by Matt D’Arcy

Twenty-two disadvantaged families on the Algarve’s west coast will be having a far happier Christmas than they might otherwise have expected.

The ladies from the St Vincente de Paul society charity who helped co ordinate and distribute the goods

Thanks to the generosity and efforts of Amovate, the local community association based on Vale da Telha outside Aljezur, a team has distributed Christmas food to families identified as most in need by the St Vincente de Paul society, so each family could cook its own Christmas dinner.

Apart from donating €250 to buy the traditional Portuguese Christmas meal of Bacalhau da Consoada,  Amovate, (the Association of Residents & Friends of Vale da Telha, or, Associação Dos Moradores e Amigos do Vale Da Telha) co-ordinated the donations, collections and distribution of the food and goods.

Boxes ready for distribution

Amovate, who provided the 22 bacalhau, launched a drive asking members and residents to further donate the potatoes, cabbage and eggs which complete this traditional meal.

Vegetables, potatoes, carrots and greens were all provided by Sofia and David at the Restaurante Vale de Telha—situated in a central part of Vale da Telha—who also stored all the goods and took further donations before distribution.

Individual people also donated a total of 22 bottles of wine, 22 bolo-rei, 22 bottles of soft drinks, and 120 eggs alongside other non-perishable goods.

And last weekend Amovate loaded all the goods into two vehicles and delivered them to the charity for distribution to the chosen families.

Amovate president Ian Bedford told us, “We felt that none of our neighbours should go without the basics necessary to make Christmas a warmer and welcoming time for families going through hard times.

“It’s been a fantastic, warm-hearted and generous community effort and we hope the families who might have been approaching Christmas with little expectation now have a wonderful festive period, knowing there are people out there ready and willing to support them.

“We hope they really do have a Happy Christmas”.

Presents for A Casa CLD4SG (Casa da Crianças)

Amovate has also spent the past months supporting A Casa CLD4SG (Casa da Crianças) which looks after children and their families in poverty throughout Aljezur, Rogil and Odeceixe. 

And for Christmas they also purchased presents for these children, providing books, crayons, colouring pencils and erasers for 75 children.

Some happy children from A Casa CLD4SG (Casa da Crianças)

Great News!!

An update for you all, the Restaurante Fonte do Vale have offered to supply the vegetables for the meal for the 22 Families which is a fantastic gesture…..We are still collecting other goods and as the item below will be till Sunday 20^th December.  Non Perishable Food Gifts at Restaurante Fonte Do Vale.

                    ………………………………….

I must start this note by first of all thanking both Members and Non Members of Amovate for their donations made to one of our charities – St Vincent de Paul Society continually since May.  Your generosity has been overwhelming and all who receive these goods are extremely grateful and thankful.
Amovate has agreed to donate €250 for the Charity to purchase Bacalau for 22 families in Aljezur to help them enjoy a traditional Christmas meal and of course the goods donated by yourselves will help the cause, and ensure a substantial meal for all.
Hopefully I can now ask for one big effort towards the Christmas period and maybe you could also donate some little special foods – sweets, chocolates etc. to brighten up the families in this exceptionally difficult time.
We would like to ask that whatever gifts of food you give, it is left at the Fonte prior to the 20th December to give time for sorting and distribution.
Finally, a Special Thanks to Sofia and David at the Fonte for fronting these special collections and making sure the goods stay safe and dry, and of course as stated before, to all that have donated so far….Perhaps you could mention this effort to friends and cajole them into making a donation as well.
Kind Regards and Stay Safe

Ian Bedford, President of Amovate.

Caring Community Association Supports Covid-hit Charities

by Matt D’Arcy

Ian Bedford at the Odeceixe HQ of the A Casa CLD4SG (Casa da Crianças)

Algarve west coast community association Amovate has stepped up its charity work to bring aid to people in the area suffering through the pandemic.
Ian Bedford, president of the association which comprises both Portuguese and ex-pat residents in and surrounding Vale da Telha, Aljezur, told us, “Covid-19 has hit everyone, but the most vulnerable in society are those who are suffering most. And when something like this hits us, the plus side is that it often brings out the best in people.
“We have co-operated with various charities over the years, working, for example with a UK charity to provide €50,000 worth of equipment to Aljezur Bombeiros, and facilitating the provision of 26 wheelchairs to Portimao Hospital. “And this summer we again decided to offer help where we can to local charities whose own fund-raising efforts were, to an extent, drying up due to the Coronavirus.
“This also includes holding bi-monthly meetings with Aljezur Camara to identify and target areas where we can help most”.
These meetings have now resulted, amongst other things, in an agreement to re-route some scheduled times of the bus service operating to and from Aljezur/Lagos.
This means that, from March, some parts of the service will now pass through Vale da Telha, Espartal, Monte Clerigo and Arrifana, districts that have not had access to public transport for decades, despite the pressing needs of a growing population.
Also, Amovate had for some time been pressing for fibre optic broadband capability in Vale da Telha and surrounding districts after the area was by-passed, apparently because it lies within the Costa Vicentina National Park, despite Aljezur being included in the network.
But Amovate vice-President Matt D’Arcy of Chestertons Aljezur had several feasibility discussions with the service provider, and the fibre optic service is now being provided in the area.
Throughout the pandemic Amovate has worked closely with Conferencia Nossa Senhora D´Alva a charity which supports local families in need.

Steve Scott at the new HQ in Odeceixe

One child they were working with suffers from Williams Syndrome and requires €4,000 worth of mouth and dental treatment over a two-year period. Amovate agreed to donate 2,000€ which covers the first year.
Amovate also distributed a total of 16 food baskets valued at 25€ each to needy families supported by the charity, supplied at a reduced cost by Petra Deen who has a fruit and vegetable stall in Aljezur market.
Amovate also gave the charity €500 to help set up a soup kitchen.
In addition Amovate and Restaurante Fonte do Vale—situated in a central part of Vale Da Telha—set up a drop-off point for people wanting to donate non-perishable food items for the same cause, a service which continues to operate.
Said Amovate administrator Steve Scott, “We are also encouraging people to save plastic and metal bottle tops—separated—and drop them off at Solar Dos Vales restaurant in Vales to raise funds which help in the treatment of a three year-old boy.€3,000 of which was raised in a charity walk by Amovate committee member Cath Baker, the association providing a further €250.”
Amovate were also asked for their help by A Casa CLD4SG (Casa da Crianças) which looks after children in poverty and their families in poverty throughout Aljezur, Rogil and their new base in Odeceixe where the local Freguesa have given them use of what was a pre-school building to operate from.
The charity needed furnishings and shelving for their Odeceixe HQ to display items for sale.
And after Ian Bedford and Steve Scott visited to assess what was required Amovate agreed to buy and donate 10 sets of shelving at a cost of 280€.
Also Steve was able to donate 2 tables, 4 chairs, 4 loungers, bench seat, an LCD TV and other items.

In addition, Isobel Lobato for the charity’s Aljezur operation informed them they were in need of a new washing machine, which the Amovate purchased for them.
Amovate were invited to the inauguration of the operation in Odeceixe which Ian and Steve attended. (see photos). Representing the charity were Aida Manchado, Sandra Nunes and Mafalda Alves.
Later ACASA told us, “We deeply appreciate the support from Amovate and we were honoured to have Ian and Steve present at the inauguration of our donation centre in Odeceixe.
“It was a privilege to have them share their concern for the cause of the disadvantaged.
“At a time dedicated to the fight against poverty and social exclusion ACASA started this activity to give the greatest comfort to those in need and we are overwhelmed at both the financial and emotional support from Amovate”.

“Food With Love” For Disadvantaged Families

Amovate, who early in April began distributing boxes of fruit and vegetables, has this week donated €500 to the area’s Sociedade S.Vicente de Paulo, Aljezur, to reinforce that support.

Amovate—the Associação Dos Moradores e Amigos do Vale Da Tel, or the Association of Residents and Friends of Vale da Telha—has already handed out trays of fresh fruit and vegetables to local families via the St Vincent de Paul society and the Conferência Nossa Senhora D’Alva, Aljezur.

The fruit and vegetables were supplied at cost by Aljezur Market stallholder Petra Deen who also packed the boxes for distribution.

Amovate also arranged—with the assistance of the Restaurante Fonte do Vale who received the donations from local individuals via strict social-distancing guidelines—to deliver more than 40 carrier bags of non-perishable foodstuffs to the charity such as pasta, rice, tinned foods, flour, cereals, biscuits, oil, washing liquids, toiletries etc.

L to R Father Antonio, Fernanda Agapito, Ian Bedford

Amovate President Ian Bedford told us, “In these difficult times there are always families which suffer more than most and Amovate decided to team up with the local charities to offer our help.

“We were told that supplying boxes of fruit and vegetables for families with no land to grow their own food was the most pressing need, and, after that, the supply of basic essentials to more of the families hit hardest by the pandemic.

“These efforts need to be maintained whilst the pandemic is still being fought and we continue to look at other ways to help. We would certainly appreciate it if the generosity of the local community would continue, with tins or packets of food being dropped off at the Restaurante Fonte do Vale for collection by the two charities”.

The charity Conferência Nossa Senhora D’Alva has described these donations as “Food With Love”, and President Fernanda Agapito, whose team cooks food for 30-plus families at the weekends, declared,

“On behalf of myself and the Conference of Nossa Senhora da Alva we would like to thank everyone for their attitude and what they have done for us, at other times, too, but specifically now in this pandemic. Thank you for your Gifts.

“I am grateful, and I am sure that everyone who receives them will also be so. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Keep safe, and God bless”.

Those collections are ongoing and Amovate ask that more such donations are dropped off at the Fonte restaurant which is situated alongside the centrally-located Pines Roundabout in Vale da Telha.

Amovate President Ian Bedford is pictured here handing the cheque to Aljeur priest Father Antonio, with Fernanda Agapito also in the photograph. There are also images of the fruit boxes that have been distributed to local families in need.

**Amovate, a non-profit making charitable organisation, can be contacted via messaging on the Amovate Facebook page, or by e-mail at: info@amovate.com