Category Archives: Amovate Events

Amovate Christmas Charity Event at Hugo’s Bar Raises €700

It was an inspired brainwave for a fundraiser—the more you drank the more cash was raised to provide presents for needy children!

So, residents of Aljezur, Espartel, Arrifana,Vale da Telha and the surrounding districts raised their glasses…and collected a fantastic €700 to put a smile on the faces of deprived children and families at Christmas.

On Friday (December 5) Amovate teamed up with Hugo’s Bar with the aim of providing presents for kids who otherwise might not be getting a visit from Santa Claus this year.

And Amovate President John Bergstrom-Potter smiled: “It’s a win-win situation; you have your bevvy and the charity gets some money to put a smile on the faces of children in danger of missing out at a time for giving and well-being.”

As you will probably know, each year the BPI Bank’s branch in Aljezur is supplied with a list of children in deprived circumstances who will not be receiving any Christmas presents, and the branch arranges to collect donations to help out.

Amovate and Hugo Nanitas, owner of Hugo’s Bar, offered to arrange gifts from the cash raised at the charity event for 10 of these children, including a personalised Christmas card with each gift-wrapped present.

Hugo’s pledge to donate a portion of the price of every drink sold in a four-hour period—€1 for every caneca (pint) priced at €2.50, for example—raised €285.50 which Amovate, as promised, then doubled to produce a final total of €571.

Amovate then decided to round the cash up to €700—€200 for the children’s presents and €500 to the St Vincent de Paul society for distribution amongst the area’s poorer families.

Amovate committee member Steve Baker also set up several games of skill during the event—which was attended by Aljezur Camara PresidentJosé Amarelinho, parish priest Padre Nuno and Fernando from the BPI—for which people paid €1 and attempted to win five bottles of beer in an ice bucket.

Said John Bergstrom-Potter: “It was a really successful and enjoyable evening, made even more so by the knowledge that everyone who attended helped to put a smile on the face of a child who may otherwise have missed out this Christmas.”
***Now, why not view the photographs accompanying this story–if you click on each picture it will present itself in a larger size.

: Charity Fund Day at Hugo’s Bar

Christmas Charity Fundraiser At Hugo’s Bar

Let’s bring back the true spirit of Christmas!

Every year, when the Christmas adverts and promotions begin in October we complain that the festive season has been hi-jacked by corporate Fat Cats, turning the whole affair into a commercial circus.

But we can easily remedy that by making this Christmas a time for giving, for putting the smile on the faces of children who might otherwise miss out on the happiness and cheer of a time for giving and well-being.

AMOVATE has teamed up with Hugo’s Bar and the BPI Children’s Appeal to buy presents for 10 needy children and to donate funds to the St Vincent de Paul Charity in Aljezur which helps the poor.

As you know each year the BPI Bank in Aljezur is supplied with a list of children who will not be receiving any Christmas presents this year.

They are asking for people to buy books school backpacks etc., and a nice touch when you wrap the present in Christmas gift paper to hand into the bank is to include a Christmas card.

Amovate will arrange gifts for 10 children in deprived circumstances from the funds raised at the Charity event in Hugo’s Bar which will take place on Friday December 5^th from 4pm to 8pm.

It will work this way…

Hugo is going to donate to the fund a percentage of the drinks bought at the event (for example, a caneca (pint) of Sagres normally sells for €2.50. Hugo will donate €1 for each caneca sold and for each gin and tonic selling for €4 he will donate 50 cents).

So, for every drink bought in those four hours Hugo will donate a percentage to the fund.

Hugo will place a bucket on the bar counter to put the money in from each drink, and every time the cash is dropped in, a horn will sound! Sweet music for the children…

There will also be several games set up, for which people can pay €1 for the privilege of attempting to win five bottles of beer in an ice bucket.

At the end of the event Amovate will match the amount dropped into the bucket by Hugo, doubling the donation.

We believe this may be the first time a restaurant or bar has supported Amovate with hard cash.

But it can only be a real success if you come along, buy a drink or two and make sure the Spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Vale da Telha.

So please turn up and lend your support, in the full knowledge that by so doing you will help to put the smile on the face of a child who may otherwise have missed out this Christmas.

Christmas Party at O Paulo – Update

At the risk of being accused of falling back on clichés—a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought—tickets for the Christmas Party at O Paulo really ARE selling like hot cakes!

And that’s even BEFORE we told you what was on the menu!

We did tell you last week that this year’s Christmas Party & Dinner will again be held at Arrifana’s O Paulo Restaurant on Saturday, December 20^th, from 7.30pm.

And as we said the ticket price will be €22.50 for Amovate members, €25 for non-members, and numbers will be strictly limited to 100 people attending.

