Stepping out for grey power - Carvajal Spain

10 SUR IN ENGLISH OCTOBER 2ND TO 8TH 2009
News General
Valle de Abdalajís protest
over water supply develops
into hunger strike
Twelve of the
protesters who have
been sleeping in the
Town Hall for a
month say they will
not eat until there is
a firm commitment
from the authorities
to take water to
their homes
J. J. BUIZA VALLE DE ABDALAJÍS
“If we don’t get our water they’ll
have to carry us out of here on a
stretcher”. These were the words
of Antonio Bravo, one of the 12 local
residents who started a hunger
strike on Monday to call for the water
supply to be taken to their properties.
Of the around 50 protesters
who have been sleeping at Valle de
Abdalajís Town Hall since the beginning
of September, twelve (ten
men and two women) adopted this
drastic measure to draw more attention
to the situation of their
homes.
They say they will only drink
water, ironically the element at
the centre of the whole protest,
until they have a commitment in
writing from the authorities to
pay for the works required to take
the water pipeline to their properties.
There are about 40 houses
affected, located on the outskirts
of the village.
One of the property owners who
has been on hunger strike since
Monday, and who has been taking
part in the protest over the last
month, is Englishman Darren
Craft. He reckons that between 15
and 18 of the households affected
belong to foreign owners.
“Every fortnight we have to pay
85 euros for a tractor and trailer to
come and bring us water. We’ve
been paying this for the last six
years”, he explains.
PROTEST. HUNGER STRIKERS AND SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE THE TOWN HALL. J. J. B.
On the third day of the strike
Darren said that he and his companions
were feeling OK and
pointed out that medical staff go to
the Town Hall every day to examine
the strikers.
“We’ve been fighting for water
for seven years but all the promises
have been verbal; it’s sad that it’s
had to come to this”, added Antonio
Bravo, who explained that last
Friday the group met with representatives
from the Junta de Andalucía’s
Environment Department.
Once again, he said, there were
words of support but nothing in
writing and no start date for the
work, which is why the group decided
to go ahead with their hunger
strike.
On Monday the Mayor of Valle
de Abdalajís, Alfonso García Car-
rasco, issued a statement saying
that the water supply project was
guaranteed and that they were
working on it. “We regret the situation
our neighbours are living in
but this council is working to solve
the water problem. And so we call
for calm. The best solution is for
everyone to be responsible. This
Town Hall is asking for the involvement
of other administrations and
the response has been favourable”,
he declared. García Carrasco maintained
that the provincial government
(Diputación) is currently
working on a project to bring water
from Antequera and that, once
complete, the works will be financed
by the Junta.
The strikers, however, have made
it quite clear they want more than
words.
REOPENING. JOAN HUNT WITH ESPERANZA OÑA AND OTHER GUESTS.
Cudeca’s oldest charity shop reopened last
week after a revamp, and is now “lighter,
brighter and more welcoming than ever”
First Cudeca shop
re-launched
GEORGE PRIOR
Seventeen years ago in Fuengirola,
the charity Cudeca launched
whatwastogoontobecomea
string of benefit shops across the
area.
“It was the very first one, the
one many people said would not
work,” says Katie O’Neill, who
now controls the charity’s network
of shops. “It was where it
all started, it really was a bit of
a trail blazer at the time.”
Needless to say, the idea flourished
and now in 2009 the Cudeca
team thought it was a good time
to revamp their original store.
“Over the last ten days or so the
team has worked hard to give it
a face-lift. Our longest-serving
shop is now lighter, brighter and
more welcoming than ever.”
The event last Friday was the
official re-launch of the wellknown
store located on Avenida
Jesús Santos Rein, Urbanisation
Pueblo Lucía.
Mayor of Fuengirola, Esperanza
Oña joined Cudeca’s
Founder and President Joan
Hunt, plus charity volunteers,
staff and local councillors to cele-
brate the opening. The Mayor
said she was “a long-time supporter”
of the charity and “honoured
to be invited” by Cudeca to
the event.
“We hope the renovated shop
will give people even more reason
to come and visit us in Fuengirola,”
says Katie. “The funds
raised from our shops is crucial
to allow us to continue doing our
work. We offer a ‘Special Kind of
Caring’ which is free to our patients
with advanced cancer so
making sure we can raise as
much money from each store is
very important,” she adds.
Cudeca’s Fuengirola shop has
an array of high quality items at
great prices. “There’s something
for everyone so the whole team
really looks forward to seeing old
and new friends here and to show
off our new-look shop,” says
Katie.
The shop, which is run daily
by a team of local volunteers, is
now open to the public Monday -
Saturdayfrom10a.m.to1p.m.
“The Fuengirola shop has
served Cudeca well and we very
much look forward to the next
seventeen years here.”