinals of the Champions Cup the season after.

The club had its roots in the Wiener Cricketer club which was established in 1910 in Vienna. It was renamed Wiener Amateur-SV in September of that year and again renamed FK Austria Wien on November 28, 1926.

Before the war the Austrians were tipped many times as likely visitors to our island but their visit never materialised.

The 1930s was Austria Wien’s greatest era. The club won the Mitropa Cup in 1933 and 1936. This prestigious tournament was open for the champions of the countries of Central Europe.

In those days, the club was made up of great players such as Zohrer, Seszta, Arditz, Vierth, Neumer and the incomparable Sindelar popularly known as the ‘Paper man’. These names were known high and wide in all the capitals of the world and it was on these great players that Hugo Meisl built his famous ‘Wunderteam’.

Many years had passed since the birth of that great team but the memory remained as vivid as ever.

The 1947 edition of SK Austria was not as well-known as its predecessors but the name of the club was enough to ignite the enthusiasm of the Maltese. The thousands who invaded the stadium every time the visitors played were never disappointed.

When they came to Malta in 1947, they had in their ranks legendary players like centrehalf Occwirk, right-half Mikolasch, left-half Yoksch, outsideright Melchior and inside-left Stroh. The latter was another member of the world famous Wunderteam. Stroh was the mentor of the team and his defence-splitting passes created most of the goals scored by this fantastic Austrian XI. The Austrians had a great centre-forward in Huber but by far, their best player was Ernest Stojaspal I, who mesmerized the Maltese with his fantastic solo raids into the opposing penalty-area.

SK Austria started their tour on Friday, December 26, 1947

A great roar broke loose from 25,000 throats with an emphatic 10-0 victory over the Hibernians-St George’s combination. The next day they continued where they left off and beat the Valletta-Naxxar combination 12-1 in what could only be described as a superb football exhibition.

On Sunday, December 28, a huge crowd saw an inspired Floriana-Sliema XI extend the visitors to the limit before losing 0-4. The local public had by now began to expect mammoth scores whenever SK Austria played and it was a pleasant surprise to see the Maltese matching the visitors if not in skill, at least in determination.

The visitors took 68 minutes to score the first goal and it was only then that the resistance of the Maltese began to crack. However, one must not get the impression that the match was one-sided with the

A photograph taken before the match between SK Austria and the Ħamrun/Melita combination which was won by the Viennese 12-0.

Austrians doing all the attacking. The locals had several chances of scoring but bad marksmanship and a degree of bad luck kept them out.

SK Austria however, were soon back to double figures.

On New Year’s Day they defeated the Hamrun-Melita combination 12-0.

Two days later, the Combined Services met with the same fate. After an excellent first half during which they held the visitors 2-3, the Austrians came into their own and by the end of the game the score had risen to 2-11.

By now, the Maltese were captivated by the Austrians’ dazzling football. The triangular movement, perfect positional play, tip-tapping of the ball from man to man intermingled with a long pass whenever the occasion demanded and the individual brilliance of every member of the team made the whole side irresistible.

It was the custom in those days to stage a game between the visitors and an MFA selection. This was by far the best match of the tourney. The highlight of the tourney was played on January 4, 1948. And what a game it was.

That day a crowd of over 25,000 spectators was present at the Stadium. Those who remember the Stadium can

SENIOR TIMES ‒ ApRIl 2018

A group photograph taken before the start of the Christmas Tourney match between the MFA XI and SK Austria. The Maltese held the slick continentals to a 1-1 draw.

George Bencini won immortality with his famous goal in 1947 against SK Austria.

broke loose from 25,000 throats, a roar which relieved all the pent-up frustrations of the Maltese.

With this goal, Bencini entered the myths and legends of Maltese football! Everyone knows the story of how Ġianni Bencini was coxed by his sons to form the famous amateur club, Melita FC. There were three of them each one a fine footballer in his own right.

Karl, Victor and George were all Melita FC products and like their famous father they were renowned for their fairness, sportsmanship and their blind loyalty to their club.

George was the youngest of the trio and while his brothers

were playing for the senior side he was still learning the ropes in the minors and reserves. Gradually he started to catch the eye of the Stadium followers with his clever play at left-back.

