Category Archives: News

Petanca Competition

By Steve Scott

Photographs By Cath Baker (a selection can be found at the end of this article, you can click on each image, and it will present in a larger format)

The West Coast’s third annual petanque competition saw another hugely successful interaction between expats and the local Portuguese community.

The tournament, launched to promote and foster friendship between the foreign incomers and the Portuguese inhabitants, has become a fixture in Vale da Telha, near Aljezur.

Hosted by Amovate and the Clube do Petanque who have our Old School House as their HQ, the tournament attracted 26 teams, each consisting of a Portuguese player and an expat.

This was another fantastic afternoon and evening in the battle for our coveted cup. The weather was brilliant sunshine, with a nice breeze to keep players cool—or alternatively they chose to sip a cold beer as they played!

Competition was strong because, as usual, although these can safely be called the friendly games, everyone playing nevertheless did so with the sole intention of wanting to win.

The formula is simple—an expat is teamed up with a Portuguese local and the Portuguese players once again had the skill to knock any ball away that was thrown too close to the jack by an expat! So it is a steep learning curve!

But that didn’t stop one of the expat ladies emerging as champion in her first-ever game of petanque! Celia Lynch teamed up with a very talented Filipe Semeão to claim the winners’ trophy.

Runners-up were Brieske Van Thuyme and Artur Silva, with this year’s wooden spoon going to Victoria Morecroft and Rita Malhado.

But, as is the custom and in the interests of fair play every player won a prize, whether beer or wine.

As it is designed to be a social gathering with the two communities becoming ever more integrated a BBQ followed the final play with the Portuguese ladies of their Clube do Petanque providing all of the food preparation. Then everyone got into a party mood, with music and dancing.

The proof is in the pudding and these annual tournaments really do what they say on the tin—promote and foster a genuine friendship and respect between all the nationalities living here.

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FOOTNOTE:

Those of you at the event will have seen that, unfortunately, Angela Crawford, one of the lady players, unfortunately had to be taken to Lagos hospital.

This was a sad point to the proceedings—one which caused an interruption to play—when Angela tripped and fell onto the gravel.

This caused a more than nasty cut to her knee resulting in an ambulance being called for and a trip to Lagos hospital.

We are happy to say that although the cut required several stitches we saw her the following day and she was in good spirits.  

Feira da Terra

As in previous years, the Cámara of Aljezur are holding another cycle of the Feira da Terra.

This fair of local products will take place at the EMA (Multipurpose Space of Aljezur) on Saturdays 7, 14, 21, 28 July, 4, 11, 18, 25 August, 1, 8 and 15 September from 8:00 a.m. to 13: 00h

In the Feira da Terra you will be able to buy natural and organic products, agri-foodstuffs such as honey, sausages or the tasty regional sweets, as well as vegetables and local and regional handicrafts.

This event has as its main objective the promotion of handicrafts, agricultural products and some economic activities that value the customs of the Municipality of Aljezur, thus enhancing the cultural and social values ​​of our region.

Traditional knowledge and flavours of the rural world … not to be missed in Aljezur.

Meeting – Bombeiros Voluntárious de Aljezur

At a meeting with the Bombeiros Voluntáriouis de Aljezur last week, Amovate asked what they would like us to buy with the €3.119,90 raised from the Bombeiros event at the Restaurante Fonte do Vale. After a short discussion they settled on the following…

  • Fire Retardent Jackets and trousers which cost around 150€ a suit
  • Radios that can be used by the officers when fighting fires to allow information to be passed between themselves so they are all aware of the situation when not close enough to inform one another..

The equipment will take approx.. 4/6 weeks to be delivered.

The Bombeiros have suggested a presentation of the equipment purchased could be made in Vale da Telha and it has also been suggested this should be at the Fonte who hosted the event and were also generous in their support of the event. The Bomberios also suggested that the new ambulance and fire engine could be made available to be on display at the same time work permitting.

In about 2 weeks time the Bomberios intend to hold 2 meetings at different times so as many people living in Vale Da Telha can attend where they will outline procedures for Major Fires and or Earthquakes, this will include indicating the safe designated areas to escape to as well as how messages and information will be relayed to residents.

Also there will be 2 or 3 people responsible in VdT area whom the Bombeiros would have direct contact with and who will lead the warning of any potential disaster.

The Bombeiros are also programming their own database of the whole community and surrounding areas and all hills which are named. This gives full information on each household so the Bombeiros know how many people are normally there., are there special needs etc. This also includes type of property and whether commercial or other and how accessible the property is.

Once again, another positive meeting and of course the Bomberios are very thankful and appreciative of our efforts and help once again.