Oliva Chicas at San Roque

Here it is: the first ever picture of the Chicas, posing on the steps of San Roque, Oliva.

MABS Update

After further discussions with MABS, the Oliva Chicas committee have agreed that combining efforts is the quickest way to achieve the group’s stated aims of producing a Calendar for 2006, opening a Charity Shop in Oliva in the near future and therefore improving the support system at this end of the Costa.

We will therefore be operating through MABS as the sponsoring Charity and will not seek separate status at present. We thank the MABS committee members for helping us once more to see the path more clearly.

The SHOOT is continuing and online photos will be available soon.

We expect to see your orders flooding in! Help us to help you.

Email olivachicas@gmail.com for further information.

May the force of fun and friendship be with you.

More about Eileen ...

As mentioned in the last post, the Oliva Chicas group was initially formed as a support group to care for our friend Eileen Stevinson during her final illness. Before she died she asked Karmanie to lead her funeral service. The funeral took place on 15th June 2004 at Javea Crematorium and the service was repeated a few weeks later in Newcastle for her friends and colleagues there.

The Chicas are currently hard at work on producing their Calendar, which will be prefaced by a dedication to Eileen. You can read it here, in English or in Spanish.

Introduction

We are a dedicated group of British ex-pats living in the Oliva, La Safor area of Valencia, Spain, who have experienced and met the needs a person can have when the world goes pear-shaped and the great dream of a wonderful life in the sun, living the relaxed Spanish Mediterranean life, doesn’t quite work out the way it was intended.

As you can see from the first article we are sharing, the group initially formed to support Eileen Stevinson who needed practical and emotional support through her terminal illness. As a result we learned a lot about what was required and even more about how we could all contribute a little, to help a lot.

Eileen was fortunate that she was able to tap into the resources of friendship and knowledgeable support to meet her needs and she often admitted this to us and wondered what would happen to others who didn’t know enough people or who had no one to take them to hospital or speak Spanish or help with looking after them.

It was obvious that there were two main issues. Firstly, immediate information and working the twisting path through the unfamiliar Spanish systems. Secondly, funding was an issue for many people as the extra costs involved with medical problems raised difficulties in a tight budget. Many fund raising ideas were discussed and the concept of a Charity Shop was born but the need for start-up funding was an issue.

Early this year the notion of doing a Calendar was born. Twelve bonny (well, we think so) lassies or chicas, in Spanish, decided to take the plunge, literally (buy the Calendar!!) to raise funds for the Shop. Through Sponsors and advertising, the costs for printing the Calendar are currently being raised. The Calendar is being dedicated to the memory of Eileen who showed us both the need and the way to meet the needs of those who fall sick in our local community. A copy of this dedication is also available here.

Our aims through this help and support group are as follows:

1. to provide information about local medical care
2. to provide support to access medical care (transport to hospitals etc)
3. to provide translators where required to Doctors and hospitals
4. to establish a group of volunteers to provide practical support to the sick person
5. to provide volunteer support to the main carers throughout a lengthy illness
6. to fund this process through the opening of a charity shop
7. to have a community focus through the charity shop
8. to link with the Spanish community
9. to try to take the worry out of already highly stressful situations
10. to be there for each other.

This is not expected to meet all of the needs, of all of the people, all of the time, for free. It is simply seen as part of the helping process. That is people volunteering to help others. Part of this helping process for Eileen was a need to make her funeral arrangements and a copy of her service has been included to show what can be done when you have the courage to address the issue. It’s a lot easier to do before you get sick.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Short term

1. Sponsor the production of the Calendar as every few euros really, really counts. If you would like to advertise on the Calendar we would love to hear from you.
2. Join us in our fund-raising happenings. Information about time, place, and cost will be posted here. Some incriminating evidence from previous events is already available as you can see. (Photographs of our Irish Night and St. George’s Day Quiz will be published here shortly.)
3. Place an order for your Calendars. We expect them to be available late August/early September.
4. Express an interest
5. Tell us if you need help now

Mid Term

1. Volunteer as a support worker for the Charity Shop
2. Volunteer as a support member of the care group transport, translator, care-giver, home visitor, event organiser etc.

Long Term

1. Visit the shop, bring your no-longer-required items
2. Bring us your worries and your needs
3. Share the Care

We are currently seeking our own Charity Number to have full Charitable status but meanwhile are receiving support and advice from MABS, the Denia-based Care and Support Group.

To contact us about donations or advertising, or to request further information regarding help, email us at olivachicas@gmail.com

To share your thoughts and views: leave your comments by clicking on Comments at the bottom of this message.


We hope the photo shoot for the front cover will be ‘happening’ on the steps of San Roque Church on Monday 23rd May around 4.30 pm. If you are in the area come and wish us luck