Now we can inform you that the Menu will comprise (and please note that we would ask you to let us know your choice of the main course as you book your tickets):

Couvert: Shrimps, fish cakes, croquettes

Main Course:

Monkfish Kebab (with chips, salad, mixed veg),
OR

Pork Alentejano style (with cubed potatoes and pickled veg),
OR

Lamb in the Oven (with roast potatoes, mixed veg, salad)

Dessert: Variety of dessert cakes

Coffee

Schnapps (eg. Modronho or alternative).

All other drinks to be paid for.

As we said previously we are in discussions with Luis, the taxi operator, hoping to arrange a taxi shuttle service from the Pines Roundabout similar to the one that worked so well at The Summer Solstice event in June.

As soon as arrangements are made we will let you know.

And similarly with the entertainment for the evening; Paulo is in discussion with a couple of well-rated entertainers and once he has confirmed his selection we will let you know.

There will of course be intervals of background music between the live performances throughout the evening.

You can order your tickets from Amovate committee members Ian Bedford, Kate Lang and Steve Scott or by e-mailinginfo@Amovate.com

Ian’s contact phone numbers are 282 995 249 landline or 96 479 7458 mobile.

You can contact Kate on: 912 956 042 mobile or 282 995 476 landline

And Steve’s mobile number is:- 93 480 9043

But don’t forget to get in touch quickly—as we say tickets are selling like searing sweet food! (There’s got to be a better way of writing this!)
AMOVATE ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE

Farmácia in Aljezur – Follow Up

Pharmacist Visit to Amovate

The visit to Amovate by Solange Escobar from Aljezur’s Farmacia was attended by 17 people and was deemed a successful experiment that should be repeated.

As you may recall Solange contacted us to say she was keen to promote good health among the local community.

She proposed a visit to the Old School House to meet with residents and talk about ways of achieving this, and perhaps run some tests on individuals if so required.

In that first meeting, last Wednesday, November 19, she talked about cholesterol and prescriptions, and Amovate committee member John Williams, who organised the event with colleague Alan Nightingale, said afterwards:

“Solange’s talk was excellent and those 17 that attended have asked her to come back and next time talk about diabetes, which she has agreed to do, at a date to be arranged.

“So, once again we would ask residents, not just Amovate members, to contact us at the e-mail addresses and phone numbers below for either Alan or myself to let us know if they would like to attend this second meeting about diabetes and any other issues they would like to raise.”

John added: “Following on from the talk, some folk asked if she could let them have details of the diet charts she produced regarding Cholesterol levels etc. and she has let us have them—you can find them posted here with this article.

“We would like to thank Solange for the generous use of her time, and for the valuable information and advice she was able to give those who attended.

“She is prepared to hold these briefings monthly or-bi-monthly or at any intervals suitable to the residents and is ready to discuss a wide range of health issues with those attending.

“Everyone is welcome to ask her any questions on issues they are not sure about, so we would appreciate it if as many residents as possible would let us know of their willingness to attend on future occasions.

“Remember, this is a broad health issue organised by Amovate but by no means restricted to Amovate members. The meetings are open to all residents.”

For your information, and contact books, details of the Farmacia are:
Email address: farmaciafurtado@gmail.com

FARMÁCIA ALJEZUR

Av. General Humberto Delgado S/N

8670-001 Aljezur

HORÁRIO: 2ª a SÁB.: 9.00-20.00H

HORA DE ALMOÇO: 13-15H

Tel No: 282 994 430
Mobile: 91 887 3019.
Anyone interested in attending the next meeting at a date to be advised, and discussing their health issues with Solange should contact John Williams or Alan Nightingale from the Amovate committee. Their contact details are:
John Williams – Email address, sandraandjohn@lycos.com Telephone 282 997 194
Alan Nightingale – Email address, alamo38@btinternet.com Telephone 282 997 059
Alan says: “Whilst people would be welcome to attend on the day, if people could advise their attendance to either of the above this would assist us in preparations for Solange`s talk.”

Click Here to View/Download Powerpoint on Cholesterol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE thing’s for sure—now that we’re retired and living in a sunlit paradise, we want to enjoy this new life for as long as we can.
And one indisputable way of doing this is to stay in good health and take care of ourselves.
Solange, from the Farmacia in Aljezur, is keen to promote good health among the local community.
And she is proposing to come along to The Old School House to meet with residents and talk about ways of achieving this, and perhaps run some tests on individuals if so required.
Solange says that amongst other things she will talk about cholesterol and prescriptions, but she is ready to discuss a wide range of health issues with those attending the meeting who are welcome to ask her any questions on issues they are not sure about.
She plans to hold the first meeting on November 19^th at 2pm—her lunch hour—and would consider repeating the visits on a monthly or bi-monthly basis if residents so require.

Just for your information details of the Farmacia are:
Email address: furtado@gmail.com
Tel No: 282 994 430
Mobile: 91 887 3019.

