Feature - page 37

Despite the numerous sieges Gibraltar has undergone, there was no border fence between Spain and Gibraltar until the year 1910. The demarcation lines were the batteries and walls themselves, between them, the Neutral Ground (No Man’s Land.)

Before this date there were just two lines of British and Spanish sentries in their boxes looking at each other from a distance inside the Neutral Ground. 

Contraband from Gibraltar into Spain has always been rife with tobacco being the prime item. This used to be carried across the Neutral Ground strapped to the bodies of specially trained Contraband Dogs. In trying to stop these dogs, sentries from both sides would take shots at them and in so doing were sometimes in danger of shooting each other.

The Spanish Government was very anxious to stop this practice and suggested to the British Government that some sort of fence or barrier be constructed to put an end to it. A two metre high chicken wire fence was erected from shore to shore but soon enough mysterious holes started to appear, ending with a full iron fence being installed. Thus was the border fence born. People would walk to and from Spain without passports but had to go through customs only and this went on for years without harassment. 

Things begin to change!

I will begin with the visit to Gibraltar in 1954 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth which was seen as an insult by Spain’s Dictator Francisco Franco and from then on Gibraltar started to suffer a string of restrictions and harassment. Any Spanish worker in Gibraltar who retired or lost his job would not be replaced; there was also the threat of the confiscation of property in Spain belonging to Gibraltarians. My grandmother who had a lovely villa in Campamento had to sell it quick to the first offer she got. 

In the years 1963 and 1964 Spain begins its campaign for the recovery of Gibraltar at the United Nations. This was headed by Spain’s Foreign Minister Fernando Maria Castiella with his famous Red Book which he presented to the UN with Spain’s evidence (according to Spain) that Gibraltar was Spanish. Our leaders Sir Joshua Hassan and Peter Isola both went to the UN to put our case before them, why we wanted to remain British. On 10th September 1967, we had our famous Referendum which showed the whole world Gibraltar’s desire to remain British. 12,138 voted in favour against 44 votes.

They started to intensify the restrictions with the French nationals who were going back to France from Morocco via Gibraltar’s ferry. They were kept in the sun for hours in a queue before they were allowed to cross. The next move was to make every Gibraltarian who wanted to cross into Spain apply for a special pass; the British Gibraltar Passport was not recognised and only those who lived across the border applied. When the UN rejected Spain’s claim, the Spanish Government warned all Spanish workers in Gibraltar that they would close the border with Gibraltar and they would not be going back. To compensate for this massive job loss, Franco promised the Spanish workers that they had built a refinery in the bay which would give the men work and a large textile factory called “Confecciones Gibraltar” for the women. The truth was that the refinery could only employ 200 men whilst the textile factory lasted for a short period and came to an abrupt halt when the Director disappeared with all the funds for its creation (Very typical). The great majority had to immigrate to other European countries like UK, Germany, Holland, and France. 

Plenty of work was still available on the Rock and many Spanish workers who were not given work permits for Gibraltar by their government bypassed this by coming to work via the Algeciras-Tangier-Gibraltar ferry. The only problem was they had to stay and live on the Rock. Many local families hired spare rooms for these poor unfortunate people. They used to send their earnings home with friends who could still go through the border daily. These workers used to be known as “Trabajadores de Pasaporte” in other words passport workers. The first batch who went back to visit their families had their passports confiscated by the Spanish police in Algeciras for having the Gibraltar immigration stamp on them. Word soon reached the Rock’s authorities and the stamp was no longer used. 

In 1967 all the Spanish women working on Gibraltar were withdrawn for their own protection under the pretext that they were being insulted and molested by Gibraltarian men. Some of them appeared on Spanish television saying so. A propaganda campaign by Spain’s television, radio and press was constantly slagging Gibraltar with their famous slogan “Gibraltar Español”.

In December 1968 the UN instructs Britain to end the colonial status of Gibraltar by 1st October 1969. Britain responds by implementing the Gibraltar Constitution Order on the 30th May 1969, which infuriates Franco and the border is closed on 8th June 1969.

Many Gibraltarians who lived across the border had to leave their homes and come into Gibraltar. Most of them who could not be taken by their families were put into old empty barracks which were used as transit centres until proper accommodation could be found. 

Despite the Spanish gates which had been closed, Gibraltar’s were kept open all the time as if nothing had happened. Suddenly overnight, Gibraltar lost its Spanish labour force. Luckily contingency plans had been made for this foreseeable turn of events by making contact with the Government of Morocco who covered the shortage of labour by sending hundreds of Moroccans in their stead. In the meantime all Gibraltarians mucked in to cover whilst the shortages were filled. The most essential services like the hospitals and old people’s homes were covered very effectively. Fresh fruit and vegetables as well as fish came from Morocco whilst meat and other essentials were imported from UK and other countries. Nothing came from Spain who was trying to strangle Gibraltar’s economy. 

In 1968 the UN made a recommendation to the UK that it should try by all means to decolonise Gibraltar by the end of 1st October 1969. Franco interpreted this believing Gibraltar would be returned to Spain and if not he would take it by force. I found myself involved in this conflict which could have turned into a nasty incident short of war. I was doing military service at the time when we were sent to the border together with the Black Watch Highland Regiment, armed to the teeth. The Spanish military forces were re-grouping with tanks and artillery in the vicinity to make an armed assault. 

The British Forces retaliated, three days later we had a task force arriving with aircraft carriers, helicopters and Royal Marine Commandos. Gibraltar became a hive of activity involving military personnel. On seeing the British response the Spanish troops withdrew and dispersed to whence they had come. I was very happy and relieved at the outcome of this episode where no shot was fired more so because I was right in the front line! Then Franco died and we were all expecting a drastic change in Spain’s government and a possible opening of the border gates. It was believed since they had now become a democratic government things would start to look better for us. No way, it was the same dog with a different collar. Years went past and nothing happened. Then as Spain was very anxious to join the EEC, the UK took advantage of telling them that unless they opened the border UK would veto their entry. Talks commenced for the opening of the border, but what happens? The start of the Falklands War! The talks were suspended pending the result of the war. The truth of the matter was that Spain was anxious to see what Britain’s reaction to the invasion of the Falklands would be? Would Britain fling its military might to aid the Islanders or not. I personally think that if they had not aided the Islanders as they did, today we would be telling a different story. Once that war was over talks commenced once again which led to the opening of the border. The Spanish Premier at the time Felipe Gonzalez, told congress that he had opened the border on humanitarian grounds. (Not that they wanted to join the EEC!) 

Christmas is almost us upon us, again! This time last year, we outlined 3 simple steps that you can take to make you, your family, your business, and Gibraltar more secure and #hardtohack. These simple but effective steps are timeless and so important to your personal cyber resilience that they are worth reinforcing again at this time of year.

Cyber criminals will actively be exploiting shoppers in the lead up to Christmas.

People are planning to spend an estimated £32.25bn online on their Christmas purchases this year, according to research and insight company Statista.

Mike Wills, Co Founder at CSS Platinum, said shoppers rushing to secure the perfect present at the best price are at greater risk of malicious threats.

He added: “In the run-up to Christmas, many outlets will run promotional offers to encourage spending. This is a potentially lucrative time of year for cyber criminals as they know shoppers are less vigilant as they rush to snap up the best deals.

“Cyber criminals will no doubt be looking to take advantage of the vast number of transactions taking place and the financial information being shared as a result. There is also an increase in promotional email traffic, which makes it hard to differentiate the real bargains from scams – presenting a heightened risk of phishing attacks.

“With this in mind, it is critical consumers take steps to protect themselves and their families.”

STEP 1 Password Management

“Firstly, shoppers should change their passwords right away. While this is a faff, it is the single greatest defence you can make to protect yourself against a cyber-attack and will instantly make you much safer online.

“Currently, there are millions of emails and passwords for sale on the dark web, which have been breached by companies that have not protected people’s personal data sufficiently. Cyber criminals can buy this data for minimal amounts of money and could use it to gain access to your emails.

“They will look for social media accounts and online high street accounts and test your combination to gain access. From this, they can gather more personal data until they have enough to take our credit in your name or use your saved payment cards to make online purchases, for example.”

STEP 2 Personal data breach identification

“It is a good idea to understand whether your data has been breached so you can put in place other necessary measures to protect yourself. To do this you can use a free service provided by Have I Been Pwned. All you need to do is enter your email address and the site will tell you whether it is associated with a breach and if so, what other data has been stolen.

“If you have been breached, it is even more important that you change your password to break the chain. Next, you need to understand whether you have been entered into any spambots – as the name suggests, these are bots that send spam to you.

“While some spam is laughable, others are highly credible. If you’re rushing, there’s a higher chance you will click a link in a spam email, which could execute malware or ransomware on your device.

“Unfortunately, the only way to rectify and avoid your exposure to spam – and, in turn, the chances of clicking on a malicious link – is by changing your email address. This is best done by transitioning email address information on websites over a period time. While this is an arduous task, it is vital for protecting yourself.”

STEP3 Check your Anti-visrus

“Finally, make sure your anti-virus protection is installed, activated with a valid licence and updated. While free anti-virus software is available, it won’t protect you sufficiently. Competition to provide the best anti-virus changes year on year between the main vendors as they achieve technology breakthroughs in response to the evolution in cyber threats.

“The best thing to do is check reputable tech websites for reviews of the best current anti-virus software. We recommend buying a one-year licence, and then when it comes to renew, assess which company has moved to the forefront of anti-malware protection. There will always be new customer deals to be had.”

Be resilient and have a very Merry Christmas from all at CSS Platinum.

Michael Wills is co-founder and chief data officer for CSS Platinum. For further information on the company and the services it provides to Gibraltar businesses and the international yachting industry, please visit https://cssplatinum.com and/or email support@cssplatinum.com.

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

If you’ve been feeling a bit confused recently, Aries, I think it’s safe to say there’s a lot of it around. It is important to stay centred and deal with only one thing at a time. This will help the fog to clear. 

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21) 

You may find yourself dealing with unexpected expenses or even debts this month, Taurus. Don’t panic… just take a deep breath and allow any fears to subside. It’ll all be fine when you look at in a new light. 

GEMINI (May 22 – Jun 22) 

A long overdue visit to someone special is going to present itself, Gemini, so make sure you don’t leave it to long to say yes!  Sharing time and hugs with those we love is more important now than ever.   Its good for us in every way possible. 

CANCER (Jun 23 – Jul 22)

You seem to have been dealing with quite a lot of turmoil around you, Cancer, but the good news is that it is definitely passing. There have been times when you have been feeling completely overloaded but you are a strong and wiry wee crab and you are almost there. 

LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 23) 

A younger person will be looking to you for guidance and support this month, Leo. You may, however, need to be super sensitive as they may not know quite how to ask. Be gentle… it will be appreciated.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sep 23)

Frustrations may mount in certain areas of your life this month, Virgo and may cause you some anxiety in the process.  Breathe through them as is simply your monkey mind trying to mess with your head!  

LIBRA (Sep 24 – Oct 23) 

Inner strength will be called for this month, Libra, and this will be a great reminder to you as to just how powerful you are. In fact, once you realise this, you will feel wrapped in a sense of calm and certainty. Hold onto this as it is very special.  

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22) 

Watch your words this month, Scorpio, or you may unwittingly upset someone. People are generally feeling a little sensitive these days and some, in particular, more sensitive than others!!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21) 

Upset tummies and strange aches and pains may well be giving you grief at this time, Sagittarius.  If they persist then take some time to identify which areas of your life are causing your stress.  You’ll find that taking steps to relieve the stress will make a big difference. 

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20) 

Mixed emotions can cause mixed communications, Capricorn, and no matter how mush you try to explain yourself to someone it just won’t work!   So don’t even try… Instead send loving thoughts and kind words and let the Universe take care of the details.  

 AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19) 

A niggling health worry is better to be looked into than looked over, Aquarius. In the unlikely event that it is serious then all the better to find out quickly. Then you are free to follow through on all your other plans and projects with an easy mind. 

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20) 

Helping friends in need is a very satisfying thing to do, Pisces. And something you do so well.  Remember, also that ‘helping’ takes many forms and no one form is better than any other. Each time we help, in any way, we are paying the energy forward and everybody wins.

However loving and committed relationships are, there are periods within them when we can feel jaded and disconnected to our loved one. We face challenges that create difficulties in our relationship.

How can we recognise what our relationship challenges are?

Relationship coach Mandy Mee states ‘Relationships aren’t a walk in the park and it takes mindfulness to maintain a healthy relationship. If you’re unaware there’s a problem in your relationship, then the problem can’t be solved. 

The first point of recognising a challenge in your relationship is by identifying how your relationship makes you feel.  

To long for your partner’s company after a long day at work considering that’s where you find peace of mind is a sign of a healthy relationship but if your relationship makes you feel uneasy and uncertain, perhaps mediocre, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.  

A healthy relationship should make you feel content, happy, loved and excited for the future together. 

When two people find a connection with one another, it’s important to understand their attachment style. This helps you build your relationship mindfully on a conscious level. Instead of “reacting” to your partner’s ways, having knowledge of their attachment style allows you to “respond” in a way you’re heard and not misunderstood. 

Other ways of identifying relationship challenges is through complaints. What do you find yourself disagreeing with on occasion or what do you complain most about that still isn’t resolved? 

Jealousy can also be an identifying factor which can stem from an Anxious or Disorganised Attachment Style. Jealousy is a place of lack and desire. However if you view jealousy from a positive perspective, you’re able to identify issues in your relationship. 

For instance if you’re jealous of the relationship of a friend, here are common signs which can serve as a guide towards identifying your own relationship challenges. 

Commitment

You’re jealous your peers’ relationship has led to a life partnership such as marriage.

Relationship Challenge – Marriage

You haven’t reached that level of commitment yet with your partner. 

Sexual Intimacy

You’re jealous your peers can’t seem to stop talking about how sexually satisfied they are with their partner.

Relationship Challenge – Sexual Dissatisfaction

You lack sexual intimacy in your own relationship. 

No Date Nights

You’re jealous your friends have routined date nights with their partner and they always seem happier as a result. 

Relationship Challenge –  Lack of activities

You can’t remember the last time you did anything fun in your relationship. You feel a void and distant.

Unresolved issues can have a long term effect on your relationship. Instead of repressing these problems, make a list of them and be strategic with how you choose to communicate them to your partner to reach a healthy solution. 

Understandably some couples may avoid addressing certain issues due to a lack of confidence, fear of hurting or losing their partner. If this is the case, familiarise yourself with your communication style and learn how to be assertive. 

Assertive communication allows you to convey your emotions effectively, shows signs you’re able to deal with conflict, resolve relationship issues, boosts your self esteem, self worth and allows you to stand up for yourself, which in turn derives respect from others. 

How can we develop positive strategies to bring the fun, spontaneity and closeness back to the forefront?

Relationships are like flowers you have to water, trim its dead roots and leaves to maintain their bloom.

Life has a way of making you lose track of being present in your relationship. From financial development, to maintaining a household, managing children, mental health, and career goals. 

We’re humans, and if there’s one thing we all are familiar with, is that life itself is one hell of a whirlwind so are relationships. 

It’s a common phenomenon to fall in and out of love with your partner. Attraction may fade with age, routine becomes a norm, boredom becomes rife and your romantic relationship pivots into what feels like a platonic friendship or companionship with no romance. 

Before you find ways to bring the fun, spontaneity and closeness back to a relationship, learn your partner’s needs and how they receive love. 

The way you feel love may be different from how your partner wants to be loved. 

Imagine trying to reignite the spark in your relationship by showering your partner with gifts when all they want is your presence and quality time. Your effort will go to waste considering your partner doesn’t resonate receiving gifts as Love. 

Once you’re aware of your partner’s love language, you’re equipped with some direction on how to get creative with the development of your relationship. 

Mandy outlines tips to reignite the spark in your relationship;

Date as though you just met

Get to know your partner all over again. Find out what makes them happy, understand their perspective on life and relationships. Ask intimate questions that will help you connect with their soul. If you’re unaware of questions to ask, do some research or try Dr Arthur Aron 36 Questions To Fall In Love. 

Play

Relationships are about having fun for life. Embrace the child in you and have some fun. Play a round of crazy golf, dance in the rain, pillow fight at home, sky dive, paddle board, incorporate fun activities that either involve competition or an adrenalin rush.  

Go on a staycation

You don’t have to go abroad to feel like you’re on a vacation. Find local resorts that offer a romantic ambiance such as forest of dean in the UK. 

Or you can plan a number of activities to do around a road trip to the countryside or a city in another town. 

Revisit the past   

Tracing your footsteps back to day 1 can bring back good memories of how you fell in  love. If you have pictures, that can also come into play with your creativity.     

Always show your partner appreciation, either a thank you or shower them with compliments. A show of appreciation makes them feel valued and wanted.’

For more tips, contact Matchmaker & Relationship Coach, Mandy Mee at “The MME Agency”. An exclusive Matchmaking & Coaching Agency for Professionals and Celebrities. 

As much as d love holidays in the sun, there is something very cosy and ‘hygge’ about winter holidays. Over the last few years Gibraltar has definitely upped its Christmas market game, and we’re never far from getting some warm chestnuts (or castañas). ûhat being said, it’s always nice to have a change of scenery and immerse yourself in different traditions and their local treats. So here are five Quropean destinations to consider visiting this Christmas period.

1. Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is probably one of the cutest and most quaint places I have visited. The main square is filled with colourful gingerbread looking houses, and if you like your dairy products you will appreciate all the chocolate and cheese shops dotted around (and the free samples). This year the Christmas markets run from 26th November to 9th January and will be located at the Markt and Simon Stevinplein in the city centre. If you’re a fan of cherry products, then I recommend you try Kriek – their cherry infused local beer. Which is actually more popular than regular beer in some areas! If you’d like something a bit more filling, make sure to try a Belgian waffle with warm cherries on top.

On your trip to Bruges, also make sure to check out the Choco-Story museum, or the Frietmuseum if you want to find out more about the history of chips. We actually learnt that ‘french fries’ actually originated in Belgium, and not France. Another interesting site to see is the Basilica of the Holy Blood, with the main point of interest here being a relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land. If you want to get inspired, watch the film ‘In Bruges’ starring Colin Farrel before your trip.

2. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is full of buzzing markets throughout the city, the biggest one probably being in Nyhaven Harbour. Here you can get everything from flavoured fudge, waffles on a stick, chocolate tools and lots of personalised gifts. You then also have the Christian Andersen market that can be found in Nytorv, where each stall is named after one of his fairytales, including The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. The most impressive of them all is in Tivoli, which is the second oldest theme park in Europe and costs £20 to enter. Here you can see great sculptures and gardens, try Danish yuletide and glogg. The Christmas markets run from the 16th to the 22nd December.

If you want to visit a unique place in Copenhagen whilst on your trip, head to the commune of Christiania. Give it a Google to find out more about what makes this place so interesting!

3. Frankfurt, Germany

It wouldn’t be a proper list without including the home of bratwurst sausages. In terms of visitors and the size of it, the Frankfurt Christmas Market is one of the largest and oldest Christmas markets in the whole of Germany. It is complete with elaborate decorations, scenic surroundings

from the Romerberg and St Paul’s Square combined with the huge Christmas tree at the market. If you’re a foodie like myself then don’t just come here for the sausages, you can also have a helping of pretzels, berliners and gluhwein. Some stalls also sell local craft beer and hot apple wine. This year the Christmas Market runs from 22nd November – 22nd December.

4. Seville, Spain

If you want all that comes with the festive markets without the freezing temperatures, then Seville will be a good option. It also means you won’t have to catch a flight (or take a PCR covid test) and can be there in 2 and a half hours.

There are a number of markets in Seville ranging from typical ones to ones that specialise in art created by Spanish artists in the Plaza Nueva, including pottery, paintings and wooden toys. There are also two combined markets in the Alameda de Hercules that feature a range of attractions and special performances for the whole family – including ice skating and performances by disney characters. These markets usually run up until the 5th of January as in Spain the day of the 3 Kings is even more celebrated than Christmas Day itself. If you’re spending a weekend in Seville make sure to also check out the Royal Alcazar Palace, which Game of Thrones fans might recognise as the filming location for the Kingdom of Dorne.

5. Budapest, Hungary

Last on the list is the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest. This is a place I’ve only visited in the summer months, but have heard from friends it is just as beautiful in the winter. The two main markets in Budapest are located in the Vorosmarty Square and at the Budapest Basilica Christmas Fair. At the Basilica fair you not only find the usual food stalls and handmade gifts, but there is also a Christmas laser projection show. Make sure to try their famous chimney cakes known as ‘Kurtoskalacs’, or warm up with a warm bowl of Goulash stew!

Aside from the Christmas markets, make sure to visit some of the ruin bars around the city, visit the House of Terror and take a boat along the river Danube at night to get the best views of the Hungarian Parliament Building. Just make sure to bring plenty of layers of clothing, and gloves! The dates planned for the Budapest Christmas Market are 19th November to 31st December.

Most of these cities are doable in 2-3 days, so you won’t have to take a lot of time off work to visit. Remember to check reopen.eu if you are planning on visiting one of these locations to see any updates on entry restrictions relating to covid.

No sooner than Halloween is over, there will be some of us who are already putting up our Christmas decorations. Others may prefer to leave Christmas preparations until the last minute, but in times such as these it could make sense to get your home ready a little bit earlier this year. 

Planning ahead is an effective way to save money and also to take the stress out of what should be a magical time. 

Declutter

Clearing out things that you no longer need or love can not only save you time later on but could also help you to make some extra cash from your unwanted items by selling them online. You may even come across some nice things that you could re-gift!

Budget Plan

Build a budget plan that takes account of all the costs that you will incur over the holiday season including food, presents, travel and decorations. Work out what you can afford and make a list of how much you want to spend on each person. Think about giving presents to the children in the family only and not the adults. 

Stock Up

We’re not suggesting that you panic buy, but stocking up on items each week will take the strain off doing a big shop nearer to that special day. Look out for special offers on non-perishable goods and store them away. 

Freezer Meals

Make the most of your freezer and cross off some of the Christmas food from your to-do list leaving you more time to enjoy the festivities. Did you realise that gravy freezes well and you can make and freeze it up to 3 months ahead? The same goes for bread sauce which you can make, cool then freeze in a freezer bag or sealed container and when needed, fully defrost and stir in a splash of milk. For vegan members of the family, try cooking up a vegan nut roast which can be frozen then reheated on the day. 

Decorations 

When do you put up your Christmas decorations? Whether that is the night before Christmas or two months before, now is the time to make some beautiful DIY Christmas decorations that you can use year after year. Do you remember paper chains? Well, they’re back in fashion. Get the children involved and create some sustainable homemade items that are both affordable and pretty. 

Christmas Playlist

Write down lists of your favourite Christmas music or create a playlist on one of the music streaming providers. Do the same with films and television programmes that you don’t want to miss. 

Wrapping Station 

If you have space you could set up a dedicated wrapping station, maybe on a desk or a chest of drawers, where you can keep, scissors, ribbon, tags, pens and wrapping paper ready to wrap presents as you buy them. If you can’t find a permanent area for a wrapping station, a genius idea is to use an ironing board. All you need to do is set up your ironing board so that it is at the right height for sitting down. This clever idea is also the perfect remedy for aching backs.

MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE

Sometimes Christmas can feel overwhelming but if you start early, put everything on paper and add to the list as you think of more ideas and presents, Christmas will, hopefully, be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.

The Christmas season, especially Christmas Day is a time to enjoy simple but incredibly important pleasures: food, warmth, family – perhaps a hot toddy or 2.

Sadly, not everyone is in a personal or financial position to experience the kind of Christmas we all love and will in time, reminisce about.

Thankfully, there are individuals who give their time, energy and kindness to creating a Christmas special for those who find themselves without emotional and practical support.

One such person is Dawn Tuckwell, 39, from Stoke Newington London.  Dawn is a co-founder and director of a PR and marketing business specialising in health and wellness. This is her personal experience:

‘I heard about the Crash Pad and Pilion Trust nine years ago and was told they were looking for volunteers. 

The Crash Pad is the only shelter of its kind that looks after 18-23 year olds who find themselves homeless and in need of support. Set up because night shelters were a scary place for young homeless people to stay. The work these guys do is incredible and the success stories of the young people who have been housed, found great jobs and some gone on to volunteer themselves in later years has been amazing.

It runs during the cold weather months so from December – end of April usually – this is often dependent on how much fund raising they manage to achieve.

I have been very fortunate to always have a roof over my head and friends and family whom I know will always be there if I needed them. I could not begin to imagine how frightening and lonely it must be to not have anyone to turn to in times of hardship. The Crash Pad really struck a chord with me. To have such young people slip through the system have so little support was a real eye opener and is heart breaking to see.  

Running a business is hard work and involves long hours but it also gives me the freedom to dictate when I work those hours.  After the first year of working with the Crash Pad I decided that I would rearrange my hours to allow me to dedicate an evening / night / morning  per week to The Crash Pad and I am so pleased I did so. The Crash Pad has given me so much and has always been the favourite part of my week.

Before Covid I was managing Thursday evenings through to Friday mornings. Crash Pad houses young people in crisis and at risk and runs seven days a week. The young people are provided with a bed, clean sheets, dinner and breakfast and somewhere to wash.

The young people stay with us until we can find somewhere more long term for them so we often become one big family. They get a structure and routine into their lives while they consider their futures.    

We cook dinner and breakfast for the young people and we all sit down to eat together. We also take turns in each of the young people assisting with cooking each evening and have a rota in place for cleaning as well.

Christmas is always a difficult time for the young people but it’s also always been a difficult time for me as well. Selfishly I think the Crash Pad also helps me to put things into perspective. We have so much and take so much for granted. When I meet these young people, some of whom have fled a dangerous situation with nothing but the clothes on their back and have no one to turn to for support, I realise how small my worries really are.

The first year I volunteered over the Christmas Eve and Christmas day I’d just been through the break-up of a long term relationship and was dreading Christmas even more than usual. 

Volunteering actually gave me more than I could have imagined and allowed me to forget about what I was going through and focus on supporting those more in need. Since then I’ve preferred to be there than anywhere else at Christmas. It can be emotionally hard sometimes to see these young people struggling and I’d be lying if I said I don’t find it tough sometimes because you want to be able to help more but I’d rather be there than not.  

You’d be surprised how many people offer to support these charities on Christmas day but it’s Christmas Eve that often is even harder for these young people – knowing that they are waking up on Christmas Day without their family. Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also harder to find volunteers for than Christmas Day itself.

Christmas eve I usually help prepare the lunch for the following day ahead of us cooking the next morning. I know emotionally it’s hard for them on Christmas Eve so we all try to be there as much as we can to keep them busy.

On Christmas day we cook lunch and eat together.  Local businesses often provide treats and gifts for them as well. We’re really lucky to have the support of local businesses and churches in Islington – they do go above and beyond to ensure we have gits and food for the young people at Christmas. I know that so many of them have never seen real kindness in their lives.’

What’s incredible is that over the years I’ve seen some of the young people who stayed with us at the Crash Pad years before come back and volunteer themselves and also come and join us on Christmas Day. Seeing how well they are now doing gives real hope to those who are staying with us at the time, and to see the family and support network they have developed.’

Pilion Trust:

http://piliontrust.info/

You can find out more about The Crash Pad project here:

http://piliontrust.info/crash-pad-project

The Crash Pad has been given the go ahead to open again this year as we were forced to close due to Covid restrictions last year. 

You can donate here:

https://www.justgiving.com/piliontrust

Last month, ahead of the start of the domestic club football season on the Rock, the Gibraltar Football Association announced the launch of two initiatives aimed at developing the image and raising the profile of the Gibraltar National League. 

The first of these two initiatives is a partnership with Footters, a live football streaming platform who have live online coverage of multiple leagues from Europe, South America and beyond. An integral part of the deal struck between the Gibraltar FA, and Footters is that every match in the National League this season will be broadcast live and completely free of charge. Therefore, to watch all of the Gibraltar National League, supporters just need to register on the site, or download the Footters app and sign up, and click on match of their choice. 

Further information, including how to go about signing up for the streaming service, can be found on the Footters website :https://play.footters.com/category/1/9

The second initiative is an extension of the excellent work being carried out by the Gibraltarian marketing company, The Bulb, on behalf of the Gibraltar FA to also incorporate the National League.

Consequently, the Gibraltar National League will now develop its own brand identity and social media presence. The initiative is aimed at helping the League and the Clubs to develop their social media visibility and online presence, much in the same way as The Bulb has been able to do with Gibraltar’s national teams. 

Speaking about the new initiatives, the Gibraltar’s FA’s General Secretary, Ivan Robba, said: 

“These two initiatives are the start of a great step forward in domestic football in Gibraltar. 

Not only have we begun an exciting new season in the Gibraltar National League, but we also embark on a whole new journey in which these two fantastic initiatives are aimed at taking the League on the next level in terms of international visibility and I am very pleased that the Gibraltar FA is helping our league and clubs in this way. 

Footters are the market leaders in our region in relation to online streaming solutions for leagues that are not bought up by huge TV companies. Simply having the Gibraltar National League on their platforms will open up a whole new, massive potential audience that would never have got to see local domestic football in the past.  

“The Bulb  are a modern and dynamic Gibraltarian Marketing Agency who have worked with us for several years now and have been integral in  revolutionising the  Gibraltar FA’s digital platforms and the visibility of our national teams. This expertise will now become available to the National League and our Clubs, so it promises to be a very exciting 2021/22!” 

Dylan Trenado, CEO of The Bulb commented: 

“I am extremely proud to extend our relationship with the Gibraltar FA and I am delighted that Gibraltar’s Football Clubs and Gibraltar National League have placed their trust in us. 

As a company we are extremely excited to begin this journey in raising the image and profile of the Gibraltar National League to a level it deserves. 

We hope that this is just the start of long-term relationship and with the amazing team at The Bulb, I am sure that it’s a partnership that will flourish.

On a personal note I couldn’t be prouder to form part of this historic agreement and, along with the backing of my team, the hard work is already under way to ensure that by working together with the Gibraltar FA, the GFLA and our clubs, we can take Gibraltarian domestic football on to new and exciting heights.

In July before the World Free Diving Championships which were held in Limassol (Cyprus) in mid September, high ranked local free diver Dean Chipolina was asked by his UK teammates if he would step up and take on extra diving disciplines as one of the UK’s four man diving team had pulled out. With time against him and at the risk of messing up his own training regime he agreed. The UK free diving team is currently ranked number one in the world due in no small way to Dean’s extra performances against all odds. The weather played havoc with the championship, which requires ideal surface conditions and little or no underwater currents to make for safe deep diving. Dean Chipolina is currently ranked number six in the world and that is a remarkable achievement.

During the competition on September 23rd, Dean messaged me to say that despite horrible conditions (all diving was cancelled shortly after his successful 85 metre attempt), “Despite the weather I managed a beautiful dive to my announced depth.” I immediately went on line and watched his graceful dive on Youtube and I recommend anyone who is interested in water sports to do so too. It is beautifully filmed and a testament to the meticulous preparation and execution by this gifted local athlete who we have featured on ‘Insight Magazine’ before.

Fresh back from the championships (having lost eight kilos of body weight through exertion) but looking relaxed and quietly proud, Dean sits across from me sipping coffee. He has just shown me a glowing letter from the Chief Minister and messages from the City Hall. Everyone wants to toast him and yet if everything had gone his way he would now be World No 4 because he still feels he has more to give. In a sport notorious for divers suffering surface blackouts due to exertion, Dean knows his safe capabilities and has never blacked out. He always leaves something in the tank and although now forty he is still at the top of his game.

“In Limassol during competition the weather was always a big factor, one day you had terrible surface conditions and good underwater conditions and the next day it would be perfect on the surface but with strong underwater currents which is worse.  A dive is a carefully planned sequence of events and all your training is geared to making those events perfect in timing and in technique. You have to be in the right place at the right time for the dive to work. It’s like clockwork and a few seconds lost here and there is always leading you to a blackout if you are pushing to your limits. I don’t push to those limits. I leave a safe margin and train to always have something left in the tank. I take a step back and the ego is something that I keep in check. I am not reckless I want to enjoy the sport for a long time so I don’t want to do things which make the sport look bad or unsafe.”

To put things into perspective here – a breath holding dive to 70 metres and beyond in any discipline, raises the free diver into an elite class of athletes who are constantly challenging the boundaries of inner space, the domain of fish and not one for faint hearted humans. The deep blue is the most unforgiving world and the only mammals which thrive in it are whales and dolphins – supreme breath holding divers.

“To compete in four disciplines like I just did you have to train for a year. You need to get your body used to each discipline one day on and one day off. You cycle that so that you don’t get tired and you can adapt and switch from one style to another. At the high level that I dive now each discipline is a whole different world. Your freefall speeds, your ascent speeds, the muscles you engage and the lactic build up in them are all different. Only the most experienced divers can cross over each discipline with any degree of success. That was one mistake I made this year, when my UK team mate diver pulled out there was a bit of pressure on me so I took on extra work which tired me out more.” 

“I used two earlier competitions in the Triton cup held in Kalamata, Greece to asses myself in the extra disciplines. I announced a dive to 61mteres with no fins and as it was only 10 metres above my personal best it was easy so I went up in the rankings. In the European cup which followed I did another 66 metre dive with no fins and the ranking came up again. Any dive near the 70 metre mark and you are up there with the top divers in the world for that discipline.”

 At around competition time Dean received a new pair of bi-fins in the post so during training he undertook a couple of successful practice dives with them which ultimately led to the beautiful 85 metre dive that he did on September 23rd. The stress factor in the world championship is very high with over a hundred and thirty divers competing and twenty safety divers and TV crews it gets very crowded. Add to that bad weather or underwater currents which cause divers to overstretch and have surface blackouts, the pre-dive relaxation routines are very difficult to focus on. It has to be said that surface blackouts are not fatal and even underwater blackouts are managed safely. In spite of the hostile environment free diving is considered quite a safe sport. Statistically there are no deaths and it’s safer than cycling!

“When I arrived in Limassol, Cyprus for the Worlds, I was already quite tired from the two previous competitions in Greece. I had competed in the Triton Cup and the European Cup in Greece so I took four days off to recharge my body.  In competition at the Worlds there was one dive which got me a yellow card (penalty) for returning to surface earlier than announced. That discipline was the free immersion which is where you pull yourself down the line and then up again. There are no fins to help you and there is a lot of exertion involved. There was an underwater current on my dive and as I was using up extra energy this slowed me down changing the sequence of my dive. I decided to abort early rather than risk a blackout. I am glad that I opted for that as free immersion is not my strongest discipline. I could have protested that dive as after I came up they suspended competition because of the poor conditions.” 

You win some and you lose some as they say because there are too many factors involved in free diving and if you are a well trained disciplined athlete like Dean Chipolina you can take it on the chin and hope that next time conditions will be better. I am convinced that this man will still be making his presence felt in the free diving world for some time to come.  This year he learned that his body needs more time to recover between dives and that he should not have taken on the extra disciplines for his team. He now has a new mono-fin and new bi-fins which he’s very happy with and has just retained his coach to help him achieve his full potential for next year. 

2021 started much like 2020 ended, with the uncertainty of how the ongoing COVID-19 situation would impact on plans to celebrate a significant milestone for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Gibraltar.

The Award in Gibraltar had plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary but it was not clear if anything could be done because of the pandemic.  However, as the year progressed, it became possible to go ahead with some celebrations.

AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY

With an inability to host an Awards Presentation Ceremony in 2020 coupled with the 2021 cohort of Awardees there were 120 young people eligible to be presented with their Awards at a ceremony, at Grand Battery House, on Tuesday 19th October 2021.  His Excellency The Governor, Vice Admiral Sir David Steel KBE DL, as Patron of the Award in Gibraltar, and John May OBE DL, Secretary General of the International Award Foundation, presented Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards at a ceremony which was attended by families, Award leaders, activity coaches, assessors, sponsors, and many others.

The young people who received their Awards had been involved in a wide variety of activities geared towards completing the requirements of the Award.  Some would have been involved for about a year whereas others will have been involved for a couple of years; the latter to achieve the Gold Award.

For over sixty years, millions of young people have participated and received Awards, with millions more benefiting from its impact on communities around the world.  Through non-formal education, the Award can play a critical role in a young person’s personal development and is achievable by any young person who wants to take up the challenge.

The Award gives young people, aged 14 to 24, the opportunity to experience challenges and adventures, acquire new skills and make new friends.  Young people who do the Award become more confident and resilient, and develop skills in areas such as communication, problem solving and leadership.  This in turn impacts on their communities, who see improvements in areas including employability, health and well-being, and educational attainment.  The Award aims to help young people become #WorldReady via non-formal education.

The Award comprises four sections.  The Voluntary Service section intended to develop a sense of community and social responsibility.  The Adventurous Journey aims to cultivate a spirit of adventure and discovery and an understanding of the environment.  The Skills section develops cultural, vocational, and practical skills and the Physical Recreation section encourages improved performance and fitness.  The Gold Award has an additional section, the Gold Residential Project, which sees participants undertake some form of purposeful enterprise whilst living away from home for a week.

To complete the Voluntary Service requirements the young people receiving Awards will have, amongst other things, assisted with animal welfare, helped at various charities, dog walking, sports coaching, and officiating, conservation and environmental work and, assisting at the Cancer Relief Centre, church upkeep, as well as other activities.

For their Skills they will have learnt about acting, art, chess, cookery, debating, drama, first aid, gardening, online gaming, and cybersecurity, knitting, learning other languages, playing musical instruments, photography, reading, sewing, singing and other pastimes.

All have completed a physically challenging expedition as part of the Adventurous Journey requirements and this has seen them hike a minimum of either, 24 km (Jimena de la Frontera/Sierra de Grazalema), 48 km (Sierra de Gredos) or, 80 km (Cevennes) depending on which Award they are receiving.

The recipients have also been heavily involved in sports.  For Physical Recreation there has been involvement in athletics, badminton, basketball, dance, fitness training, football, gymnastics, hockey, horse riding, ice skating, kayaking, lawn tennis, martial arts, netball, rowing, rugby, sailing, squash, swimming, table tennis, and volleyball, to name but a few.

All these varied activities require the support of a small team of dedicated, volunteer, Award leaders who make all the arrangements and take the participants on their adventurous journeys.  In addition, there are countless volunteers who give their time to teach, supervise and assess the young people in their chosen activities.  To all of them the Award’s Board of Trustees owes a debt of gratitude and thanks them for their untiring efforts and support.

Many of the recipients have already commenced their activities towards their Silver and Gold Awards and we wish them every success for the future.  Some have themselves also volunteered to become Award leaders either, before heading off to further their studies at university or, having returned from completing them.

ANNIVERSARY DINNER

Apart from celebrating the achievements of the young people there was also the opportunity to celebrate with Corporate Sponsors, Award Operators and Award Leaders.

A dinner was held on 20th October at the Sunborn with principal guests being His Excellency The Governor, the Secretary General and Minister for Youth, Steven Linares.  Also in attendance were representatives of the Corporate Sponsors who have over the years generously supported the Award in its activities.

However, the dinner also gave the opportunity for the Award to celebrate the work of the many volunteers who deliver the Award to young people.  The Award Operators comprising the Air Training Corps, Open Award Centre, Prior Park School, and the Scouts Gibraltar Branch were represented by their senior management teams.  Also present were the volunteer Award Leaders who spend many hours during the year guiding and assisting the young people to complete their Award journeys.

In a relaxed setting all enjoyed a sumptuous meal and had a chance to look back on 50 years of a very successful Award in Gibraltar.

During the dinner the outgoing Chairman of the Board of Trustees, David Dumas QC, handed over formally to his successor Dale Cruz, both Award holders themselves, reflecting that although he had initially only taken on the role for 5 years he had done 20 years.  He thanked his colleagues on the Board for all their support over the years.  Apart from being presented with some retirement gifts David was presented with an International Certificate of Recognition for services to The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Association.

If you are interested in becoming involved be it as a participant, leader, supervisor or wish to contribute financially or otherwise please contact the National Director, Michael Pizzarello, on 20051971 or, email michael.pizzarello@thedukes.gi, or visit the ‘Dukes’ website www.thedukes.gi