The switching on of the charity Tree of Light will take place in Los Gigantes this Saturday.

The event, organised every year by the Lion’s Club in conjuntion with the council’s Social Services and Culture Department, will organise the symbolic sale of each light on the tree in order to fundraise for the purchase of food for the neediest families in the council area. So, if you are in Los Gigantes or nearby this Saturday 20th December pop along to the Bouganville Square for this event which will start at 8pm.

The Lion’s Club intention is that anyone who wants can donate an amount of money for each symbolic light of the tree which will go to help the worst of families in the council area by purchasing quality fresh food. At the same time, during the event non-perishable food will be collected.

The event will be attended by the Mayor as well as the Social Services councillor, different council members and of course Lion Club members lead by their president Kent Ward. The Town Council and Lions Club would like to encourage everyone to take part in this good cause – and if you are in The Harbour Club – please do go along! The crisis has hit Spain and the Canary Islands very hard with 30% unemployment so your help is gratefully received.

After the switching on, there will be a Christmas concert with performances by local folklore groups and the municipal band.

Soooo…. are you ready for Christmas? Christmas cards written and posted? All presents bought? All pigs fed and ready to fly? Whilst you may not be completely ready, you’ve probably got your tree up right?

As a child, our household was so disorganised we didn’t get the tree up it was tradition to put the Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve in yours truly’s home. However, in my own home, things are different this year it has been up since mid-November. How about you? When do you put your Christmas tree up? And when you do take it down? Do you leave it up until 12th night as tradition says you should? Here in Spain, as we celebrate the 6th January as our main gift giving day, trees often come down even later.

The Harbour Club was also prepared before the beginning of December to help members and guests get in the Christmas spirit. For those of you who won’t be over, here are a few photos.

An event which has become popular in many Spanish towns and cities is coming to Antigua, the seat of the municipal council of Caleta de Fuste. A “Noche en Blanco” or Night in White basically consists of organised events and commerces staying open into well into the night. In this case, the events run from 6pm to 2am on Saturday 25th October.

The programme is as follows:

18:00

Musical Parade

Street Market

Children’s Workshop: Cupcakes, Handicrafts, Flag workshop in the English academy “Instituto Europeo”

Xbox Tournament

Pactchwork Workshop

18:30

Exhibitions: Karate & Modern Dance, Racing Cars

19:00

Magic Show

20:00

Creative Baking Demonstration

Latin Dance Workshop

21:00

Social Dance/Ball

21:15

“Noche en Blanco” Urban  Mile (adult and children’s categories)

23:00

Concert with Vocal 7

Commerces participating in the “Tapas Route”:

El Colmado 24h

Bar-Restaurante El Artesano

Bar Los Girasoles

Bar-Restaurante “Todo Bueno”

Bar La Noria

Sociedad Union de Antigua

Commerces Open on the Night

Bazar Aulaga, Galeria del Recuerdo, La Tiendita de la Plaza, Bazar Nelly, Bazar Hodaino, Gayriastudio & Floristeria Antigua

For further information contact our reception.

In line with new legislation which requires various health and safety updates be made, we have recently incorporated a new safety rail to separate the kids pool from the main pool.

Take a look at the contractors hard at work and the finished result.

On Wednesday we again did the ICE Bucket Challenge, our last one sadly. But… I think you will all agree that we were all waiting for one person to get “bucketed”… and she didn’t fail us! Good old Barbara, who you will all know and love, finally took the challenge!

The challenge continues at The Harbour Club… and just in case you thought Dawn was going to get away without joining in, we have photos of Dawn joining in!

Dave asks us whether or not we can spot Barbara and her husband Roy… to be honest, yours truly can’t! Can you?

These special offers await you if you sign up for ICE Platinum Rewards as a member of Elite Club Resorts. Free two year affiliation available to members! Conditions may apply.

Beatriz has confirmed that fundraising from the ICE Bucket Challenge which of course had a donation attached, has raised so far 100€ for the Spanish ALS association and the donation was made yesterday. Check the news from last week for links to make your own donation!

And, as Bea nominated other staff members and owners… here are more pics!

The Ice Bucket Challenge came to The Harbour Club yesterday afternoon! No doubt those of you who have Facebook or accounts on other “social media” will have seen celebrities as well as friends dousing themselves with a bucket of freezing cold ice water… Of course, it’s fun (or not), but let’s not forget that it’s also for a good cause. It’s called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, because it all came about to raise awareness – and funds – for the disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – also known as motor neurone disease – which is closely related to the disease suffered by Stephen Hawking leaving him wheelchair bound and unable to talk without the help of a speech generator.

Donations can be made to the Spanish ALS Association (Asociacion Española de ELA) via a direct payment to their Bank Account or via PayPal

Alternatively, you can make your donation to the Motor Neurone Disease Association via their own page or their Just Giving page or by texting (if you are in the UK) ICED55 £5 (the amount of your chosing) to 70070.

All the donations collected at the resort this week will be paid in by Beatriz on Monday.

And now for the fun… here are Bea and Dave taking the challenge along with guests at the resort.

The “winter” season – if it can be said that we experience winter here in the Canary Islands – will benefit from new routes which have been programmed by Ryanair and Thomas Cook Airlines to Fuerteventura.

As of 26th October, Ryanair will have two new flights from Manchester which are scheduled for Mondays and Fridays. The latter coincides with the new arrival day of one of the Elite Fuerteventura Club apartments. Whilst there is currently only one Friday apartment for a small fee you can arrive on a different day to an apartment’s standard arrival day subject to availability.

The flights will operate as follows:

Manchester <> Fuerteventura

• Every Monday and Friday:
  • Flight FR3805: Departs Manchester: 07:25 h – Arrives Fuerteventura: 11:40 h.
  • Flight FR3806: Departs Fuerteventura: 12:15 h – Arrives Manchester: 16:30 h.

*This programming is subject to possible changes by the company.

As far as Thomas Cook Airlines is concerned, there will be new flights as follows:

• From London Stanstead in November, February, March and April (Saturdays).
• From Manchester on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
• From East Midlands on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

As well as these new flights those from London Gatwick (Wednesdays and Saturdays), Bristol (Saturdays), Newcastle (Saturdays) and Glasgow (Wednesdays and Saturdays) will continue to operate.

*This programming is subject to possible changes by the company.