Full-backs did not score many goals in those days. The full-back position immediately before and after the war was purely defensive and fullbacks hardly ever ventured beyond the centre-line let alone score goals. George Bencini however was an exception. He liked to venture up with his forwards and when the occasion presented itself he could score like the best of them. In fact, he is best

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known for the two goals he scored for the MFA XI against Zabovresky and of course his famous goal against SK Austria in the Christmas Tourney.

It was now anybody’s game, but the best chance came to Malta. Substitute Maurice DeCesare flicked the ball over Melchor’s head. The full-back panicked and stopped the ball with his hand. It was a clear-cut penalty but Scottish international referee, Peter Craigmyle let the infringement pass by unnoticed.

The end came soon after this incident with the teams still level. This was surely one of the best results obtained by the MFA XI against foreign opposition.

SK Austria closed their tour with a return game against the Floriana-Sliema combination.

The Austrians won 4-1 but it was a pity that in this last match of the tourney the game deteriorated into a rough house. Tempers rose and players of both sides found it more entertaining to go for the man rather than the ball.

Despite the game’s rather unsavoury ending, everyone agreed that SK Austria were amongst the best teams which played in Malta after the war. They were as good as Weiner AC and Rapid Vienna and only a shade below the class of Admira, Hungaria and Ferencvaros which came to Malta before the war. They came and conquered all, except the lion-hearted MFA XI (Tourney and its Aftermath, Scruator, The Times of Malta, January 8, 1948).

well imagine the atmosphere that a crowd of this size must have generated. In such a small ground, the crowd must have seemed enormous.

An hour before kick-off, the police ordered that the gates be closed. The huge crowd still queuing outside the stadium however, made a rush for the gates which yielded at the tremendous pressure and hundreds of people slipped into the ground without paying (Emmanuel Spiteri, Meta L-iStadium Ma Felaħx Aktar Nies, Sport, July 14, 1967) Nobody gave the Maltese a chance, but those few punters who backed Malta made a bundle. The 11 gladiators wearing

the national colours rose to the occasion and for once the Austrians were subdued.

The game however started badly for the Maltese and it took centre-half Occwirk only 22 minutes to open the score.

Everyone expected the usual avalanche of goals but instead of closing their defence the Maltese took the game to their opponents’ half. Fortune favours the brave and 11 minutes into the second-half, Bennetti passed to Salvinu Schembri who centred dangerously into the Austrians’ penalty-area. Spale fisted away but only to George Bencini who shot knee-high into the corner of the net! A great roar

The great SK Austria international forward Ernest Stojaspal, who in the 1947 Christmas Tourney thrilled the Maltese crowds with his fantastic dribbling.

A typical crowd queuing to get in the stadium after the war. This was nothing compared to the crowd of over 25,000 which saw Malta draw 1-1 with SK Austria in 1947.

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

AĦBARIJIET/CULTURE

Sejħiet li jeħtieġu l-għajnuna Id-direttur ta’ Missio, Mons Salvinu Micallef.

W

aqt żjara li għamilt fi Frar li għadda flAmerka Ċentrali, u propju fil-Gwatemala u fil-Honduras, kelli l-opportunità li nżur żewġ seminarji fejn sibt numru kbir ta’ seminaristi fil-formazzjoni tagħhom għassaċerdozju.

Fil-belt kapitali tal-Gwatemala nsibu seminarju wieħed b’żewġ fergħat: waħda għall-istudju tal-filosofija, b’120 seminarist, u oħra għall-istudju tat-teoloġija, b’97 seminarist.

Kien mument ta’ ferħ tara numru hekk kbir ta’ żgħażagħ fi triqthom lejn is-saċerdozju u, għalhekk, lejn l-għotja ta’ ħajjithom biex ikomplu l-missjoni ta’ Kristu, sew f’pajjiżhom u kif ukoll f ’pajjiżi oħra.

