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The Help Association of Torrevieja and the Vega Baja
The largest charity on the Costa Blanca now part of The San Miguel de Salinas family
24/7 EMERGENCY HELP-LINE
965 704 282 |
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Updated 23 November
2009 - The HELP Association Vega Baja HELP VEGA BAJA CHRISTMAS MARKET raises 6107 Euros from their annual Christmas Market at the Pizzeria Asturias Restaurant at Punta Prima on Saturday 21st November.
A new record was set on the amount raised
within the four hours of their CHRISTMAS MARKET and a huge thank you is due to everyone who supported the event which will enable HELP to continue supporting the community of the Vega Baja.
The success of this and other events run by HELP Vega Baja is also down to the efforts of a dedicated volunteer team who had been working over the last few months organising the event, sorting, preparing and storing items for sale as well as baking, knitting and sewing.
HELP Vega Baja is also indebted to Carlos for allowing the use of the Pizzeria Asturias Restaurant, and to his staff who assisted in the course of the day.
The Office in SMdS is in Calle de Lope de Vega off the Market Street |
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VIVACE CHOIR’S GENEROUS DONATION TO HELP VEGA BAJA
Eddie Tiller, acting president of Help Vega Baja, attended the Vivace Choir rehearsal on Thursday 12th February at their meeting in San Miguel de Salinas. He made a personal visit to officially receive their generous donation of 2758 Euros.
These funds were raised as a result of their recent event ´A Night at the Opera´ in Rojales, at the Capitol Theatre, on 24th January. The choir were joined on the night by the talented soprano Melanie Roberts who studied at the Royal College of Music in London; she has performed the lead role in several operas including Carmen, Il Travatore´s Miserere and many more. Award-winning operatic principal tenor, Phil Williams, has had more than 20 lead roles in a repertoire drawn from many of the major composers. Melanie and Phil were joined by the 30 or so strong choir that who make up the Vivace
classical choir, under the direction of Tom
Pargeter. |
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event had the full backing of Rojales council and
was a huge success both as a spectacular
entertainment and as a fund raiser for HELP Vega
Baja. The choir are looking for new members as they
wish to expand to 40 singers in order to be able to
perform other more vocally challenging works. If you
are able to go to San Miguel del Salinas and have
sung before and want to sing again please call Tom
on 965 720 919 for more information. HELP Vega Baja
is grateful for this fantastic donation that enables
them to continue advising and helping the community
in time of need. HELP Vega Baja can be contacted at
their offices, Monday to Friday 10am to 1:30pm, 966
723 733 and on the 24/7 HELP line 965 704 282. |
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| HELP needs your help to deal with summer emergencies
With the onset of the holiday season, the HELP Association of Vega Baja is gearing up for its busiest time of year and is calling for new volunteers to help provide telephone cover for the charity’s 24 hour emergency helpline.
The HELP Association provides a 24 hour-a-day English speaking emergency service to people of all ages, whether they are residents or holidaymakers. Typical calls to the emergency helpline range from enquiries about where to hire crutches or wheelchairs to how to cope with a sudden bereavement or deal with a burglary.
HELP Association president, John Saunders, who regularly takes emergency calls from people throughout the Vega Baja region said: “Being a helpline volunteer is not restrictive and won’t interfere with people’s daily routines. Volunteers are provided with information about the most common questions, such as where to go for emergency doctors or locksmiths, and if volunteers can’t find the answer straight away, there is always back-up available from more established HELP volunteers. It is very rare to get emergency calls which wake you from your sleep – most calls come in at the weekends when the HELP offices are closed, and most of them are very easy to deal with.”
The HELP helpline is a mobile telephone service which means volunteers can take the telephone out and about with them. John Saunders added: “We are rarely inundated with calls. Just last weekend, I took six calls from people asking for very basic information. Occasionally we are called on to help people cope with a sudden death, which requires the helpline volunteer to be calm and sensitive. Often, we redirect callers to the HELP offices in Torrevieja or San Miguel de Salinas if the call is not urgent and can be dealt with during office hours.”
The HELP 24-hour emergency helpline provides vital support to English speaking people of all ages who are not familiar with the Spanish system and often have no-one else to turn to when faced with an urgent problem. To access the HELP 24-hour emergency line call 96 570 4282, and a recorded message will provide the telephone numbers of the volunteers currently on duty.
