Euro Weekly News readers vote for their ‘Community Hero’ in Spain’s Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Mallorca and Axarquia

Seize the chance to keep our businesses alive.

Euro Weekly News readers vote for their Community Hero in Spain’s Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Mallorca and Axarquia

EURO WEEKLY NEWS is appealing to our loyal readers to help identify your “Community Hero”. After our article which highlighted some of your favourite nominations in the latest issue of our papers we have been inundated with even more of your suggestions as to who you think has gone above and beyond for others during this health crisis.
So, who has helped your local community the most during this uncertain isolation period? Who do you think deserves something back, to be rewarded for their selfless actions?
It may be someone who has delivered food to those in need, kept everybody informed of the constantly changing information or made others happy with their good deeds.

If somebody has done something special for you during this health crisis maybe this is the time for you to pay it forward. If a certain person deserves a good pampering and to be made special, please get in touch.

The winner will receive €200 from Euro Weekly News to spend locally in small local businesses that need it the most. Please send all your nominations to ewncommunityhero@euroweeklynews.com with your reason for nominating your hero and we will make sure the treat goes to the right person.

Also, to give local businesses a head start we would like to offer you a free small advert in the Euro Weekly News to assist you with your reopening and to let your customers know that you are back and raring to go. Should you wish to do this please contact alison@euroweeklynews.com to discuss it further.

Here are more of your nominated heroes and your reasons for bringing them to our attention. Remember, there is still time to send in your nominations so get in touch and make sure that your COMMUNITY HERO gets the recognition they deserve!

Jacqui Ross, Cartama
“I would like to nominate Jacqui Ross from Last Chance Animal Rescue for working tirelessly through this pandemic. She has been taking in all the sick animals on a very limited budget. She really could do with this and I know it would be put to good use.” -Andrea Brown.

Anthony Horadada, Costa Blanca South
 “I would like to nominate Anthony Horadada and his Facebook page, Ant’s Fat Fighters exercise workouts. Anthony has tirelessly kept his Facebook friends entertained throughout the Spanish lockdown. He has maintained his online conversations all day every day with information from the Spanish government translated and informative, including his exercise live videos, card/bingo games, guessing the song games, and general chit chat. This was also in addition to delivering food to the community and helping the local businesses and much more.” – Lorraine Whatling

Katy Pilditch, Granada
“My name is Phill Fryer (aka Phill Amaani) I’ve just turned 70 years young this year. I live alone in a remote farmhouse seven kilometres from the nearest village (Ventorros de San Jose) in the Granada Province. Sadly, I was diagnosed with COPD three years ago and have started to suffer the effects which restrict my stamina and mobility so, I would like to nominate a lady called Katy Pilditch who lives about one kilometre away who has been getting me my shopping needs during this awful virus pandemic.” – Phill Fryer

Kay Frances, Almeria
“Kay started a Facebook page for women at the start of the lockdown as a platform to express feelings and frustrations.  The page ‘Kaye Frances Ladies Only Sturdygirlsrus’ has grown to 690 members and has been an incredible success. I am amazed by how much information has been shared and indeed helped some quite desperate people not knowing which way to turn. The situation has given an opportunity for the female group members to air opinions and assists others greatly. I think a lot of comforts have been extended throughout the group. Online meetings have been successfully organised – bringing a lot of females together and made them feel there is a great support group.” – Jenny Trask

Mandy Quinn, Costa del Sol
“I would like to vote for Mandy Quinn to receive the community hero award… she has worked tirelessly for collective calling helping the less fortunate cooking until the early hours, delivering food, coordinating all donations and she has been an absolute hero during this terrible time! She might not wear a cape but she is a hero!” – Michelle Daniels

“I’d love to nominate Mandy Quinn. She has selflessly volunteered herself to multiple charities and is helping support over 100 families with supplies during Covid-19. She is up early in the morning and goes to bed late at night as she does not rest until everyone that has reached out to her has been helped! She is a superstar!” – Frankie Payas

Laura Rippin, Almeria
“I would like to nominate Laura Rippin from Cantoria. She has a full-time commitment to her three lovely children, whom she is homeschooling, along with helping an elderly gentleman who is really poorly and helping those in the community who are unable to go shopping owing to the risk of the contagion. She has also, for the past two years, been the main organiser of the Make a Wish Foundation charity event in Cantoria (sadly this year’s event is unlikely to go ahead). A recent example of her good nature is when a lady fell at home and was in fear of going to the medical centre owing to the contagion, so Laura went to her house to clean up the wound and reassure her.” – Kerrie Weir