Illum, il-Gwatemala, minkejja li hija art tal-missjoni, minħabba l-faqar kbir li għad hemm fiha, hi wkoll qiegħda tibgħat il-missjunarji tagħha f ’pajjiżi oħra. L-istess nistgħu ngħidu għall-Honduras, pajjiż imiss mal-Gwatemala. Billi kont qed inżur lill-isqof Malti Mons. Roberto Camilleri (millĦamrun) fid-djoċesi ta’ Comayagua, mort miegħu nżur is-seminarju tad-djoċesi tiegħu. Iltqajna u tkellimna mal-45 seminarista taddjoċesi. Fraħt ukoll ma’ ħames saċerdoti novelli li ġew ordnati saċerdoti l-ġimgħa ta’ qabel u li kienu s-seminarju biex

Id-Direttur mal-Isqof Roberto Camilleri u s-seminaristi ta’ Comayagua fil-Honduras.

jifirħu ma’ sħabhom u jaqsmu l-kejk tal-okkażjoni. L-isqof qalli li ried ikabbar is-seminarju għax m’hemmx wisgħa biżżejjed għas-sejħiet kollha li l-Mulej qed jagħmel. Anki lHonduras qed jibgħat il-missjunarji tiegħu.

Mhux xi sigriet jekk ngħidu li l-vokazzjonijiet fl-Ewropa naqsu ħafna. Anki f ’Malta, in-numru ta’ vokazzjonijiet niżel ġmielu. Mill-banda l-oħra, f ’ħafna pajjiżi tal-missjoni lvokazzjonijiet huma numerużi u għadhom jiżdiedu, kif rajt b’għajnejja stess f ’dawn iżżewġ pajjiżi tal-Amerka Ċentrali. L-istess nistgħu ngħidu għall-pajjiżi tal-Afrika u pajjiżi oħra, bħall-Indja, il-Vjetnam u l-Filippini. Imma dawn huma pajjiżi fqar u, ħafna drabi, iż-

żgħażagħ li jidħlu s-seminarju jkunu ġejjin minn familji fqar.

Għalhekk, malajr wieħed jifhem li kull djoċesi tal-missjoni, u l-isqof tagħha b’mod speċjali, ikollhom sfida kbira u kontinwa biex ikollhom fondi biżżejjed biex iħallsu

Kull djoċesi tal-missjoni, u l-isqof tagħha b’mod speċjali, ikollhom sfida kbira

għall-ispejjeż tal-formazzjoni tas-seminaristi tagħhom.

Għalhekk Missio għandu lOpra ta’ San Pietru: din l-Opra tiġbor fondi biex tisponsorja seminaristi f’dawn is-seminarji tal-missjoni. Ħafna seminarji jiddependu mill-għajnuna li jirċievu mill-Opra ta’ San Pietru, li hija parti mill-Opri Missjunarji Pontifiċji (Missio).

Missio f ’kull pajjiż għandu lmetodu tiegħu kif jiġbor fondi biex jgħin lil dawn is-seminaristi. F’Malta Missio jilqa’ kull donazzjoni li tingħata għasseminaristi fil-missjoni, imma ħafna benefatturi jippreferu li jisponsorjaw seminarist fl-Indja jew fl-Afrika billi jagħmlu borża ta’ studju.

B’hekk, huma jkollhom irritratt tas-seminarist li jkunu

qed jisponsorjaw u jkunu jistgħu wkoll iżommu kuntatt miegħu, sew fis-snin li jagħmel is-seminarju, kemm wara li jsir saċerdot.

Min jagħmel borża ta’ studju sħiħa waħdu jkun mitlub jagħmel donazzjoni ta’ €2,400.

Imma, wieħed jista’ jingħaqad ma’ tlieta oħra u jagħmel donazzjoni ta’ €600, jew jingħaqad ma’ erbgħa oħra u jagħmel donazzjoni ta’ €480. Id-donazzjoni tista’ ssir f ’daqqa jew jingħata ammont kull tlieta jew sitt xhur – basta l-ammont kollu jkun ingħata fi żmien erba’ snin.

In-numru ta’ benefatturi li għamlu boroż ta’ studju s-sena l-oħra naqas filwaqt li t-talbiet mis-seminarji għal boroż ta’ studju żdiedu. Nappellaw u nittamaw li matul din is-sena f ’Malta u Għawdex jiżdiedu l-benefatturi li jinvestu filformazzjoni tas-saċerdoti ta’ għada fl-artijiet tal-missjoni.