For assistance on weekdays, HELP’s offices in San Miguel de Salinas and Torrevieja open from 10am until 1.30pm, telephone 965 704 282 or 966 723 733.
Full training will be given to new emergency helpline volunteers, together with an information pack and back-up telephone numbers for assistance with the more unusual requests. The HELP Association would like to hear from people who can give a little bit of their free time to assist others, and who can remain positive and calm when dealing with other people. Call one of the HELP offices for further information about becoming a volunteer.
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HELP’s top 10 tips to enjoy a safe
2008 summer season
- Take care of your passport! HELP can assist you if your passport is lost or stolen, but it has been known for a passport to be ruined because a holidaymaker forgot to check her pockets before switching on the washing machine!
- Don’t leave your valuables unattended – not even for a moment. HELP reported several incidents last year when people fell asleep on the beach and had their bags stolen.
- Do not carry credit or debit cards around with you unless you are sure that you will need to use them. Credit cards are a magnet for thieves who know how to empty your bank account within minutes.
- If you’re here on holiday, keep a note of your holiday address with you. HELP sometimes hears from holidaymakers who are totally lost and don’t know where they are staying. However, for security keep the note of your address in a different place to your door keys.
- Try to notice what your visitors are wearing if they go out on their own. HELP occasionally receives calls about people who have gone missing and need to have a full description of the missing person for hospitals and the police. Thankfully, most missing people eventually show up, having either simply lost their way or woken up somewhere with an almighty hangover.
- Book wheelchairs and other items from the HELP office well in advance if you know your visitors will need to hire orthopaedic equipment.
- Tell your visitors to bring enough medication with them. There are regular calls to the emergency helpline from people who have run out of their regular medicine and require an urgent prescription. Please note there are no 24-hour Farmacias (chemists) in the Orihuela Costa area.
- Telephone HELP if you or your guests suddenly need oxygen. The hot summer months can be particularly difficult for people who have respiratory problems. HELP has access to a company that delivers oxygen machines and supplies.
- Check that you or your guests have an up to date EHIC Card that will cover for treatment in the case of a medical emergency. The new Torrevieja Hospital will require payment in the case of an emergency unless the patient can produce a current EHIC. Those with private health insurance should attend a private hospital such as San Jaime in Torrevieja.
- Put the HELP emergency telephone number 965 70 4282 in your mobile phone or in your phone book at home. If you rent out your accommodation, add the HELP number to the list of useful numbers in your welcome pack. You never know when someone will need HELP.
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Help Vega Baja is a registered charity which provides emergency assistance to people living or staying in the Vega Baja region. The charity operates a 24 hour emergency helpline on 96 570 4282.
HELP Vega Baja has two offices in San Miguel de Salinas and Torrevieja from where volunteers provide people with advice on a diverse range of topics, ranging from residencias, padrons, car registration, repatriation or how to deal with bereavement.
HELP volunteers attend the local hospital three times every week to provide support to English speaking patients. The charity can also arrange transport for hospital visits, translators, nurses or carers, and provides Orthopaedic equipment for hire.
The HELP Friendship Centre at Playa Flamenca provides a meeting point for people who are isolated or housebound.
HELP membership costs from as little as 7 euros a year, and includes a free half-hour legal consultation with HELP’S legal adviser.
For further information, go to www.helpvegabaja.com or telephone 965 704 282 or 966 723 733
Media enquiries to Rebecca Griffin 653 453 331 - rebeccacgriffin@gmail.com
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28 January 2008 - CHARITIES MEET H M TREASURER
Four major charities from the Alicante area had a chance to meet with a member of Her Majesty’s Treasury
Stephen Wiles, along with Juliet Meric and Liz Bell of the British Consulate.
Ronald and Patricia Toseland of The Royal British Legion in Torrevieja, John and June Saunders, Richard Garland and Jeanette Mapson (pictured with Stephen Wiles) of The Help Association of Vega Baja, Peter and Kaye Padley from SSAFA and Judy Ferris from Age Concern who deal with British expats daily, were invited to La Marina and San Fulgencio Youth Club on Thursday 10th January to meet Stephen Wiles. They were asked their opinion on the Consulate and their services. His visit was to make sure that the Consulate is value for money for British tax payers. He thanked all the representatives for attending, and also for the hard work that they and their volunteers do for the British expats.
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THE TORREVIEJA SHOW GROUP made a significant donation to THE HELP ASSOCIATION
At the beginning of December 2007 The Torrevieja
Show Group performed their annual pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk
and were delighted to present a donation of 3000 euros
raised for The Help Association of Vega Baja.
The President of Help, John Saunders, thanked everyone for their excellent show, and the hard work
that had gone into the production. He accepted the cheque from Mike Smith of the
Torrevieja Show Group. Pictured above are John Saunders accepting cheque from Mike Smith surrounded by some of the
talented cast of the pantomime. |
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4 January 2008 - The Help Association of Vega Baja have a ‘NEW’ VENUE for their Monthly Lunch.
As of 5th February 2008, the venue will be at the ‘Portico Mar’ Restaurant, Guardamar. There is a large varied menu to choose from for only 14 €. Open to all Members and friends, to avoid disappointment BOOK EARLY.
To reserve a seat or ask for further information please call HELP on Phone 966 723 733 or 965 704 282 or call into the Torrevieja or San Miguel offices.
Rebecca Griffin Publicity Officer |
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Saturday 27th October -
The Help Association of Vega Baja was presented with
a donation of 300 Euros by The Happy Wanderers Golf
Club.
Outgoing Captain Brian Stansfield presented the
cheque to Treasurer of the Help Association Keith
Mead. The gift came from collections and donations at the Club's
various events over the last year and was made at
The Happy Wanderers Dinner and Dance at the Snack
Shack Restaurant in San Miguel. |
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| 21 September 2007 - THE HELP ASSOCIATION OF TORREVIEJA AND VEGA BAJA presents new vital ECG Equipment to The
San Miguel de Salinas Health Centre. 'Stooge' David
(SMdS) gets the treatment from Eva Melgarejo - ECG Operator
and Dr Hipolito Caro Moreno -Head of The New Torrevieja Hospital, Dr Juana Gutrerez Hospital Director and Dr Aurora Tomas received the gift from John Saunders President of Help, Richard Garland Secretary and David Willoughby - Charity Sales. Jeanette Mapson
has been appointed as the new Publicity officer of The Association.
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If you have time to
spare and you would like to do something useful to
help other people why not become a Volunteer for The
HELP Association of Torrevieja and Vega Baja? As
important, Jeanette told us, are donations and
support of the charity sales that enable the
association to make this sort of vital difference to
healthcare. |
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There are dozens of
different jobs to do including hospital visiting,
helping at charity sales, helping in the office and
our friendship centre, as well as at social events,
and we even want someone who will run a small
library in Ciudad Quesada.
The Help offices are in San Miguel de Salinas 966 72 3733 and in Torrevieja 965 70 4282
and both offices are open from 10..00am to 1.30 Monday to Friday.
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| Amongst the milestones for The Help Association was the
opening of their premises in San Miguel de Salinas by the then
The British Consul Russell Thomson and Ángel Sáez Huertas, Alcaldía de San Miguel de Salinas.
Aims cannot be achieved without the work of skilled
labourers and financial donations like those of
Brian Burgess of Europa Network |
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Meanwhile, HELPs hospital visiting team
reports that there are more English speaking
patients than ever in the Vega Baja
Hospital. In the course of their 3
visits a week, the volunteers resolved all
manner of problems, such as making sure pets
were fed, supplying lists of interpreters,
contacting relatives etc. They also
saved patients money by pointing out that
each room has its own land-line telephone,
which is far cheaper to use than most
mobiles.
Due to a spate of accidents, the demand for wheelchairs and crutches etc has also been particularly high. If you expect a visitor who needs a walking aid please try to inform us of their requirements in advance. The tel: number to call for orthopaedic equipment is 96 570 4282.
The volunteers who man our 24 hr emergency line both day and night have responded to a variety of callers. Typical enquiries are ‘what to do when a death occurs’ – (there are different procedures for different circumstances), they were also asked what to do when someone is taken ill in the night, or has been robbed. Other calls included one from a couple who lost their passports and were due to fly to the UK the next day, a lady who locked herself out of her house, and a request to locate the parents, who live here, of a young man who was in a serious accident in England. To obtain the numbers of the volunteers on duty when the office is closed
just call 96 570 4282.
Finally can you HELP HELP? We are
self-funding so depend on donations, charity good
sales and membership fees (currently 5 euros a year)
to pay our way and do charitable deeds for the
community. If you have any unwanted goods we can
sell, auction or use as prizes please phone our
office and why not mention us in your will?
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...there is always more
information about HELP on their website-
click here. |
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3 de junio, 2008 - Agendas en el listo….
BAILE DE ETIQUETA MAGNÍFICA POR LA CARIDAD ANUNCIADA EN LA AYUDA DE LA
ASOCIACIÓN “HELP VEGA BAJA” |
Mucho antes muchos de nosotros han tomado nuestra primera inmersión en el océano para la temporada de verano 2008, una baile de etiqueta brillante se está planeando para el otoño. La fecha para este acontecimiento muy especial es el Sábado 25 Octubre 2008.
Los organizadores están esperando que publicando el acontecimiento temprano, la gente asegurará la fecha en sus agendas para qué promete ser una suntuosa noche.
La localización para la baile de etiqueta de la caridad es en el maravillosa salón banquete en el Castillo de Conesa de San Miguel de Salinas, donde las huéspedes pueden gozar la atmósfera y el alimento preparados por los cocineros del Castillo quién se saben en la región para su cocina excelente.
El presidente de la asociación “HELP Vega Baja”, John Saunders, cuya esposa, June, está organizando la baile de la caridad, dijo: “Esto será una noche muy especial y dará a gente la oportunidad de vestir de etiqueta, de comer, de beber y de bailar toda la noche en el salón banquete impresionante del castillo. Esperamos que los grupos y las sociedades que han apoyado HELP Vega Baja en el pasado nos apoyen otra vez reservando una tabla o dos en la baile. También esperamos acoger con satisfacción los nuevos partidarios al acontecimiento relativo a este año - si son pares que buscan un lugar ideal para un aniversario de boda, o las asociaciones de negocio y los grupos sociales que buscan una noche única.”
La asociación HELP Vega Baja es una caridad registrada que asiste a miles de gente de habla inglesa de todas las edades que vive adentro, o visita, la región de Vega Baja cada año. Los acontecimientos tales como la baile aportan dinero esenciales para que la caridad permita a su equipo de voluntarios continuar ofreciendo ayuda vital a la comunidad, y funcionar sus dos oficinas y del teléfono de emergencia de las 24 horas.
El precio por el baile es 50 euros, que incluye las bebidas y los canapés de bienvenida, una comida de cuatro cursos con una opción vegetariana, y con vino, cerveza y los refrescos ilimitados durante la comida. La música y el baile seguirán, así como una rifa magnífica. Todos los beneficios a partir de la noche irán a la asociación de HELP Vega Baja. Las reservaciones o las investigaciones se pueden hacer por el email en junebakerhoward@hotmail.com o por el teléfono en 966 710 005 o 662 079 222.
Para descubrir más sobre el
Castillo de Conesa
La asociación “HELP Vega Baja” es una caridad registrada que proporciona ayuda de la emergencia a la gente de habla inglesa que vive o quién están visitando la región de Vega Baja. La caridad funciona servicios de ayuda de la emergencia de la 24 horas en 96 570 4282.
“HELP Vega Baja” tiene dos oficinas en San Miguel de Salinas y Torrevieja de donde los voluntarios proveen de gente consejo en una gama de asuntos diversa, de los residencias, de los padrons, registro del coche, repatriación o qué a hacer cuando muere alguien.
Los voluntarios de “HELP Vega Baja” asisten al hospital local tres veces cada semana de proporcionar la ayuda a los pacientes de habla inglesa. La caridad puede también arreglar el transporte para las visitas, los traductores, las enfermeras o los cuidadores del hospital, y proporciona el equipo ortopédico para el alquiler.
El centro de la amistad de “HELP Vega Baja” en Playa Flamenca proporciona un punto de reunión para la gente sea viejo y solamente o quién no puede salir de sus casas sin ayuda.
Para más información, vaya a www.helpvegabaja.com, o llame por teléfono a 965 704 282 o 966 723 733.
Preguntas de la prensa: Rebecca Griffin - Mov: 653 453 331 - Email: rebeccacgriffin@gmail.com |
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