Anyone interested in attending and discussing their health issues with Solange should contact John Williams or Alan Nightingale from the Amovate committee. Their contact details are:

John Williams – Email address, sandraandjohn@lycos.com Telephone 282 997 194
Alan Nightingale – Email address, alamo38@btinternet.com Telephone 282 997 059
Alan says: “Whilst people would be welcome to attend on the day, if people could advise their attendance to either of the above this would assist us in preparations for Solange`s talk.”

Noite Portuguesa-Update -And a selection of Photographs

Well, it wasn’t December 1963, but the opening verse of the Four Seasons song still struck the right notes:
Oh, what a night
Late December, back in ’63
What a very special time for me
As I remember, what a night.
****
Amovate’s Noite Portuguesa (Portuguese Night) WAS a fun-filled evening to remember thoroughly enjoyed by the sixty three people who attended.
As President John Bergstrom-Potter pointed out: “It was a really successful evening, made so by good food, good company and a great atmosphere”.
John added: “Jose and his staff at the Restaurante Vale da Telha did a really great job as did our committee members Rick Hursthouse, Steve Scott and Ian Bedford who worked hard to make the evening such a success”.
Everyone there really entered into the spirit of the evening, singing along and dancing to the songs and music of Carlos Agapito, whose repertoire included a mix of traditional Portuguese music along with familiar standards.
Now, keep watching for news of our next big event, our Christmas Dinner at O Paulo on December 20. We’ll be publishing full details with information about how you can get your tickets as soon as we have arranged everything with Paulo to our satisfaction.
(Double click on the Photos so they will present themselves in a larger form)

Portuguese Night At Restaurante Vale da Telha

When in Portugal…

OK, so St Ambrose’s original quote referred to Rome. But as most of us now live full-time in Portugal, I’m sure old Aurelius Ambrosius wouldn’t mind our little piece of poetic licence.

The point is that every now and again comes a time to embrace the fact that most expats here on Vale da Telha have made Portugal their permanent home.

And that time has once again arrived as we present our annual Portuguese Night to celebrate the food, flavour and music of Portugal.

OK, we do tend to slope off every now and again down to the Iceland supermarket in Guia to raid their freezers in order to stock our freezers with the foodstuffs we miss from back home.

One recent survey amongst Brits abroad received a huge list of such things they missed most, ranging from; the countryside, beer, Sunday papers, pubs, and the language, to double-decker buses, the theatre, Boots, M&S and TV.

But you won’t be surprised to know that Heinz Tomato Soup, Heinz Beans, Fray Bentos Classic Steak & Kidney Pie, Bisto Gravy Granules, Crumpets and Branston Pickle all got an honourable mention!

It seems that when British citizens choose to move abroad, no matter how fantastic their new lifestyle is (and here on the west coast ‘fantastic’ doesn’t do it justice!), there’s always something that they miss from home—usually food.

After all, food can take you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane within seconds of it hitting your taste buds—or perhaps it’s simply because you can’t make a proper bacon buttie without proper British bread!

But as we all know Portuguese cuisine is also packed with culinary delights—the seafood, the shellfish, the pork, the fresh fruit and veg, and we never miss an opportunity to enjoy it.

And that’s just what you can do by coming along to the Portuguese Night of food, drinks and music, on Saturday November 1^st starting at 7pm at the Restaurante Vale da Telha on the Pines Roundabout.

José has promised a feast of Portuguese flavours, a four-course meal replete with prawns, cod cakes, chouriço, lamb casserole and Bacalhau à Brás among other dishes you can see in the full menu below.

This will all be accompanied by the music of Carlos Agapito, whose repertoire includes a mix of traditional Portuguese music along with familiar standards like Pretty Woman, Stand By Me, La Bamba, New York, New York and much, more more.

Tickets for the meal and the music cost €18 for Amovate members, €20 for non-members and you can buy them from Ian Bedford, David (“Ogy”) Ogborn and Steve Scott

You can e-mail any of the three at:

Ian:

i.mcbedford@googlemail.com

David:

ogycanfixit@hotmail.com

Steve:

msscott@oninet.pt

Alternatively you may ask any committee member you know—you can find all of their names by clicking on “Committee 2014-2015” in the top strapline.

The Menu Comprises:

Starters

Camarao Frito (Black Tiger Prawns shelled in Hot Sauce)

Pataniscas (Cod Cakes)

Queijo Assado (Sheep’s Cheese in the oven)

Chouriço assado (Chorizo cooked in the oven)

Legumes SOPA (Vegetable Soup)

Mains

Bacalhau A Bras (Shredded Cod with Fried Onions and Egg)

Ensopada Borrego (Lamb Casserole)

Sweets

Torta Laranja C/ Groselha (Orange Cake with Red Currant Sauce)

Cheese Cake Ingles (Cheese Cake)

Salad Fruta (Fruit Salad)

(All Drinks To Be Paid For Separately)