Curtly Richards has 431 articles published.
Angela Traverso MGC 2022 winner, made her travels to Sofia, Bulgaria just 3 days after her winning to participate in the Mrs Classic Universe 2023 finals.
She managed to place Gibraltar once again firmly on the map by placing Gibraltar the winner of the competition.
The Gibraltar Women`s National League has just concluded with Gibraltar Wave FC losing our last match on the 19th of January 2023 against a good Lynx side by 4-2. Had we won this match, we would have ended 3rd rather than 4th in the league standing. However, we are still very proud to have completed the second league season of our existence. Now planning for the up coming ROCK CUP 2023 due to start shortly.
As was mentioned in the previous article, despite other clubs in the league taking the players we bring on to the Gibraltar women`s football scene, we still managed to bring on new players and firmly believe that we can keep improve our standard and results.
To build a strong foundation and help the female community in Gibraltar to get fitter and lead a more active life, we are embarking on a new scheme to encourage all female over the age of 14 to register interest and join us in our trainings. Playing and exercising with friends and colleagues also brings in the following Psychological and Social benefits.
FITNESS FOR A HEALTHY BODY and MIND
An active life makes a happier life
CAMARADERIE
A sense of belonging and the opportunity to make new friends. Some may even become buddies for life! A great chance to make a new social circle.
LEARNING TO LOSE
And learning to do it graciously. Bad sportsmanship is an ugly thing. No one likes a sore loser. Of course, there’s no harm in being competitive and expressing frustration in a non-aggressive manner. However, losing with integrity to a better opponent is honourable. Which leads us on to the next point quite nicely…
RESPECTING AUTHORITY Following set rules, taking direction and accepting decisions is a large part of playing football. The regular interaction with coaches, teammates, referees and opponents makes us all learn to respect.
CONTROLLING EMOTIONS
Both positive and negative emotions are learnt from football with Gibraltar Wave. This helps in tackling other life challenges.
SELF-ESTEEM
Many studies suggest that physical activities in football contributes to the development of self-esteem. A pat on the back, a high-five from a friend or teammate, or a handshake with an opponent at the end of a match, whether you win or lose, is all character building for a better person by focusing on one’s effort and enjoyment of football. The supportive relationships of coaches and teammates all positively builds self-esteem. Enjoying is the key to happiness.
PATIENCE
We all know to improve at anything you ned to practice. As practice makes perfect, then perfect takes patience. In reality, perfect simply means improving just that little bit more than the day before.
DEDICATION
Similar to patience, the discipline of training and the commitment it takes to pursue a sport like football is a trait transferrable to many other aspects of life.
TEAMWORK
Teamwork makes Dream work.
A team can’t succeed without working together. No matter how good the individual players. Communication is key and learning to be part of a team is synonymous with learning to value the effectiveness of teamwork..
RESILIENCE
The highs. The lows. The wins. And the losses. Football is an emotional roller-coaster, like life itself. Football is about bouncing back, and learning from mistakes.
I`d like to end with a further mention a New Sport #3x3eachSoccer invented in Gibraltar which will Revolutionize Beach Football
Beach Handball has done an excellent job in promoting the sport and increasing its popularity among players of all ages. Inspired by this success, I came up with the idea to patent a new sport, #3x3eachSoccer, that uses the same small court as Beach Handball.#3x3eachSoccer is a fast-paced, action-packed game that is perfect for football players and fans alike. I believe it is ideal for a small place like Gibraltar and has the potential to become a major sport, with a world tour and TV rights available for investors.
Beach Soccer is already in the European Games, and with the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics, I see this new sport as a perfect addition to the Olympic program.
I am confident that #3x3eachSoccer has the potential to become a major sport, and I am excited to see it grow and gain popularity among players and fans worldwide.
Do get in touch with Gibraltar Wave FC if interested in supporting the development and promotion of #3x3eachSoccer. The most spectacular and cheapest sport to play.
Get in touch if you want your brand to be associated with Gibraltar Wave FC. We have many interesting sponsorship packages that will ingrain your brand in the Gibraltar sporting circle and beyond.
Gibraltar’s Referees and match officials held their annual five-day FIFA Winter Camp, in January, on the Rock.
The Winter Camp, part of the continuous development of the Associations Refereeing Teams saw all Gibraltar Football League Match Officials taking part as well as selected other Gibraltar Referees and Referee Observers.
FIFA Referee instructor Alan Snoddy delivered technical presentations on incidents including upper body challenges, handball, persistent player misconduct and holding offences.
The five-day camp also focussed on the physical aspect of refereeing with FIFA Refereeing Fitness Instructor, Simon Berivik with YoYo/Ariet assessments, Sprint tests carried out alongside Fitness Theory and Analysis sessions.
Match situations that have arisen throughout the current season in the Gibraltar Football League were presented by the Gibraltar FA’s Refereeing Department as well as video analysis of three specifically arranged friendly matches that formed part of the camp.
This year, guest speakers featured prominently starting with Nadine Pardo-Zammitt and Siobhan Gregory who delivered a presentation on International Netball umpiring and the setup at the Gibraltar Netball Association
Current Gibraltar international, Scott Wiseman, was also a guest speaker at the camp, talking to Gibraltar’s Referees about a player’s perception of a referee and an officiating team.
Speaking about the FIFA Winter Camp, the Gibraltar FA’s Referee Manager, Adrian Bacarisa, stated:
“Once a year we take the opportunity to hold a FIFA MA Course for referees. This is the fifth time that we have held such a FIFA supported training camp which has been held either abroad or in Gibraltar. These camps provide referees, assistant referees, referee observers and selected lower category referees the opportunity to live as a team spending five days together sharing experiences and team building. The camp also exposes them to more professionalism as we work on getting our match officials to be better and minimising mistakes.
This year, a number of guest speakers took us through their own expertise providing a variety of topics increasing the knowledge and awareness of our match officials. I would also like to thank Gibraltar FAs U17 & U19 teams, FCB Magpies, Glacis Utd, Manchester 62 and Europa Point for providing teams to play friendly matches during this training camp.”
Gibraltar Match Officials FIFA Listed for 2023
Gibraltar has once again had four of its Match officials FIFA listed for 2023. The four match officials who have gained their international status are:
• Referee: Jason Barcelo
• Assistant Referees: Michael Mascias and Daniel Gomez
• Futsal Referee: Zyl Sheriff
FIFA listing means that the officials are able to officiate in International and European competitions.
All four were presented with their FIFA badges for 2023 by the Gibraltar Referees’ Committee Paul Grech and Gibraltar FA Referee Manager Adrian Bacarisa at last weekend’s Winter Camp.
International recognition is the pinnacle of every referees career and shows how much room for progression and development there is in perusing a career in refereeing in Gibraltar. Anyone interested in becoming a referee can visit www.gfarefereeing.com and start their journey in becoming either a football or Futsal Referee.
2 Platoon, I Company from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) was sent on a deployment to Kenya on Exercise ASKARI STORM towards the end of 2022.
Whilst on deployment, 2 Platoon were directed to work with 1RIFLES in a Battle Group context. They were integrated into C Company and were given the call sign 9 Platoon. Right from the start, 9 Platoon were just another member of a much larger team and meshed seamlessly with the rest of C Company and 1RIFLES.
9 Platoon, C Company, consisted of an RG platoon with 3 attached Riflemen from 5RIFLES. The Light Role infantry element of the 1RIFLES Battle Group consisted of 3 Companies including C Company.
Here the light role element spearheaded large scale manoeuvres and the RG learned about the battle rhythm and tactics employed with this level of workforce. It was a great opportunity to see the logistical, vehicle recovery and medical chains being tested throughout the exercise in real time.
Royal Gibraltar Regiment, I Company, Captain Thomas said, “One of the highlights that was voiced from 9 Platoon was the final action on CALFEX which was a live, black, Company assault on steep and difficult features in the region of Archers Post which is a settlement in Kenya’s Samburu County.
The live mortars and machine guns firing, whilst the reconnaissance guided the Companies into position before an arduous assault will be a memorable moment for all those involved.”
“It was an ideal platform to learn about bush tactics and practice some hard soldiering,” he continued, “It also provided an opportunity to show off the skills the RG continue to develop in Gibraltar.
From pre-deployment training, all the way through to the end of Ex ASKARI STORM, the RG were welcomed with open arms by 1RIFLES which made the actual training more enjoyable.”
The assessment is made over the calendar year to capture key training such as Exercise Jebel Tarik, Exercise Calpe Keys, Ceremonial Duties and Mandatory Annual Training Tests.
During 2022, Pte Bouhaltit had shown an enormous amount of commitment to the platoon and company and at one point was the only Annual Combat Marksmanship Test qualified soldier.
Battalion Second in Command, Major John Pitto MBE, said, “The last time a soldier was awarded the title of Best Soldier was 4 years ago. The platoon Sergeant and I were therefore very keen to bring this back as it provides an opportunity to recognise individuals from the platoon for their hard work and effort over the year of training.
Pte Bouhaltit puts the Company and training before his other commitments, including his 5 other jobs, but more noticeably, he always gives 100% effort in any training that is undertaken.”
He leaves Gibraltar to attend the Intermediate Staff Course at Shrivenham before a short period on board HMS DEFENDER (Type 45 Destroyer) before starting the Principle Warfare Officers Course at HMS COLLINGWOOD in June.
Good luck from everyone at Insight.
The Gibraltar Honours Board (GHB), under the Chairmanship of the Governor, will meet in April to consider nominations for:
The King’s New Year Honours List 2024; and,
The Gibraltar Award, which is awarded by the GHB and announced coincident with
The King’s Birthday Honours 2023.
Nominations should be submitted to recognise those people, from any section of the Gibraltarian Community, who have made an exceptional contribution or given exceptional service in the progression of either the well-being, achievement or reputation of Gibraltar.
Nominations should be submitted no later than 17th March on a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Nomination Proforma for the attention of the GHB Secretary, Office of the Governor, The Convent, Main Street, Gibraltar GX11 1AA.
Nominations can be submitted by anyone. A copy of the FCDO Nomination Proforma, along with detailed guidance on its completion, can be obtained from The Convent reception on Main Street or from the GHB Secretary at enquiry.gibraltar@fco.gov.uk
Up to two letters of endorsement from those with a personal knowledge of the nominee’s contribution or service should support nominations.
The Minister for Economic Development, Joe Bossano has been receiving a number of letters from Senior Citizens expressing interest in purchasing an apartment in the new housing scheme for pensioner home owners, which is being carried out as part of the National Economic Plan and the construction of which is being funded by the Savings Bank.
The first of these properties will be at Laguna Estate subject to successful planning permission.
If there is increased demand more potential sites will be investigated in order to provide sufficient flats for those who wish to participate in the scheme.
Interested parties should address their request to Minister Bossano at the Ministry for Economic Development 31 Town Range, and will receive an acknowledgment that they have been put on the list.
Minister for Education and Culture John Cortes met with John Manuel Enriles and Dale Buttigieg of the newly formed Gibraltarians for a Multilingual Society (GMS), together with senior representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Gibraltar Cultural Services.
The discussion centered on the importance, and the benefits of ensuring that Gibraltar remains a multilingual society. All agreed on this and discussed activities and plans that are being developed in various areas to promote multilingualism.
Minister for Education and Culture, the Hon John Cortes, commented, “Multilingualism is part of what makes Gibraltar. It is important socially, professionally and economically and benefits mental health and ability and creativity.
We have an obligation to do all we can to protect our ‘llanito’ as well as to ensure that we take the opportunity that our community offers us to be able to work professionally in more than one language. My teams at Culture and Education share this commitment.
I fully support Gibraltarians for a Multilingual Society in their endeavours”.
Like a soft play Banksy, Valencian artist Raquel Rodrigo is taking her huge cross-stitch works to buildings across the globe.
If the words ’embroidery’ and ‘cross-stitch’ conjure up images of your grandma and her cute-but-kitsch portraits of her favourite cat, then you’ve yet to come across the work of Valencia-based artist Raquel Rodrigo. Using the art form she learned from her mother, this young artist is creating XL street-art installations that are bringing new life to her local streets.
“It’s the embroidery that women have always done inside the home on sheets, towels and cushions,” said Rodrigo. “This is about taking that embroidery to the streets.”
Old craft, new way
When she was a little girl, Raquel Rodrigo – like many other children in Spain – was taught embroidery by her mother. A traditional way of decorating linens, tablecloths, cushions and other textiles, embroidery is a skill which has been around for centuries and until recently had mostly fallen out of fashion with younger generations. These days though, the handmade and DIY craze has exploded, as millennials rediscover manual crafts and take a break from those computer screens.
Someone who needed no convincing to take up embroidery again is was Rodrigo. This artist decided to take her childhood hobby to the next level and create large-scale embroidery art. Ditching the traditional embroidery threads and ‘eavenweave’ fabrics, Raquel works with thick cotton cord made from natural fibres which she weaves across a metal grid-patterned frame.
If Rodrigo relies on these sturdy materials, it’s because her art’s final resting place is the streets of her home town, Valencia. Her vision is to take a traditionally home-based activity and take it to the streets to make it public art, leaving her embroideries to become part of their environment. In so doing, she’s also giving visibility to all the women whose embroidery has for so long been restricted to the home and rarely been given attention.
The Valencian-born artist came up with the idea in 2011 after she was tasked with embellishing the facade of a Madrid store that offered sewing workshops. As she searched for a way to embody the store’s raison d’être, her mind wandered back to the cross-stitching technique she had learned from her mother as a young girl.
Using a computer to map out the pattern, she designed a flurry of crimson roses tumbling down the facade. From there she printed out a pixelated pattern to follow, stitching it carefully on to a metallic mesh that was mounted on the storefront.
The technique soon became her signature. As her project Arquicostura – a Spanish portmanteau of architecture and sewing – brought her to cities such as London, Istanbul and Philadelphia, reactions poured in from around the world.
Some saw reminders of their childhood in her work, others were flooded with memories of grandmothers and mothers. The constant references to female figures laid bare the wider significance of the work. “Over time I realised that this was a way of asserting a feminine art that has long been invisible,” said the 38-year-old.
Taking inspiration in spaces
Whereas embroidery is traditionally found on soft furnishings and household items, Rodrigo turned to the city itself for inspiration. She explains that she gets her inspiration by walking around and observing the spaces she sees around her. Every lamppost, broken window, empty wall or doorway can become a canvas, inspiring its own embroidery.
Then it’s back to the studio to give her inspiration life. A fan of blending the old with the new, the artisan and the industrial, Rodrigo has very much made her embroidery a 21st-century art form by using her computer to assist in the design of her work. Sitting at her desk, she designs her pieces using software that enables her to adapt her designs to specific sizes and shapes, as well as allowing her to visualise the final result before she even starts work on the embroidery.
Finally, her work takes its place on the street and the artist lets her work runs its course. Rodrigo knows that street art is essentially ephemeral, subject to human intervention as much as the wind or the rain. But for her, that’s all part of the lifecycle of her art and part of the beauty of these pieces: they too become part of the public space.
Weaving stories into the city
These super-sized embroidery works are essentially weaving new life into the streets of Valencia, and so far, Rodrigo says the reaction has been very positive. She believes that because so many people have their own memories of embroidery, her work is immediately relatable to those who see it, making it both recognisable and unusual.
Thanks to the slim metal frame, her creations appear as if they are suspended or holding onto an invisible frame. Imagine walking down the street to find the walls are covered in beautiful embroidery which appears to be woven into the very fabric of the city.
Rodrigo’s art clearly appeals to the senses: it’s not uncommon for most people’s first reaction to be to touch the embroidery. These huge works are fully three-dimensional, revealing each cross, loop and knot. While some of her creations appear more traditional, depicting flowers for example, other designs are more modern, such as a 70-metre installation with a simple message: ‘Certain things take time’.
In the RGP Training School, the current class of police recruits is being made aware of the various conditions that fall under the heading of what is known as “neurodiversity”
The underlying theory to this training is that, when carrying out their duties, officers may sometimes interact with people with conditions such as ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder), Dyslexia, ADHD, or Tourette’s.
It might be surprising, but a recent study found that, in the UK, as many as 1% of the population have ASD.
It was emphasised to recruits that some of these neurodivergent people may be highly talented – they just see the world around them in a different way.
