Helping hands. Fantastic collaborations in times of need on the Costa del Sol, Spain!

Marbella Now is always worth watching but more than ever during the lockdown there are individuals and groups who are making a great difference and our show is hopefully helping to get the word out.

We connect to Tanzania to talk with Paul and Gemma Carr who are the founders of Collective Calling. They were spending time at their “Centre of Hope”, which rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates street children back into loving families but then couldn’t get back home when borders closed. For years their charity has also delivered food packs to the homeless in Spain and thankfully with their team back they have managed to rise to the occasion with the overwhelming outcry for help on the Costa del Sol being suddenly twentyfold.

We also chat with one of their volunteers in Marbella, Audrey Spearing, and hear what it’s like handling not just all the shopping, packing and distribution, but all the administrative work of compiling the lists of families and handling the funds. There’s a drop-off point at Grassify in San Pedro for supplies and an account for making donations.  http://www.collectivecalliing.com

Kara of the Boardwalk and Penny of The Harbour have also been giving their all with the infallible support of their families and friends.  The #FoodFairies are now officially a charity, “Hadas Caradas” and are also feeding as many families as possible and cover their basic needs. They have drop-off points for non-perishable donations at Iceland in Fuengirola at all times, sponsored by Euro Weekly!! And at Iceland Puerto Banus, Wednesdays from 11am – 1pm – contact Kara for other points Tel: 602 53 19 28.

#BetterTogether in action in more ways than one as they have also invited Lily van Tongeren, a volunteer with Triple-A animal rescue centre, to join them to help get supplies to support the animals that also still need feeding and taking care of with dignity.  (You girls rock!!!).

So much help is needed by so many that we also had Joel Kennedy back on the show. He launched the “Help the Homeless” Facebook page where everyone is concentrating their offers and requests to then pass on to whichever charity is most suited. Well done Joel for the initiative; who’d of thought five years ago it would have been literally a life-saver for so many over the past weeks! A sad lesson to understand what others have been going through for years…

Regarding our very vulnerable elderly community, there are also many incentives in place to keep them fed, safe and happy.  We’ve been re-directing all enquiries to Age Concern Marbella Tel. 689 355 198.

Graciela Waen of the Rotary Club of Benahavis in collaboration with the San Pedro chapter introduces a new chat-line for the elderly if they’re feeling lonely, need help or just want to chat for a while.  They can speak in French, Spanish or English.  The Andalucia chat line number is Tlf. 953 820 070, available from 9am to 9pm.

So many helping hands.

Written by

Nicole King

One of Marbella's most glamorous residents, Nicole King offers a taste of the best of what's going on in the Costa del Sol.

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