Nhar il-Ħadd, 22 ta’ April huwa ddedikat lill-vokazzjonijiet saċerdotali u reliġjużi.

Tajjeb li nitolbu lill-Mulej għal aktar sejħiet għal dawn ilforom ta’ ħajja, speċjalment fil-kontinent tagħna.

Jekk tixtieq aktar informazzjoni dwar dawn il-boroż ta’ studju tista’ tkellimna billi ċċempel fuq 2123 6962 jew tiġi tiltaqa’ magħna fl-uffiċċju ta’ Missio, 7, Triq il-Merkanti, ilBelt Valletta.

More accessibility to Heritage Malta sites and museums

A

s part of its social responsibility and to bring culture closer to the public, Heritage Malta committed itself to open two museums or sites for free every month. With this initiative Heritage Malta ensures that its museums and sites are accessible to all.

Heritage Malta opened its first sites for free on February 10 when the public had the opportunity to visit Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples. Since then the agency organised eight other open days. These included Tarxien Temples, Domvs Romana, St Paul’s Catacombs, the Inquisitor’s Palace, the National Museum of Archaeology, Fort St Elmo

and Heritage Malta’s museums in the Citadel. Heritage Malta also opened for free one of its closed sites, Tal-Mintna Catacombs in Mqabba.

The response from the general public was encouraging and people of all ages attended and took great interest in our cultural heritage. These open days are also ensuring a better quality of life since they are serving as a family and educational outing.

The next open days organised by the agency will be held on May 6 at the Palace State Rooms, at Gozo museums and sites on May 19 and all museums and sites on May 20, the latter as part of the public service week.

Apart from open days Heritage Malta offers other concessions and initiatives to various age categories, including seniors. Seniors pay a concession rate on admission fee and even benefit from concession rate when they subscribe to the agency’s membership.

Heritage Malta also organises different events, some of which are specifi-

cally addressed for seniors. The agency takes all the necessary arrangements to make the visit a pleasant one.

This open day is an initiative celebrating the European Year of Cultural Heritage.

For more information about Heritage Malta events and offers, you can visit www.heritagemalta.org or the agency’s official Facebook page.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

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SENIOR TIMES ‒ apRIl 2018

PETS

Kind gestures for the MSPCA Every​animal​deserves​a​second​chance​to​have​the​right​loving​family.

If​you​want​to​know​true​kindness,​ look​ into​ a​ dog’s​ eyes when​it​greets​you​or​feel​the gentle​purring​of​a​cat​as​it​settles​down​on​your​lap.​ But​in​return,​not​every​animal receives​love​and​care.​ Every​animal​deserves​to​enjoy a​life​free​from​cruelty​and​neglect.​At​the​Malta​Society​for​the Protection​and​Care​of​Animals (MSPCA),​our​mission​is​to​work very​hard​to​promote​kindness and​prevent​cruelty​to​animals, through​rehoming,​neutering​and microchipping,​education,​advocacy​and​other​activities.​

MSPCA CHARITY SHOPS ​ ho​doesn’t​like​a​good​barW gain?​And​when​the​money​goes to​a​good​cause​there​is​even added​value​to​your​purchase.​ Whether​you​are​looking​for something​specific​or​just​bargain​ hunting​ we​ have​ lots​ to​offer.​Of​course​this​wouldn’t be​possible​without​people’s donated​goods​and​the​wonderful​ team​ of​ volunteers​ who​ sort,​ pick​ and​ organise​ our​ stock.​ We​ would​ like​ to thank​everyone​who​has​been part​of​our​successful​charity retail​outlets.

