Aljezur Bombeiros wearing some of the suits purchased (L Steve Scott, 3rd Left fire chief Mario Costa, R Ian Bedford)

By Matt D’Arcy

Roger that!

Aljezur Bombeiros are receiving each other loud and clear after Amovate presented them with 10 state-of-the-art radios following the recent wildfires.

You will recall that we held a fund-raiser at the Restaurante Fonte do Vale—a Beatles-themed concert, starring Algarve tribute band The Bottles—that brought in €3,120 for the fire fighters of Aljezur.

Radios Purchased for the Bombeiros

The amount raised included €500 from concert hosts the Restaurante Fonte do Vale, who also persuaded their beer and coffee supplier to throw in a donation.

So, a huge thank-you to Sofia, Davide and their team and a big thanks, too, to all the 30-plus local businesses and establishments which sponsored the event.

Discussions with fire chief Mario Costa about the best way of utilising the funds then resulted in the decision to buy the much-needed communications equipment, plus 12 suits of fire-retardant jackets and trousers.

We have a wonderful connection with our local Bombeiros—you may remember that five years ago Amovate helped organise and deliver to the fire fighters of Aljezur the donation of €50,000 worth of state-of-the-art fire-fighting and rescue equipment from a UK fire service charity.

Amovate member Dave Good and his Shepperton Aurora Rotary Club in the UK were major players in this huge enterprise, with a considerable donation to the Fire Service charity and then working to collect, store and package the kit before transporting it to Southampton for shipping. They have also arranged donations to fire services in other parts of Portugal.

Fire chief Costa now intends for himself and his men to thank the people of Vale da Telha by bringing the brigade’s new fire engine and ambulance to the Restaurante Fonte do Vale sometime in September, and displaying the donated radios and uniforms for members and residents to see them first hand.

Amovate also went beyond our local boundaries to assist fire fighters and residents in other areas whose courage and fortitude kept the fires from encroaching towards our part of the Algarve.

A €200 donation from our charity fund was approved by the committee and used to buy clothing for Silves Bombeiros as they fought the Monchique fires. We heard they desperately needed clothes they could change into when they came away for a rest, so, using our donation we bought 48 t-shirts, 50 items of underwear for men and 24 for ladies, giving the fire fighters access to dry clothing after becoming drenched battling the flames.

Cath Baker, one of our members, kindly spent the day buying the items and delivering them to Silves.

Goods & Equipment arrive in Monchique

And Amovate. representing this big-hearted community up the hill from Aljezur, also gave more than €300—€200 from our charity fund and a further €100-plus donated by members—to help towards the recovery of the people of Monchique from the devastating fires.

This was decided after it was brought to our attention that a number of people in the Monchique area had lost everything and were badly in need of assistance.

The donation allowed us to purchase goods and again people responded by donating items towards the list of requirements.

The equipment was gratefully received by Ajudar Monchique

Amovate secretary Steve Scott and Vice-President Ian Bedford then delivered goods they purchased with the cash, plus a large number of items donated by members and residents in the Vale da Telha area, to Ajuda Monchique (Help Monchique) whose volunteers distribute the items to people who had lost belongings and even their home.

Steve’s SUV, back seats lowered, was packed to the roof with items like food, work boots and trousers, cleaning and hygiene essentials, tools, gardening equipment, a microwave, coffee machine, kettle and a small worktop cooker.

The full list can be seen below.

Earlier in the day Steve and Ian made the official presentation of the radios and kit to fire chief Costa at the Bombeiros HQ.

Steve explained: “The radios will be used by the fire fighters when tackling fires, so they all can make each other aware of the developing situation when they are not close enough to speak directly to one another”.

After the Fires

He added: “When we made the deliveries in Monchique we saw for ourselves some of the devastation caused by the fires. In fact, the word ‘devastation’ is not strong enough for the damage caused by the fire or what it has done to people’s lives.

“What Amovate, its members and local community have done is, as the saying goes, a mere drop in the ocean. But as the saying also goes, every little helps.

After the Fires

“Overall this shows what Amovate is about and the members’ determination to react when emergencies arise. Of course we would prefer that these situations did not occur but they do and, like the Bombeiros who are mostly volunteers, it requires other groups to volunteer and help out in whatever way they can.

“This we can say is the core strength of Amovate, its members and the community. We are, of course, a non-profit making organisation and are also known for having supported other local charity requirements.

“If you live in VdT or in the surrounding areas please consider becoming a member to strengthen our aims of not just providing charitable assistance but also of persistently lobbying the Camara and local utilities to improve the infrastructure of the area”.

As Amovate President Matt D’Arcy jnr continues to point out: “The more members we have, the louder our voice, and the more we will be heard”.

* * * *

Goods Delivered to Monchique

(This includes both donated and purchased items).

Food:

Rice 20 x1kg, spaghetti 10 x 0,5kg, spiral pasta 10 x 0,5kg, beans 10 x 850gr, sausages 10 x 200gr, tuna 30 x 80gr, coffee 10 x 200gr, jams 15 x 450gr, salt 10 x 1kg, cooking oil 10 x 1ltr, vinegar 5 x 1ltr, sugar 10 x 1k, flour 10 x 1kg, cola, water.

Hygiene & cleaning products:

Toothbrush x 20, toothpaste  10 x 75ml, soap 25 x 125gr,, shampoo 10 x 300ml, toilet paper 3 x 24 rolls, clothes detergent 6 x 3L, All Surface 6 x 1,5L dishwashing liquid 5 x 0,5L, mops x 3, mop buckets x 4, buckets x 4, outdoor brushes x 2, indoor brushes x 2, cloths x 25.

Additional Items Donated:

Microwave, coffee machine, kettle, worktop cooker, saucepan, serviettes, various tins of food x 10, rice x 5 1kg, toilet rolls x 12, cleaning cloths (bagful), soap, cleaning Liquids x 3, mop, mugs x 2, plates, knife, fork & spoon set of 6, working shoes x 4 pairs, working trousers x 1 pair, socks x 3 pair.

Tools:

Pickaxe, rake, Portuguese spade, spade, electric drill, various tools: hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, a Stanley knife and safety glasses.