Category Archives: Features

A Message from the British Embassy

We have been asked to help the British Embassy to ensure all British living in Portugal have this important information about Brexit. Click on the links at the foot of this page for information that they are asking Amovate to pass on, it’s important you are all aware.

“Dear All,

As prominent members of the community in Portugal and important partners for the British Embassy, we would like to ask for your help in promoting our advice on how to get ready for Brexit. This will enable us to reach the people we might otherwise struggle to reach.

Please find attached a partnership pack which has been prepared by the UK government as part of the “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign. The “Get Ready” campaign was devised to help UK nationals living in the EU understand the impact Brexit might have on them and to advise them of the steps they can take now to prepare in order to maintain their rights and their access to local services after Brexit.

The four actions we need UK nationals in Portugal to take are the following:

Register for residency;
Check they are covered for healthcare and register with their local health centre;
Check their passport is valid for travel;
Exchange their UK driving licence for a Portuguese one.

There are a number of ways you can help us spread the message:

Inform your family, friends, colleagues and members of your organisation;
Post information on your social media channels;
Display our Posters in a prominent location.

We are grateful for your support in helping us to spread our messages.

Best regards,

British Embassy”

** gov.uk/brexit

** UK Nationals Partnership Pack PORTUGAL

Committee Members Needed

Coming towards the end of the 2019 Committee, Amovate are about to lose the services of 4 of it’s team.

Several are relocating and therefore there is a need for new willing recruits to help. Generally the Committee meets once a month for their full meeting, with the odd ad hoc meeting called for specific reasons generally when a function is being held.

We are in urgent need of willing members that have a few hours a month to spare out of their schedule.

Amovate are hoping that very soon the new VDT Plan will become public and the Câmara look towards our organisation as the people to represent the community especially on these important issues.

In the near future if enough residents register to vote VDT would have the thousand required which could enable it to have it’s very own Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia). This would mean a local Farmácia amongst other things, but more importantly it would give local people the opportunity to become councillors and represent the area, making a real difference and with funding to do things locally within VDT.

The current committee, should this time comes, would be more than happy to step aside from the current situation, and if required just continue as the Charity side of the organisation of today.

If you think you could help us or require more information on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact Ian Bedford Vice President of Amovate on info@amovate.com

Annual Charity Walk – Charity chosen

The Charity this year has been chosen and will be for helping a child named Vincente whom you may have read about in the latest copy of Tomorrow Magazine.
Vincente requires life saving surgery that exceeds €8,000 and through the Local Organisation that we have helped before, The Saint Vincent de Paul Society, any funding will be passed through a managing group to deal with medical payments.
To further help this charity, the article in Tomorrow Magazine indicates that both metal and plastic bottle tops can be saved as part of their “Lids for Life” campaign. Amovate are happy to collect them on the behalf of the group.
Several other groups are doing the same around the Western Algarve to help with the funding. http://tomorrowalgarve.com/lets-help-vicente
Tops should be kept separate (plastic and metal) and placed in sealed bags or plastic bottles which can be left at The Old School House; perhaps you could ask your local hostelry to pass these on as well.
The Charity Walk has raised thousands in the past through donations and sponsoring so remember “every little helps”.

Amovate’s Help For Heroes

AMOVATE was absolutely delighted and honoured to host a “haven for heroes” as the heroic fire fighters of Aljezur and surrounding areas battled the huge wild fires that, for a time, appeared to threaten lives and homes in Vale da Telha, Vales, Espartal and other adjoining areas.

As the fires took hold we were contacted by the President of the Junta de Freguesia of Aljezur who asked us if the Bomberios could use the Amovate Old School House as a feeding station and respite area for the fire fighters from the length and breadth of Portugal as they battled the blazes for more than 12 hours.

And of course we—and the Petanca Clube de Vale da Telha who sublet the premises from Amovate—were more than happy to help the men and women who were risking their lives to help us.

Amovate and petanca club president Antonio Ramos, who did such a magnificent job through the evening and well into Saturday morning, quickly leapt into action.

The rest area and feeding station was rapidly set up so the tired men and women of the bombeiros were able to “refuel”, snatching some rest and refreshment before resuming their heroic efforts which eventually resulted in the outbreak being brought under control without loss of life or property.

Amovate committee member Kjell Motet and partner Cath Baker ran the bar all night, with support from Amovate President Matt D’Arcy and Administrator Steve Scott, who informed the petanca club that Amovate would foot the bill for all drinks consumed by the fire fighters.

It was a real team effort, as the ladies who volunteer at Aljezur Bombeiros brought up from their HQ large vats of cooked food and fruit to serve to their colleagues at the tables set up by Amovate around the building’s car park and petanca court.

Aljezur Vice President Antonio Carvalho was also in attendance throughout the day and evening, and Rui Miguel da Silva André the President of Monchique, an area which has suffered much from forest fires, also arrived to lend his support.

A spokesman for Amovate commented: “It was our absolute privilege to be asked, along with our friends in the Petanca Clube de Vale da Telha to play our part in assisting these wonderful men and women.

“We can only say well done once again to the brave and brilliant bombeiros of Aljezur and the colleagues from other areas who raced to their assistance.

“There were apparently 200 fire fighters, eight aircraft and 70 fire trucks involved, all of whom worked tirelessly for hour after hour in such difficult circumstances to avert what could have been a major tragedy through their bravery and hard work.

“We owe them our grateful thanks and respect”.

2019 Membership Cards

There are a large number of New Membership Cards awaiting collection at Amovate Headquarters.

If you have recently joined Amovate, or renewed your Membership, but haven’t got your card, do pop in to the old school house. They are being kept in the bar area, in the top right hand drawer.