Our​three​charity​shops​are​in Naxxar​ Square,​ Naxxar,​ Triq​ il-Greċja,​ Naxxar,​ and​ Ġorġ Borg​Olivier​Street,​Sliema.​

HELPING US HELP ANIMALS We​do​not​receive​any​funds​from​Government.​ We​ manage​ to​ sustain​ our​ mission​ thanks​ to​ our​ hardworking​ volunteers,​ our​ three​ charity​ shops, fundraising​initiatives,​and​funds​from​a combination​of​private​donors​and​Dogs Trust​UK​which​has​a​long​standing​relationship​with​the​MSPCA. We​also​depend​on​your​kind​donations.​You​can​help​us​by​sponsoring: ▪ the​organisation​of​one​of​our​major fundraising​events;

▪ the​annual​rent​for​the​opening​of​a new​charity​shop;​ ▪ a​kennel; ▪ the​MSPCA​annual​report; ▪ yearly​internet​and​landline​services; ▪ a​cat​pen; ▪ the​salary​of​an​animal​care​and​adoption​officer; ▪ yearly​cost​of​one​of​our​three​vans; ▪ yearly​food​supply​for​a​dog​or​a​cat; ▪ yearly​veterinary​care​for​a​dog​or​a​cat; ▪ urgent​projects​that​pop​up​from​time to​time.

FLANSIE I​have​been​kept​in​a​field​without walks​or​the​opportunity​to​meet other​dogs​or​cats​so​my​history​is still​in​the​process​of​being​written.​ Having​lived​without​company​for so​ long,​ I​ don’t​ know​ how​ to​ act around​other​dogs​and​cats​but​I’m very​friendly​with​people.​

YOUR LEGACY We​ depend​ on​ voluntary donations​from​kind​people​ like​you.​ Leaving​ us​ a​ gift​ in​ your will​ helps​ us​ continue​ the work​we​do​and​is​extremely important​for​our​mission.​ By​leaving​us​a​gift​in​your will,​you​will​help​us​make the​difference.​ The​best​way​to​support us​ in​ your​ will​ is​ to​ leave​ us​ an​ unrestricted​ gift, which​we​can​then​use​for the​ most​ urgent​ matters.

However,​you​can​also​specify​ how​ your​ gift​ should​ be​ used​ by​ leaving​ us​ a restricted​gift.​ Your​ gift​ will​ help​ us​ rescue,​ rehabilitate​ and​ re-home​animals​that​have been​abused​or​neglected.

Let​your​love​of​animals​live on​with​a​gift​in​your​will.​

KLAUS and PUPA We’re​very​gentle​and​sweet.

We​are​also​neutered,​vac​cinated​ and​ chipped.​ The MSPCA​is​currently​assessing our​pair​bond​to​see​whether we​ are​ in​ need​ of​ a​ home together​or​whether​we​can live​in​separate​homes.​

EVERY SECOND COUNTS: HOW TO BECOME AN MSPCA VOLUNTEER LOVE LIVES ON Many​people​wonder​what​will happen​ to​ their​ beloved​ pets when​they​pass​away​or​are​no longer​ able​ to​ care​ for​ them.

Friends​and​family​may​not​be able​to​take​on​the​added​responsibility.​As​a​responsible​owner, you​want​to​be​sure​your​pets​are well​taken​care​of.​ Apart​from​leaving​us​a​gift​in your​will,​you​can​also​include provisions​for​your​pets​in​your will.​We​can​take​care​of​your pets​ after​ you​ pass​ and​ will make​sure​to​find​them​a​loving home​ through​ our​ rehoming centre.​For​more​information call​us​on​9921​1208​or​e-mail coo@spcamalta.org.​

▪ Do you love animals and have some free time?

▪ Would you like to meet new people and make new friends?

▪ Would you like to help make a difference to our cats and dogs?

If you answered yes to any of the above, we would love to hear from you.

We have three busy charity shops in Sliema and Naxxar that provide much needed funds to cover the cost of neutering, microchipping, rehoming and for the

protection and care of the animals entrusted to our care. We urgently need volunteers for a variety of tasks. If you would like to find out more and or want to apply to join us: ▪ visit our website: https://www.maltaspca.org/volunteer or ▪ e-mail volunteer@spcamalta.org for more information or ▪ call us on 2123 0468 (Wednesday to Sunday) if you would like to know more.

Malta Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, St Francis Ravelin, Floriana, FRN1231, Malta www.maltaspca.org