Canjayar’s annual pilgrimage will raise funds for the village’s Ukrainian residents

CANJAYAR’S annual 44-kilometre pilgrimage between Almeria City and Canjayar on April will be a little different this year.

Participants will pay a €15 entry fee to raise funds for the 43 Ukrainian refugees now living in the village.  Individual donations will also be added to the fund, said Canjayar’s mayor Juan Jose Romero.

The Urkrainian refuges reached Canjayar after Almeria province residents David Gonzalez, a mountain guide, and former police officer Ramon Ortiz took donated supplies to Poland to help the thousands of Ukrainian refugees who had crossed the border, fleeing from the Russian invasion.

Instead of returning empty-handed, David and Ramon brought back with them 43 people – including 13 orphans aged between 6 and 17 – who are all now living in Canjayar.

Twenty-three of them, including the orphans, are now living in the hotel adjoining the municipal swimming pool while Canjayar’s residents have taken the remainder into their own homes.

The pilgrimage sets out at 6am on April 30 from Almeria City’s Ballesol roundabout and will reach Canjayar at 8pm.