After seven years of tireless commitment at the helm of Madrugada, Alison Blair has announced she will step down as Executive President at the end of November 2016.

Alison has been the vision and driving force behind Madrugada’s growth and development as a provider of help and support to people facing life-limiting illness: in particular, end-of-life palliative care at home.

Rotary has been organising youth exchanges for over 60 years and, each year worldwide, over 7000 young people enjoy the experience of a lifetime through the Rotary Long Term Exchange programme which runs for a full school year providing incredible opportunities for young people to see the world, experience a different way of life and make new friends. Rotary Clubs all over the world sponsor students currently in Years 11- 13 (5th & 6th Form), to live and study at a similar level in a foreign country where they are hosted by selected families and treated as part of those families.

Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC) is participating again this year and is hosting Adrian Chang, a student from Taipei in Taiwan. Adrian is 18 years old and has been sponsored by Taipei Tienmou Rotary Club to spend a school year in the Algarve. The club, chartered in 1948 was the first Rotary Club to be established on the island of Taiwan.

At the end of September, members of the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) came together to enjoy a lunch at the restaurant São Domingos in Galé to celebrate the start of a new season of talks.

The highlight of the year for members of the Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC) is when the summer camp students report on the trips they made to other countries during the summer.
Rotary has been organising Summer Camp exchanges for over 60 years, providing incredible opportunities for young people to see the world, experience a different way of life, make international friends and discover a lot about themselves whilst acting as ambassadors for their own country.

On Tuesday 13th September the Algarve Senior Bikers headed off for a trip to the Santa Clara Barragem, with lunch in Santana de Serra, organised by John Redding, Alain Balouzet and John Wittey.

The Meeting Point was Restaurante Cruzamento near Sao Marcos on the the old Lisbon Road.

The 7th Annual afpop-Medal Insurance Open Golf Tournament was held on Wednesday 14th September at the Penina Championship Course.

A shotgun start at 8.24 saw 62 players head off into the sunshine in excellent spirits, with the course freshly watered by previous day’s rain.

A tiny group of committed life drawers gather each Thursday morning in Olhão to study the naked body, draw it and try to understand varying approaches to drawing.

This group opens its arms to new participants, either beginners or artists. New drawers get as much help as they need. We all understand the courage, faith and love needed to make good art and prize highly all attempts at this most difficult of endeavours.

The setting up of a new group in the evenings and/or in a different town would also be a very pleasant prospect, so please get in touch if you have a glimmer of interest and I hope I can nurture it.
There is always a need for new models, male and female, too.

Contact jill.stott@gmail.com or telephone 934 840 176.

A significant milestone was recently reached when the Algarve Wednesday Walkers (AWW) celebrated the 20th Anniversary of their foundation.

The Group was founded in 1996 by the late Maurice Clyde who decided there should be a separate section of his already existing Saturday Walkers for those wanting more serious walking.