Yearly Archives: 2011

Cheque Presentation to Madrugada

From Left: Amovate President Peter Johnson, Jeanette Cumberworth, Alison Blair from Madrugada & Kim Wassell from Pastelaria do Parque

Amovate—which last year donated nine wheelchairs to Portimao Hospital—handed over €700 to Jeanette Cumberworth’s Madrugada Charity appeal on Saturday, a week after the Vale da Telha Music Festival.

The gift from Amovate’s charity fund was the biggest single donation in the final count of €2,596 contributed through various fundraising events on Vale da Telha.

That total TREBLED Jeanette’s initial target of €800 to buy a ripple bed for the charity that assists people with life-threatening illnesses.

Amovate President Peter Johnson handed over the Association’s cheque to Madrugada Director Alison Blair at Saturday’s Summer Fair at the Pastelaria do Parque.

Alison said when she was told the final total of €2,596: “I am overwhelmed and so moved. I wasn’t even aware this community was here, just half an hour drive from our advice centre and shop in Praia da Luz until Jeanette first contacted us.

“This comparatively small number of residents has shown the warm heart of its community by managing to raise such a large sum. This will enable us not only to buy the ripple bed which we need so badly, but also to prioritise other important projects.”

Later, Jeanette told us: “I am so overcome by the response from such a small but warm-hearted community as ours to my appeal for €800 to buy a ripple bed.

“The fact that they raised more than treble that amount has left me feeling very emotional–it really is an unbelievable response and one beyond all expectations.”

She went on: “I’d like to say a big thank-you to Amovate for a massive donation of €700, but all of the money was raised from so many activities by so many people.

“For example, there was Marion’s quiz night, Brian’s music quiz on the Thursday before the event that raised over €100, €25 from the Keep Fit group.

“There were numerous other small donations, from Borboletas women’s group, the sales of raffle tickets etc at the Amovate Music Festival. The raffle night at the Piranha Bar on behalf of the Borboletas raised 110 euros, cash from the collection box on the counter at Pastelria do Parque and of course Saturday’s Summer Fair.

“There, monies were raised from various stalls and games at the venue and all of that went into the funds.

“Literally every euro contributed has gone towards the Magrugada Charity and that also included private donations from people who did not want publicity.

“So everyone had a part, large or small, in raising the amount now settled at €2,596.

“The Ripple bed costs around €700 and the surplus will be used for other items needed at Magrugada.

“I will be in touch with Alison at Magrugada when I get back from UK after the 6th September.

“And when the items are purchased I will be arranging for another press/photo release with Magrugada and others who

www.madrugada-portugal.com

had been involved with the fund raising, such as the Borboletas, Amovate, Kim and Nick at the Pastelaria do Parque and members of the Committee who helped in the organisation etc.

“Then, everyone can see the items to which they contributed so wonderfully.

“I would like you all to know too that, yes, doing this fundraising was very hard emotionally. But it was also very easy, as a project that I had to do to make a closure in my life.

“My initial thought at the time was that what happened to me and my family, and of course to Tony, could happen to someone else.

“I do not want anyone else to experience being on their own here in Portugal, thinking there is no help, and to struggle without support.

“I found Magrugada too late for me and my family. I just needed it to not be too late for anyone else, that’s all.”

***Amovate wishes to point out that although the Music Festival was a huge success, the €700 donation was not in total the result of proceeds of the night.

But the Committee felt that for such a good and important cause they should draw on cash from their reserves to donate the equivalent cost of a ripple bed to Jeanette’s charity.

Vale Da Telha Angling Association

Calling all Aljezur Anglers!

There is a growing consensus that the area up here is open to the idea of forming a new club for keen anglers.

Some preliminary talks have taken place to discuss the formation of a new fishing club based in Vale da Telha for sea, lake and river fishing.

It is also hoped that it will join forces with a local and long-established Portuguese fishing club to get access to the best fishing available on this part of the West coast.

Would anyone interested please contact, in the first instance, the man we called “Pescador”, aka Bernie MCone, at this e-mail address…..

berniemccone@gmail.com

CITY HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS 28th & 29th AUGUST

This information has been sent to Amovate by the Câmara, and below is a rough translation:

Celebrations of the municipality of Aljezur will take place on this holiday.

Despite the difficulties we are experiencing, the city did not want to stop marking this date, using as much imagination and creativity to ensure joy and celebration these days with the proper financial restraints.

So for the second consecutive year these festivities will start on 28th August with  August Night, Multicultural Night Aljezur.  This is a moment that will show everyone some of the different cultural aspects of our County.

