NOTES FROM THE CHAIR
Pat Lee-Patton - Chair
pat.lpatton@gmail.com

Nearly two years into my Chairmanship, and still lots to do; this month I have attended the meetings of Calpe HELP and Moraira-Teulada HELP, with volunteers from Benissa HELP & Benitachell, to put together a rota of willing volunteers to visit the residents of the Teulada Residential Home. With the Social Services and the Director of the home, we hope to get this new project off the ground with a few other ideas in the pipeline. Ian Jackson, along with his Deputy Pam Kershaw, have held several meetings with Sylvia Tatnell from the Ajuntament in Teulada to identify the needs of the residents of the home as well as the British elderly in the area, which are mainly interaction with other English speaking people for stimulation.

One of the highlights of being your Chairman is that I get invited to things that I would never get the chance of attending, Just before Christmas I was invited to the Nativity Play put on at the Raquel Paya Special Needs School in Denia; it was a delight, I was in tears one minute then laughing the next. It was inspiring to witness the care given to these children on a one to one basis by such young staff. I was surprised to learn that there are six British children attending the school, but the charming Director Maeti, requested help for a little Moroccan boy, Nordine. I know you will hear more about him from our Press & Publicity Officer Jean.

One day of Christmas week at the Help Centre, we had a jolly sing-a-long of Christmas songs & Carols, very professionally accompanied on his Music Centre by Brian Matthews, one of our volunteers, together with J.F.F singers (Just For Fun). The Girlettes Luncheon Club made mince pies and I made the mulled wine. It was a lovely day.

Just waiting for the weather to settle down now, and hope to see you all at our A.G.M.in March.

GENERAL NEWS FROM “HELP”

Although Christmas now seems a long time ago as you can see visitors at the HELP Centre enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch provided by our volunteers.

As mentioned in the Chairman’s notes, remaining in the Christmas Spirit both volunteers and visitors enjoyed Christmas Songs and Carols, mulled wine and tapas at the Centre on 17th December. Exactly what was needed to put everyone in the mood for Christmas.

Please do not forget that it is the Annual General Meeting on 20th March to be held once again at the Casa Holanda in Denia. For your information the AGENDA IS included below. You should also have received this and the minutes of last year’s AGM separately, by email from David, our secretary

26th Annual General Meeting Saturday 20th March 2010 1100hrs at Casa Holanda

AGENDA

Please could members arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start of the meeting so that they can sign in and check details that we have for them are correct.

The plight of the Haiti earthquake victims touched the hearts of everyone, not least all of us here at HELP. So it was decided that rather than hold a specific event to raise money to alleviate their suffering HELP would donate the proceeds of this year’s Sponsored Walk, set to take place on 8th May. Obviously, as immediate action was needed HELP have already made a donation of €2000, which was presented to Bancaja on 26th January by our Treasurer Robert Bedloe (pictured). Last year’s sponsored Walk raised over €3,000, and it is hoped that this year will be as successful as everything extra raised will also be going to assist the people of Haiti. Sponsorship forms are now available at the HELP Shop and HELP Centre in La Xara. For further information please visit the website www.helpofdenia.com.

Now for something completely different!! A subject close to the hearts of most of us who live here in Spain, WINE!!! It is planned to organise a tour of the Hoya de Cadenas vineyards situated in a region to the west of Valencia (Denominación de Origin Utiel Requena). An area with stunning scenery and equally stunning vineyards! The date chosen is 17th April and the cost will be €25, this includes travel costs a tour of the ultra modern vineyard (conducted by waa waa type train) and of course an opportunity to taste the premium wines produced there. The cost also includes lunch at El Tollo Restaurant in Utiel. Full details of the trip itinerary can be found on the website www.helpofdenia.com. If you decide that this trip is something you would find of interest please contact the HELP Centre to reserve a place giving your name telephone number and how many places you would like to reserve.

Briefly touched on in the notes from our Chairman, an exciting project based in Teulada is in the first stages of launch. This project is the brainchild of Sylvia Tatnell, Councillor for Social Services in Teulada and Moraira, who has been working in conjunction with Pam Kershaw, U3A Teulada and Moraira and Ian Jackson HELP Coordinator for Moraira and also HELP Benissa and Benitachell to get it up and running. Working under the general banner of HELP they have been invited to visit.

English residents at the Teulada Residential Home. The intention is for volunteers to interact with these residents thus relieving boredom and involving them in various social activities. Ultimately it is hoped that a “drop in centre” can be created within the Home where other residents of the Teulada Moraira area, who may feel the need for some company and social interaction will be able to visit.