Recruits also learned that neurodivergent people may display a wide array of behaviours resulting from their condition and that there is no easy guide on how to recognise these at first glance. In their training session, the recruits were asked to consider different ways of interacting with neurodivergent people and to consider when special measures might be appropriate when dealing with them as victims, witnesses, or offenders. In a wide-ranging discussion, the recruits were asked to consider alternative methods of communication and ways of providing any extra reassurance necessary if such a person needed to be brought to New Mole House.
In some police forces in UK, neurodivergent people are issued with ‘alert cards’ that give their basic information – and their condition – which they can show to any police officer with whom they have contact which is an idea that may be trialled here on the Rock. The recruits agreed that interacting with a neurodivergent person would usually require extra time and patience on their part. It was also agreed that there could never be a “One Size Fits All” approach.
The course instructor was PC Darrell Alman, who is a qualified teacher. Before returning to Gibraltar, Darrell regularly taught a class of autistic children in Reading, Berkshire, and he has also taught in the Alternative Learning Centre at Westside School. Away from his police duties, he regularly works closely with Gibraltar’s young neurodiverse community in subjects such as music, art and sensory learning.
Darrell said, “The aim of this training is to equip Police officers with the right awareness to enable them to interact with neurodivergent persons who they may come across in the course of their duties. I know that we will shortly introduce ‘Dementia Awareness’ into our Continuous Professional Development sessions so I hope we can add ‘Neurodiversity Awareness’ as well.”
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia were recently in Madrid for a continuation of the discussions on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the European Union – and through them with the Rock’s nearest EU neighbour, Spain.
They were accompanied by the Attorney General Michael Llamas.
These discussions have been ongoing between different parties and at different levels.
The Attorney General intends to proceed from Madrid to London to participate in the next formal round between the United Kingdom and the European Union. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister will again attend the meeting virtually.
The His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar says it remains fully committed to arrive at a positive, safe and secure treaty for Gibraltar and is very optimistic that such a treaty will be agreed.
As part of the proposed evolution of GBC under new CEO, James Neish, some new vacancies have become live at the organisation.
Among these include a staff broadcast assistant (BA), plus some freelance positions including camera operator, presenter/announcer and a further BA role.
If you’re interested in shaping the future of GBC and want to get involved, go to
https://www.gbc.gi/vacancies
Please consider adopting one of these babies. They have been waiting a long time for a forever home.
As part of the plans for International Women’s Day 2023 events, and following the success of the book “The Ladies That Rock The Rock”, by the author Ayelet Mamo Shay, a new Award program has been launched, called: The Ladies That Rock The Rock Award.
This Award program will give the opportunity for the people of Gibraltar to nominate ladies who have contributed to Gibraltar, from all walks of life, to be recognised and rewarded for their achievements and efforts. A committee comprising of both men and women, from different walks of life, including a representative from the Ministry of Equality, will select the winning nominations.
The program will culminate with a Gala Dinner to be held on 8th March 2023 (International Women’s Day) at the Sunborn Hotel, where the Award Ceremony will take place, with one of the awards to be presented by the Minister of Equality, Samantha Sacramento.
There are seven Awards to be won as part of this program, for the following categories:
• Business Leader Award
• Diversity & Inclusion Award
• Influencer Award
• Health & Wellness Award
• Women in Media Award
• Social Impact Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award
Commenting on the Award program, Ayelet Mamo Shay said: ” The book The Ladies That Rock The Rock has triumphed the success of 22 inspirational ladies in Gibraltar, and last year we celebrated that with a gala dinner, an exhibition and a ladies delegation to Morocco. However I feel that there are many incredible ladies out there that have done so much for Gibraltar and deserve the recognition. We are inviting individuals and companies across Gibraltar to participate in the Award program, submit their nominations, champion Equality and celebrate International Women’s Day with us”.
Mamo Shay added: “Last year 10% of the proceeds of the Gala Dinner and the book launch were donated to Jane Wink foundation(families in need). This year our focus is on the youth and we will be donating hundreds of copies of the book to local schools to inspire the young generations”.
The Nomination form can be obtained by email by sending a request to: TheLadiesThatRock@gmail.com
Deadline to submit nominations is 7pm on 31 December 2022.