This initiative will take place throughout the historic district of Aljezur starting

in Freedom Square at the foot of the Castle, past the square of the Museum

Hall, the Church of Mercy, St. Anthony Museum and ending  inside the Castle of Aljezur.

This initiative is to create momentum in the historic area, opening the public museums, creating interaction with various musical tastes and ages, different audiences that may find fado, accordion band, brass, classical violin and flute, saxophone, jazz, theatre animation, circus, evidence of regional products, painting, crafts and such could and not failing  to miss refreshments from throughout this area.

Participants and visitors are asked to present themselves at this party wearing something white.

On August 29 the traditional bathe on the beach of Monte Clérigo will take place preceded by a march tour.

The participants will recreate the typical festivals that the people of the fields did, going to the beach during these dates, with their clothing and packed lunch “piqueniqueiro” with the typical snacks of the day. All this will be accompanied with the presence of two accordion players who will go on the beach at Monte Clérigo and relive the old traditions.

At 17:00 hours in the EMA – Multipurpose space in  Aljezur the Traditional Mega sardine feast, and for the first time this year will have entertainment &  Music in the same room with the presence of the duo Rhythm and Young Artist popular music REBECA

In the early evening, the Youth Aljezurenses will be awarded by the municipality for their school performance obtained during the academic year 2010/2011, with a cheque  assigning each one to the value of 500 euros.

Please click on this link for the full schedule of events (in Portuguese) City Holiday Celebrations

Vale Da Telha Music Festival

It was all about the beat at the Vale da Telha Music Festival.

It was a day when the estimated 350 revellers;

BEAT the weather as forecasts of thunderstorms failed to dampen their spirits;

BEAT the attendance record for the annual festival hosted by Amovate and backed by local businesses and the Aljezur Camara; and;

Danced to the BEAT of rock ‘n’ roll doo-wop band The Teds until the wee small hours.

Diamond & Pearl

Diamond & Pearl got the whole thing off to a rousing start with their fabulous music and singing, the crowd gradually building up as night began to fall.

The three bars were doing great business and the audience also made good use of the two food concessions belonging to Nick and Kim from the Pastelaria do Parque, and the Piranha, whose cocktail bar was also a big attraction.

Then, headline act The Teds took over centre stage—a “stage” comprising the long flatbed trailer of a lorry, generously contributed by Lagoa Building Supplies.

After sorting out a few problems with sound volume, the five-piece band created a fantastic atmosphere with their rock ‘n’ roll

The Teds

doo-wop style that had people dancing and jiving until well past midnight.

Amovate’s committee members, who had worked hard for the previous two days setting up the location—aided by workers from Aljezur Camara who backed the event—felt well justified for all their efforts as the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the night’s proceedings.

Steve Baker, President of Amovate’s Fiscal Council, did a fantastic job setting up all the electrics and display screen that brightened up the area and helped create a wonderful ambience for a very successful night.

But, as always, there was a serious note to the evening.

The Vale da Telha Music Festival backs Amovate’s charity fund which last year helped us buy NINE wheelchairs for Portimao Hospital.

Proceeds this year will go towards the Madrugada charity which supports people affected by life-threatening illnesses.

Residents all across Vale da Telha and the surrounding districts have been rallying around with a series of events to raise funds which are being funnelled towards the purchase of a Ripple Bed to ease the suffering of long-term bedridden patients.

Jeanette Cumberworth, who lost her husband Tony, explained: “I had first-hand experience of the comfort and care provided by Madrugada, even though unfortunately for my family we only discovered them a little late.

“I wanted to do this to help Madrugada get better and bigger to reach out to more families who need this kind of support, and also to make more people aware of the wonderful care that they give so willingly.

“They really do help people and their families in the Algarve to cope with serious illness. The community here has rallied around in such a wonderful way to help me thank Madrugada in this manner.”

Now the fund-raising effort moves to the Pastelaria do Parque.

On Thursday at 8pm they will be staging a Music Quiz, which costs €1.50 per person, maximum 6 per team.

And this coming Saturday the Summer Fair Committee will be hosting ‘Festa de Verão’ at the Pastelaria from 2pm in aid of Madrugada, with Arts and Crafts stalls, Novelty Games, Prize Raffle, music and more, as organisers hope the final total raised will far exceed the €800 required to purchase one Ripple Bed.

***Amovate would like to thank sponsors the Pastelaria do Parque, the Piranha Bar, Lagoa Building Supplies, the www.valedatelha.eu website and Aljezur Camara for their wonderful and extremely valuable support in helping to make the Music Festival the success it was.

Grateful thanks to them, and we hope you continue to support these sponsors and repay their backing for the community.

Please see below for more photos: