Children’s charity ACCA, with the help of funds raised by the recent Conrad Bike Ride, has been able to give freedom and support to little Beatriz, age 2 1/2, who lives in Quarteria with her parents. She now has a new pushchair, but one that can do far more than the norm!

Children’s charity ACCA is entering its third year as provider of basic equipment for school children. With your help the programme can give hundreds of youngsters who are on the poverty line a proper start and the opportunity to make the best of their education

There are so many things we take for granted and have never considered what it is like, for example, for a child to start the new school year without essentials such as pencils, rubbers and rulers.
The State schools here on the Algarve cope admirably with their young pupils and the staff are committed to improving their charges’ chances in life. Teachers cannot, however, combat conditions at home, where there may be abuse, alcoholism, drug dependency or a simple lack of interest. Many parents themselves are ill-educated and do not know how to help their own children – to them education is not a priority, putting food in the mouth is.

In a bid to raise funds for the Algarve’s children’s charity ACCA, Bob Beatson, Captain of the Carvoeiro Golf and Country Club, undertook an arduous 400km sponsored walk in Scotland

Bob Beatson started his ambitious walk in the Isle of Skye on 4 July and hopes to arrive at Edinburgh within a couple of weeks. Members of his club here have been generous with their support, sponsoring his journey and raising money for ACCA’s worthy causes. Captain Bob and Pauline, his lady Captain, are staunch supporters of the charity and have worked tirelessly to generate donations totaling some €2,000 even before the sponsored walk was mooted.

On Saturday last the St Patrick's Society of the Algarve held their very successful annual Summer Party. The Guest of Honour was Her Excellency Anne Webster, Irish Ambassador to Portugal and Morocco.

The event was attended by over fifty very happy diners at the home of Alan and Pat Camplin-Smith, near Armação de Pêra.

The Poppy Garden Picnic held by the Royal British Legion’s Portuguese branch may have been held in the grounds of Burgau’s Casa Grande, location for BBC TV’s One Foot In The Algarve, but Victor’s scowl was replaced by dozens of smiling faces even though the scorching heat on what was the Algarve’s hottest day of the year kept down the numbers attending.

It was student chefs and waiters who were the stars at a Rotary Gala Dinner at the Conrad hotel last week. The students from Escola Dra Laura Ayres in Quarteira and Escola EB 2/3 Dr Antonio de Sousa Agostinho in Almancil were this year's finalists of the Annual Rotary Cookery Competition.

The 2014/15 competition organised as before by Alan Winn of the Rotary Club of Silves and Peter Hinze of the Almancil International Rotary Club began in November last year with four Algarve schools entering between them a total of 14 teams.

On 22nd May, the first ever Special Olympics competition for equitation in the Algarve was held at Pinetrees Riding Centre in Almancil. Special Olympics representative Pedro Serra complimented the organisers and participants for its fantastic planning and competition in the true spirit of the Special Olympics.

Christina Vandermeulen was the headline attraction at Amovate’s Country and Western Hoedown held at the Pétanque Club in the Churasqueira Mendes last Saturday, May 23rd.
Christina was walking tall after raising $2,000 for needy children and their families with her epic trek from Cape St Vincent to Fatima.