Hi all
Many of you will recall that Mike and Su used to regularly walk with us : they have now set up a charity out here called "Support for Families in the Algarve" . It works with families and individuals living in the Algarve, to try and give them the every day things that we take for granted. They are appealing to residents and occasional visitors (with holiday homes perhaps) who might be willing to help source furniture, clothes (especially childrens') etc..etc..

See :https://www.facebook.com/groups/1889562931361792/

If you have anything suitable, or can bring something out when you come next, we can put you in contact with Mike and Su who may be able to arrange collection...or if we are here, we can take it and give it to them.

As a tangible contribution, we have decided that all walking lunches will be rounded up to 10€ pp : the restaurants charge 7.5€ or 8€ or 8.5€...by the time you've added 10% tip and rounded up, no one ever has the odd euro or two change from a 20€ note. So, in future, we will pay the restaurant owner for the lunches, including a 10% tip but keep the balance for the charity, where I am sure Su and Mike can find a good home for it.

At the end of the walking season, I'll post details of the contribution.

Trust all those who lunch are OK with this.

Any other contributions would no doubt be welcome.

Where do we drop stuff off to, I maybe missing the address but I do not see one?

Where do we drop stuff off to

As long as its relatively small, let me know and we can either collect/meet you or you can bring it to us in Sesmarias and we can take it to Mike & Su. If it's big, or we aren't here, I can give you their email address & hopefully they can arrange collection.

Email me at : geoffey.j.hill@btopenworld.com

A great walk this morning (7th May) thank you Geoff but also a huge thank you from “Support for families in the Algarve” for the funds that have been raised by everyone who’s walked and/or lunched, post walk, over the last few months. With help from Linda and Russell, Graham and Ruth and the CVO Ramblers an amazing 434€ has been raised.

We have had a brilliant response from people donating un-opened packets of dried food and tins, left over at the end of their stay here but now some of this money you’ve raised will enable us to take families shopping for the fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit etc.. that they also need. We are hoping too, to continue helping adults and children with the cost of their dental treatment and the cost of spectacles and we will be able to do more to help people improve their living conditions. (Because of rising rents and static salaries many families are having to move into sheds and part ruins, often with no kitchens, bathrooms or toilets.) Thank you so much your kindness, you are helping to improve the lives of many local people. Kind Regards, Su & Mike Davis.

Message from Su :

"Just an update on the Mum struggling to keep her family together and healthy, as they try and turn the shed they now live in, into a home. Sadly her Grand-mother with dementia died recently and there have been family illness and very sadly the death of a 2yr old nephew 3 days ago. We are still helping where we can and you all very kindly donated money towards her dental treatment. Since then her health has improved greatly and finally, yesterday she received her new dentures. Attached are “before and after” photos and you can see what a huge difference you have helped to make. Many, many thanks everybody."