Of course to achieve this, there is a need for more willing volunteers to commit to visiting the Home. With this in mind the first combined meeting with Teulada Moraira U3A and HELP was held at the Tennis Club at Sol Park Moraira on Monday 15th February with a view to encouraging U3A
members to join our HELP Organisation. Not only for them to be involved in this project but to hopefully to assist Ian and his current volunteers to fulfil a general need for HELP in and around the Moraira area doing the same kind of voluntary work that regular volunteers are already doing in
other areas.

As the photographs show the attendance at the meeting was excellent. To inform the attendees of the general kind of voluntary work HELP provides Pat Lee Patton, our Chairman, gave a short informative talk and answered general queries from the group. The meeting was deemed a
resounding success resulting in the recruitment of fourteen new members for HELP from the Teulada Moraira area.

The HELP Centre continues to be successful in supplying information to the general public and to the HELP membership, and with the equipment loan. My thanks to all the admin staff who make this possible.

The HELP Centre, as a care centre, is gradually becoming more popular, in particular the Monday lunch club. Below is an unsolicited testimonial to our efforts from one of our regular visitors, Mr Sidney Williams.

Last year, as Christmas was fast approaching, I had the pleasure and delight to attend the newly formed Luncheon Club at the well respected HELP Centre in La Xara. With great trepidation, I was dropped off at the appointed time steering my supercharged Zimmer frame and clutching my precious three euros to pay the cost of the greatly anticipated “three course meal”. To my utter amazement I was greeted by a sea of unknown faces all wreathed in smiles. The meal (and I do not exaggerate) was, at least “tres estellas”, it was well thought out and speaking as a retired hotelier from Cornwall and Wales I cannot wait for the next time.
So, if you want to try a new experience, may I recommend that you ring the HELP Centre to reserve your place and please bring along your smiles and three euros! We meet on the first Monday of each month and we all look forward to greeting you.

Again my thanks go to all our social/care volunteers who do such a good job. If you would like to be included in helping our visitors, please contact the HELP Centre on 96-642-7044 and leave your name, and we will get back to you with a set of dates asking for your help.

My thanks also go to Malcolm Munro, who has so far this year done a splendid solo job in keeping all our loan equipment in good order. I am pleased to say that Malcolm will shortly be joined by a couple of new volunteers to spread the workload, my thanks to them.

That’s all for now, but if want to know more about the HELP Centre activities, please contact me at the Centre by phone or by email at help.denia@gmail.com.

FUND RAISING NEWS

A new Fundraising year is about to start and we are hoping that it will be even more successful than 2009. Thanks to all the good work from volunteers, keep it up and lets see if we can break a record this year! Watch this space!

PRESS & PUBLICITY NEWS

What a great start to the New Year! Lots of coverage from the local press so far and hopefully much more to come.

We have had features relating to our donation to the Haiti Earthquake fund and of course our visit to the Raquel Paya school.

As mentioned briefly by our Chairman I, along with Pat Lee Patton and Catherine Perez Pinto (Vice Chairman) visited the school on Thursday 11th February and we had the privilege of meeting some of the delightful pupils and the dedicated staff. What an experience this was! How fulfilling to see first hand what a donation from HELP can achieve. We met Nordine, the 8 year old Moroccan boy who, despite the difficulties he experiences met us with many smiles and demonstrated how he uses his new computer, which our donation provided. To see how this technology has changed and enhanced his life was amazing. No longer is he trapped in his own small world, unable to communicate as he was when he first arrived at the school two years ago. With the patience and dedication of the staff at the school he is able to understand Spanish and now with his new computer his means of communication have increased enormously. Although Nordine will never be able to speak or communicate in the way that we are able to do, eventually, with the continued care he receives he will be able to use the computer to spell, use numbers and eventually to read a book and write thus enhancing his quality of life beyond all expectation.

The school welcomes all nationalities and at the moment is providing education for children from English families, Belgian, South American as well as Spanish. They provide a wealth of support to the children, as well as the usual educational projects there is Hydrotherapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy and even supervised Horse Riding. The pupils’ families are actively encouraged to participate in the activities provided as the School believes that this interaction is most important. As well as giving
education for the children the school provides the type of rehabilitation and personal growth which will enable these children to integrate into today’s society.

HELP intends to continue to support Raquel Paya school in the future by providing other resources they may need.

The full articles which have been featured in the press relating to the this donation and other fundraising events over the past 12 months can be found in the “Scrap Book” kept at the HELP Centre in La Xara, please feel free to visit and browse.

Don’t forget the AGM on the 20th March, I look forward to meeting you all there.