Fredericko Sparkle Anthony Brome and Miguel Anthony Brome, Costa Blanca South
“I nominate Fredericko Sparkle Anthony Brome and Miguel Anthony Brome for their La Florida Friends Food Bank initiative. They have been amazing in what they have achieved in such a short space of time. Now a lot of needy people, of all different nationalities in the area, are no longer going hungry because of the food parcels being collected and in turn distributed by Fred and Mick. Mick and Fred made a plea for help to our community through their La Florida Friends Food Bank Initiative and the fantastic people in La Florida and surrounding areas were only too glad to donate to help their fellow neighbours.
Fred and Mick do so much for other local charities too so it’s only right that they should receive a reward for their commitment to helping others even when they were in need themselves.” – Marie McGorman

Joyce Gyimah, Costa del Sol
“I would like to nominate Joyce Gyimah as a local hero. Joyce is the founder of the organisation Adintre which is now in charge together with Fuengirola Town Hall to take care of the homeless people during this Corona lockdown. Without her perseverance, the premises to do all this would not have existed! I have worked with Joyce cooking food for the homeless in the organisation Adintre in the past and helped out where I could. She started the foundation on her own and we used to cook in her home kitchen before she was able to find the premises near the feria ground and Fuengirola TV and radio station. Adintre had loads and loads of problems when getting the premises to cook in and also to create a haven for the homeless people to get a haircut/shower or just to socialise. The premises were renovated finally thanks to the strength and vision of Joyce to push it through despite all the problems on the way. She is a star and definitely deserves something back after everything she has been giving for years and especially at this time of crisis!” – Carita Brownless

Sara Louise Leason, Costa Blanca South
“I would like to nominate the above lady who has continued her classes daily online for free. She has kept us all going and given us a purpose to get up in the morning during this lockdown. She has kept our spirits up and enabled our group to meet and chat online after our classes if we have any breath left. She very much deserves this honour. I am for one grateful for her efforts.” – Joanne Mander

“I wish to nominate for the Community Hero Award. Sara has been providing live online exercise classes every day in the Camposol and surrounding community during lockdown. Her mixture of humour, motivation and professionalism during and after her sessions has enabled us to stay motivated, connected with each other and to maintain our physical and mental health. Sara has been an inspiration to us all for her selflessness in ensuring she is there every day for no reward other than to keep us all fit and healthy. She has a big personality and heart which deserves to be rewarded.” – Fiona O’Brien

“I would like to recommend Sara Leason, Fitness Instructor for this award who has gone above and beyond to motivate us every morning giving us all a reason to get out of bed throughout this very difficult time.  I have loved every minute and can’t thank her enough.”
– Davina Griffiths

Vicki McLeod, Mallorca
“I’d like to nominate Vicki McLeod for the award. She’s organised so many excellent things and really kept people busy during tough times. There are some people who are profiteering out of this and she is definitely not one of those. She’s a good egg and does it out of the goodness of her heart! Well done Vicki!” – Anita Vince

“I live in England and have been following ‘Majorca, Mallorca at Home Together’ for many weeks of lockdown. My daughter Michaela got me involved as she lives in Palma so it was a way to share fun times online with her family. I have never met Vicki but through Facebook, I feel I know her so well. A song there. How she keeps the group flowing with ideas organising virtual events. Getting in touch with local companies to donate wonderful prizes. Two reasons for this I guess the taking part to win, also to help local businesses to pick up again after shutdown. An inspiring woman. Who has a family to look after at the same time. I know this as on some of her life events family come into view. Vicki, you are a Wonder Woman.”

“My vote goes to Vicki McLeod in Mallorca for creating the Facebook page ‘Majorca, Mallorca at Home Together.’ It has brought joy and togetherness to our community here in Mallorca, as well as giving our local businesses a great platform to be known, and hope for the future, through a very tough time for them. Vicki not only created it but organised loads to help people through this time. I don’t know how, but it’s the one group that has no negative comments – it’s been a lovely positive place to go to.  Vicki deserves recognition.”
– Karen Gomes

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Damon Mitchell

From the interviewed to the interviewer

As frontman of a rock band Damon used to court the British press, now he lives the quiet life in Spain and seeks to get to the heart of the community, scoring exclusive interviews with ex-pats about their successes and struggles during their new life in the sun.

Originally from Scotland but based on the coast for the last three years, Damon strives to bring the most heartfelt news stories from the spanish costas to the Euro Weekly News.

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments