Feature - page 3

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Life is not always black and white, as we know, Aries, and even though you’d prefer it was, right now you are being challenged to navigate they grey!  With a little patience and tenacity, you’ll get there.  

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21) 

If things get on top of you this month, Taurus, then the best approach is to listen to music that uplifts you and makes you smile.  Whether that is smiling along to old memories or laughing along with the absurdities of life… smiling is the best medicine right now! 

GEMINI (May 22 – Jun 22) 

As your energy vibrations shift, in keeping with the vibrations of the planet, you find that you are becoming more sensitive, Gemini.  This can mean that you are experiencing highs and lows in both your energy and your emotions.  Be assured that happiness awaits you as long as you go with the flow.

CANCER (Jun 23 – Jul 22)

You are most likely feeling that you are going through some kind of test or initiation, Cancer, and you are. We all are as we learn to trust ourselves in this uncertain and ever-changing world. Being a sensitive soul and a natural empath, you feel it more than most. Don’t worry, your soul knows the truth and is confidently marching its path.

LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 23) 

Your guidance this month, Leo, comes from the Universal energy of Trust. Trust yourself to be vulnerable, trust you soul, your intuition and your inner power. These things cannot be destroyed and it is safe for you to walk alone at times, as you grow. 

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sep 23)

You are being called upon to speak your truth this month, Virgo.  Honour yourself and dare to be different.  Most people are afraid to do so and, at this time, many around you are needing encouragement and someone to look to express their confidence.  Be that person!

LIBRA (Sep 24 – Oct 23) 

You may find yourself seeking time alone this month, Libra. You may even feel the need to withdraw from those around you. This is absolutely what you need to do, so go ahead and do it. You need this time to access your inner wisdom and can only do this by removing the distractions that steal your time.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22) 

This month is the perfect time for you to appraise your spiritual practice, Scorpio.  You may find that you want to change direction or develop a certain path that you have so far just dipped your toes in.  Listen to your inner guidance, we are all being called on our individual paths right and will come together, in strength, at the correct time.  

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21) 

If you are feeling tired Sagittarius, it is because you have been giving away your energy on levels that you are not even aware of. Because you are strong and sensitive, those less so have been drawing on you, emotionally and physically and your compassionate heart has allowed it. Gently reestablish your boundaries.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20) 

Be prepared to step up and support a vulnerable cause this month, Capricorn. This will most likely, take the form of some kind of health issue which speaks to you either personally or through another individual. Either way, your qualities of leadership and courage will be needed and appreciated.  

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19) 

Your feelings of frustration can be transformed into feelings of peace and harmony, Aquarius, when you breathe yourself back onto your true path of leading the way by planting seeds of peace and harmony. People are desperate for seeds of hope, at this time, and your spiritual leadership qualities are essential to their journey.

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20) 

It seems that the ebb and flow of the earth energies are sweeping you up in their vibrations, Pisces. This is not surprising as your emotional body is so sensitive. Ask the Universe (and particularly Mother Mary) to hold you and bathe you in love. Then sit quietly to receive it. This will help you to rebalance. 

On Tuesday 13th of June BrightMed celebrated the re-birth of the Gibraltar World Music Festival with this year’s edition called ‘Kúshame!’. 

‘Kúshame!’ is a word from our local and popular dialect called ‘Yanito’. Yanito is spoken by the people of the region of Gibraltar. It simply means ‘Listen to me’, what better statement by a Festival.  BrightMed has created bridges between Business and Culture around the World for the last 9 years.

The BrightMed Festival would not exist without our sponsors: Kusuma Trust, EMID Gibraltar, Hyperion, Our Town, Hassans, BFA, Gamma Architects, McNab Holdings, Parody Tours and Imperial Group amongst others who have supported these events.

GWMF arranged concerts at St Michael’s cave and explored the universality of music with Al’Fado, Liraz and Anna RF.

Al’Fado is a new musical program constructed mostly of music originating from the Iberian Peninsula. This music goes back to the Jewish/Hebrew communities living in the region in medieval times and it’s sang in an ancient dialect of Spanish mixed with Portuguese and Hebrew called Ladino. Al’Fado is half Israeli and half Portuguese. The group features singer Gal Tamir, Avishay Back on bass guitar, João Roque on guitars and Diogo Melo de Carvalho on percussion. The group is based in the rich and varied music scene of Lisbon, the multicultural capital of Portugal.

Singer, songwriter and actress Liraz has wowed crowds with her performances of stage, sound, and screen. In this groundbreaking musical project Liraz sought to combine modern sounds and beats with the ethnic flavour from her persian roots. The mixture of beats with Iranian influences of the 1970’s translates into Liraz’s desire to integrate her family’s history with her own. This inspiration is what fueled her interest to work with the acclaimed beats producer Rejoicer (Raw Tapes). Liraz blends her Iranian heritage with Los Angeles driven beats to create a truly rich mix of Middle Eastern spice and clean-cut beats.

Anna RF is an Electro Reggae band who creates music that combines the beauty of different cultures and brings people together in a joyful celebration of unity. The group’s sound is a mix between east & west, their vision stands for blending ancient and modern instruments with a live-electronic touch.

She was one of the most influential female Rock stars of all time. The legend Tina Turner left us in May of this year but her legacy lives on. She was ‘Simply the Best’- the full embodiment of what the term signifies. Her compelling story of hardship, music and pain before she found worldwide success in her own right, and the best choices from her catalogue of greatest hits, will hopefully linger on for years to come in the stage musical about ‘Tina’. 

The show is a still a huge hit and if you have seen it you know that already, but if you haven’t and are a music lover or a Tina Turner fan, you owe it to yourself to see it.  I have seen ‘Tina el musical’ twice in Madrid (21 and 22) and it sits up there for me as one of the most accomplished Rock musicals that I have seen. It’s that good and the Broadway and the London West End shows are the pinnacle of theatrical entertainment that along with other major cities across the world, will continue to exploit the universal success of the story of the greatest and most humble of musical divas that the world has known. Soon no doubt we shall see the release of her back catalogue hits which may well produce a posthumous hit album for her estate and record company.

Tina Turner (born in Brownsville, Tennessee, Anna Mae Bullock 26. 11. 39) was an American-born singer who was the lead singer of the ‘Ike and Tina Turner Revue band. Ike trapped her into an abusive marriage and it was only after many years of struggling to break free that she rose to prominence as an iconic singer in her own right and became a role model for women across the world. Her comeback in the mid-eighties put her at the top of her game as one of the most powerful and explosive touring female singers and successful recording artists of the day. She sold in excess of 200 million records. Tina had a long career and toured her 50th anniversary show around the world in 2009. She died in Switzerland aged 83 on May 24.

 At the height of her world dominance in the early nineties she filled the Maracana stadium in Brazil with 180,000 – a world record attendance to this day. That crowning moment of her career is also the highlight of Tina the musical when she sang ‘Simply the Best’ however, there is a strong local connection with Albert Hammond our celebrated singer songwriter who wrote eight songs for her which she recorded. Three of which were big hits for her and two of which feature prominently in the ‘Tina the musical’. ‘Don’t Turn Around’ (1986) features twice. I thought that this connection had to be explored further and I chatted with Albert, who at the moment is on a touring hiatus and has just recorded seventeen new songs for release in Spring next year to mark his 80th  birthday  and he is also currently embarked on a Christmas album also for release next year. 

