The São Louenço Choir was formed in January 2013. Numbers vary, but currently the choir has around 40 members from different nationalities with a mix of sopranos, altos and baritones under the musical direction of Joyce Whitelaw. Their diverse repertoire ranges from jazz/swing through to classical.
The choir is based in the São Lourenço Cultural Centre.

Week of 11th April 2016.
Dogs in residence: 120 ?
Dogs adopted this year: 35
Dogs to be adopted this month: 2 to date.

Silves Rotary Club celebrated its 23rd anniversary recently with a dinner and presentation at The Garden Deck, Oceanico’s Amendoeira Golf Clubhouse. Guests included Incoming District Governor (IDG) Abílio Lopes, British Vice Consul Clive Jewell along with Rotarians and friends.

Bart van Linden, President of Silves Rotary, presented a check for over 2000€ to Margarida Trindade from UNIR – an association that takes care of those who are mentally disadvantaged.

The Atlantic Piano Bar in Vilamoura and Vila Sol Golf course were the venues for a grand fund-raising event on Sunday 20 March.
A total of 1,250 Euros was raised for charities supported by Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC). The day began with sixteen golfers playing in glorious sunshine, followed by an evening of quizzing at the Atlantic Bar.

Over Easter weekend, the ACCA took part in the fun of the Easter celebrations at Quinta Shopping, raising funds through its raffle (thanks to sponsors ArtCatto, Equilibrio Décor, The Conrad Louro restaurant, Casavostra, and the Estetica salons), and a number of stalls for the visiting kiddies to enjoy. Decorate an egg, make you own bunny mask, find the chick, pin the tail on the rabbit, decorate a cup cake were just a few of the options available.

At the recent AGM of the charity that looks after children in need in the Algarve, two new members joined the existing team.

Professor Maria Eduarda Santos, special needs teacher and founder of NECI (the educational nucleus for the handicapped child) in the western Algarve, and Jacqui Vehlow, owner of the Estetica group, will add value to the committee’s work, thanks to their interest, enthusiasm, commitment and of course, invaluable contacts.

The two newcomers will work alongside Wanda Crawford, Gwenda Daud, Jenny Harrison, Sharon Henderson, Susi Rogol Goodkind, Rita Davies, Max Binns, and Naz Karim. Professor Santos, now retired from NECI administration, was recently awarded the Municipal Medal for Public Dedication in a heart-warming ceremony in Lagos.

Did you know that approximate 7% of Portugal’s population will be diagnosed with a ‘rare’ disease? Rare diseases are those that occur in 1 person of every 2.000, or less. While each disease is rare, there are 5.000-7.000 of them, each with its own symptoms, diagnostic requirements, support needs and rehabilitation processes.

Raríssimas (The National Association of Mental and Rare Diseases) was chartered in 2002 by a group of concerned parents and has become an association with high national and international recognition for its work supporting people with rare diseases and their frequently overworked, overextended families.

When members of Almancil International Rotary Club (AIRC) heard that staff at Escola EB2,3 Dr. António de Sousa Agostinho in Almancil wanted to set up a surfing scheme for the benefit of students with autism, and that special equipment was needed, they wanted to do something to help.

Surfing can improve fitness; balance and confidence and surfing camps for children with autism have already been set up in a number of countries including Australia, Ireland and Scotland, where the scheme has the blessing of the National Autistic Society. This will be the first of its kind in Portugal.