Swim for Shoes 2014/15, the annual event to swim or paddle in the Atlantic Ocean, has this year so far raised over €1000 for new shoes for children in care. Many congratulations and thanks to all those who participated.
This year's events had, for the first time, the support of Events Organiser - Portugal4U and the Albufeira Surf Clube - who added greatly to the excitement by arriving by sea.
At the recent Christmas Fair at Quinta Shopping, two friends of ACCA treasurer Jenny Harrison arrived with an outsized teddy in tow, having heard that two of the little girls at Bom Samaritano, the home in Alvor, had requested a teddy on their Christmas wish list.
The Iceland store in Guia wanted to support children’s charity ACCA at this busy time of the year, and staged a food collection drive for the week running up to 20 December. The result? Two huge boxes of essentials were gathered together by Iceland customers along with donations that topped the €100 mark and gifts for kiddies.
There was kindness and generosity in abundance at Almancil International Rotary Club’s (AIRC) Christmas Market. The event organised by Rotarian Uschi Kuhn and her team of helpers was also supported by the Junta de Freguesia de Almancil with the collaboration of the resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo.
Golfers across the UK and Europe have raised a fantastic £740,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by braving the toughest battle in golf and completing the famous Longest Day Golf Challenge.
In their bid to complete the sponsored golf marathon, almost 900 teams nationwide took to the greens and played an epic four rounds of golf, from dawn to dusk, tackling 72 holes, around 300 shots and roughly a 20 mile walk on the longest day of the year.
Every Christmas, the generosity of the community never fails to amaze those involved with the Angels programme, and delight the recipients of the surprise gifts ‘from Santa’.
Children’s charity ACCA, which supports under-privileged youngsters in homes and institutions across the Algarve, as well as those living below the poverty line, has been running the Angels programme since 2001.
It seemed like one big ACCA party. First, the children’s charity encouraged snowball throwing at the Quinta Shopping day on Saturday, as kids young (and not so young) took turns to pot the ball into the chimney pot of a beautiful Portuguese-style house model, made especially for the event by Acca supporters Alan and Linda Bentley.
A prize-packed tombola, as well as the sale of Christmas cards, designed by children in the homes ACCA supports, helped raise much-needed funds that will go towards special treatments needed by many of the youngsters.
With the close of the Poppy Appeal approaching for 2014, the figure raised in Portugal is an amazing €38,700. What is particularly satisfying is that the monies raised during the 2 weeks of Poppytide has risen this year by 44%.
The thanks of the Royal British Legion National Committee go to all our supporters, but particularly to the Poppy Appeal Area Organisers and Distributors, without whom there would be no collection year on year.
Together they commit time and energy so the RBL can help our veterans and bereaved families to 'LIVE ON'.
Sandra Wilkinson
Poppy Appeal Coordinator
Royal British Legion - Portugal Branch