“These eight songs are the songs that Tina recorded of mine. I didn’t realize how many I had written for her: 1. Don’t turn around  2. I don’t wanna lose You 3. Way of the world 4. Be tender with me Baby 5. Ask me how I feel 6. Love Thing 7. Something Special 8. You can’t stop me loving you. Of those eight songs ‘Don’t turn around’ was a hit three times over, British Reggae band ‘Aswad’, Neil Diamond and Swedish band ‘Ace of Bass’ had a massive hit with it too. It’s a long time ago now but I remember that Tina especially liked ‘Be tender with me Baby’ because the lyric resonated with her. I also remember that a prominent Canadian singer songwriter produced the track for her.” 

Lovely memories to have indeed and now his connection with Tina is set to continue in the musical which no doubt will be given a new impetus by the demise of the legendary diva. As I said earlier in this column, if you haven’t yet seen the musical and get an opportunity to do so, don’t miss it because I’s a great story of rags to riches with great music throughout, some of which is written by our own legendary singer songwriter Albert Hammond who has written hits that go back half a century. 

“Last year we celebrated 50 years since ‘It never rains in Southern California’ and this year we celebrate 50 years since ‘Free Electric Band’ the song that inspired so many people around the world to seek truth and happiness. And so the line ‘I gave it up for music and a free electric band’.”

We had a long catch-up chat and I now have a standing invitation to meet him very soon and he is going to play me some of the new album’. There is so much that we don’t know about Albert Hammond here in Gibraltar so until he writes a book, which is on the cards, the anecdotes about his success, like having written eight songs for the late great Tina Turner, will serve to whet our appetite for what is still to come from the man who in 1962 started a Rock’ n’ Roll band called ‘The Diamond Boys’.

Hydration to Avoid Dehydration

Hydration is always important especially in the summer months when we experience hot and humid weather as this is when we tend to lose a lot of our body fluids through sweat, but although we know that we should drink plenty of water, what are the benefits of hydration that we may not know about and how do you know if you are dehydrated?

Heat Exhaustion vs Heatstroke

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are serious health conditions, but they can be avoided. Heat exhaustion isn’t usually a medical emergency if you can cool the person down within 30 minutes. However, it can develop into heatstroke if it gets worse.

Heat exhaustion happens when the body gets too hot and dehydrated and you can no longer sweat to cool yourself down and your body temperature can rise until it’s dangerously high. Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion include: a high temperature; tiredness and weakness; dizziness; feeling or being sick; becoming very thirsty; fast breathing or heartbeat; muscle cramps; and clammy skin, paleness (on lighter skin tones), or excessive sweating. 

Heatstroke or sun stroke also occurs when the body gets dangerously hot, however, it’s potentially life-threatening and should be treated as an emergency. Symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion at first, like sickness, dizziness, and extreme high temperature, but if you, or someone else, has not recovered after thirty minutes of being in a cool place and drinking fluids, then seek medical assistance. 

So how do you stay hydrated? Start by drinking six–eight cups a day of fluid, particularly water which is a healthy and cheap option. Another good tip is to eat foods with high water contents like watermelon, cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes. If you engage in high density workouts and lose a lot of sweat, then electrolytes (minerals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water) could be crucial in managing your fluid balance. Try PE Nutrition Electrolyte Formula tablets available from Holland & Barrett which are made up of the 5 major electrolyte’s and helps to enhance your natural energy sources within the body to better your performance whilst aiding muscle contractions prolonging your exercise without premature muscle cramps. Alternatively, SiS Go Hydro Tablets Lemon tablets are designed to ensure you are effectively hydrated to produce your best performance.

Protect your Hair and Scalp

The scalp is often overlooked when it comes to protecting our bodies from the sun’s harmful UV rays. However, it needs to be protected during the summer and on sunnier days. Sunburn is damage to your skin caused by UV rays from the sun or a sunbed. Scalp sunburn is the same as any other type of sunburn. Symptoms of a sunburned head include: redness; soreness; hot skin; flaking and peeling after a few days. 

There are several ways to protect your scalp, the easiest of which is to add sun cream application to your morning routine, especially on any exposed skin. 

There are specific sun protection products you can use on the scalp to give an extra layer of protection or you can use ordinary sun cream – it’s up to you! Holland & Barrett SPF 15 Mineral Sunscreen provides immediate broad spectrum UVA & UVB protection once rubbed into the skin. You can also get sunscreen for your hair! 

Staying Safe with Nut Allergies

If you or a member of your family suffers with nut allergies, then going on holiday can be a nightmare. If you are flying abroad, be aware that if the airline hands out bags of peanuts and each passenger opens their bags at roughly the same time, the peanut dust thrown into the air might be enough to trigger an allergic reaction. Contact the airline in advance to ask for a note to be added to your booking, alerting check-in staff, security and cabin crew of the allergy, and of your need to carry EpiPens – it’s also a good idea to have a spare set of these in case of emergencies. 

Mosquito bites

These can bring misery to any holiday. The majority of mosquito bites simply cause a little discomfort and a small, red lump or swelling that itches. However, mosquito bites do affect different individuals in different ways, and some people experience more severe symptoms of swelling and itching than others. There are several natural remedies that you can try at home.

Clean the bite and apply surgical spirit to the wound with a cotton pad. Although you’ll experience a stinging sensation for a couple of seconds, that will subside, and due to the drying effect of the surgical spirit, the itching will too.

Honey is a natural antibacterial which has anti-inflammatory properties. However, don’t use honey if you intend to head back outside, as insects will be attracted to the sweetness.

Aloe vera gel, either bought or extracted from within an aloe vera leaf, has cooling properties which can reduce swelling. You can buy Holland & Barrett Aloe Vera Gel with 100% naturally derived ingredients to help soothe the mosquito bite, or try incognito Insect Repellent from Holland & Barrett which is a 100% natural anti-mosquito spray that provides protection from biting insects such as mosquitoes. 

Basil leaves contain chemicals which work as a natural balm to resolve feelings of itchiness and skin discomfort. Make a rub with blended basil leaves and a neutral oil to soothe the skin. 

Garlic has natural anti-inflammatory compounds. However, a minced garlic bulb on its own is too potent to accelerate healing and may exacerbate skin irritation. Combine minced garlic with a few drops of a neutral oil, such as Miaroma Lemon Pure Essential Oil from Holland & Barrett, to create a salve for mosquito bites.

Gibraltarian composer and musician John Adam Mascarenhas has been recognised for his contribution to the musical arrangement for a song that featured in a short film entitled ‘Referéndum’.

John was born in Gibraltar and started playing the piano at age six, singing and playing different instruments such as the guitar, flute and bagpipes before going on to write his first composition at the age of thirteen.“Like most, I formed bands just for fun to play for friends but always dreaming of becoming an international star.

John explains that in collaboration with his wife Teresa they mainly compose Celtic Music but that they also write in different styles. “Teresa usually writes the lyrics of the songs and helps me with the arrangements. She also writes poetry and she has a poetry book published called ‘Latidos’.

They work together with other composers from Costa Rica and Nicaragua and have many more projectscoming up in the near future. “Another song of ours is going to be used for a documentary in Spain.

At an exclusive awards ceremony at the IX RACCORD Gala held in Zaragoza on Saturday 3rd June 2023, third and fourth year students from the Audiovisual Communication degree course at the San Jorge University were recognised for their entries in different categories. 

‘Referéndum’ was the big winner of the night, receiving 5 awards:Best Director of Photography to Iván Martínez together with Alejandro Garín from Habitación 112; Best Editing, Best Direction and Best Short Film to Javito.

The original song “Paz, Amor, y Libertad” (Peace, Love, and Freedom) by John Adam Mascarenhas that featured at the end of the short film was highly acclaimed by the distinguished audience, along with the soundtrack by Fernando Rouco.

The lyrics of the song were written by the playwright, international columnist and composer, José Luís Ortiz Güell, who has spent many years writing books, including ‘Soledad: querida dictadura’under the pseudonym of Paolo Da Santos and “Puente de niebla”, which bears his name. As part of his work as a journalist he has just received the world prize for excellence in journalism ‘Cesar Vallejo’. 

Jose Luis has also been recognised for the brilliant role he played in Referéndum, which reflects his great acting skills. Among the different nominations at the IX RACCORD Gala, Fernando Bernués co-star ofReferéndum, was amongst those that stood out. 

Referéndum will continue to participate in the main Spanish and international festivals and it is expected to be one of the best short films of the year 2023 in Spain.

SECOND CHANCES

Everyone knows that when players are told that they are going to be released, is a very traumatic experience. In many cases, all of the players are brought from a changing room full of their teammates to learn their fate. 

Young players are made to hold it all in but they’re sitting in the changing room they have used for years where their young lives have been shared with teammates, kit man, coaches, physiotherapists and more and you literally get told no, and it’s within ten minutes, you’ve got all your stuff and you’re out and you never see them or the place where you`ve shared your life again. So it’s just kind of like from everything to nothing in a split second.

In the longer term, in some cases up to a year after their release, many players experienced psychological difficulties

Is anyone surprised that depression and anxiety sets in? I`ve heard players say:

I won’t lie to you, yeah I did get down after I left. Like, properly … like I’m not gonna sit here and try and tell anyone it doesn’t affect me, it affected me more, like … a year after … or like, six, seven months after and some even longer.

Many players received no support or aftercare from their clubs, which added to their difficulty transitioning away from the club. One said:

The club kind of just leave you to it which is hard because you’d been there for so long. Then they just brush you aside like you’re nothing. The players found it hard to go to their parents for help, because they did not want to burden them with their emotional difficulties.

Many players do note the excellent support provided by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and especially League Football Education. I myself was LFE Placement officer in Spain for 4 years prior to setting up Europa Point FC from scratch and singled handedly just to give second chances. Counselling from the PFA is optional, though, and the players are the ones to contact them for support. League Football Education does an even closer job through their regional officers. Automatically scheduled counselling could make a difference to players released from academies.

Some players speak of the benefit of seeking support through independent counselling services:

Players feel so so down. Counselling sessions do help to make these players a better person and more resilient. 

Players released from academies also need more support from their clubs. Academies could develop pre-release programmes aimed at preparing players for release which could support their transition away from their club. This could include focusing on players’ coping skills, improving their ability to seek social support and developing their confidence and self-esteem.

In January 2022, Crystal Palace Football Club announced that they would offer three years of aftercare for released players between the ages of 18 and 23, with a “player care officer” allocated to released players to support them and help them find a new football club or move into education or a job.

In June 2022, new guidelines passed by the Premier League will require all Premier League and English Football League clubs to give a three-year “commitment of support” to released academy players. Initiatives like those at Crystal Palace are hopefully the start of a sea change in the British academy system. If more clubs follow suit, they can help prevent those childhood dreams from becoming nightmares for released players and their families.

Watch Dropped, a hard-hitting, heartbreaking new film which highlights the devastating impact top-flight football academies have on young men when they drop those who don’t make.

The creative highlights what happens when they are given no mental health support to deal with what is often a life-changing and traumatic decision.

Dropped exposes mental health issues

The beautifully shot but harrowing four-minute film, ‘Dropped’, exposes the harsh reality of the mental health issues currently running rampant in youth football, where children are brutally rejected at what is often the most vulnerable time of their young lives. 

The film tackles the impact of being deemed not good enough and highlights how the young hopefuls can be left feeling so heartbroken by rejection that some want to end their lives.

We at Reygadas Sports Group prefer no player to be released. Unfortunately this is only a pipe dream. However, at #Fusion4ExitPathway, our new project, being a released player becomes a blessing in disguise as we add #TikiTaka to inherent #EnglishGrit to produce Home Grown Players for English clubs and England.

If you are a brand, a club, a coach an agent, a Fan get involved with #Fusion4ExitPathway