Gibraltar Insight™ February 2021

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FEBR UA RY ISSUE 58

Contents

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28

Community Insight

Features WHY IS CYBER SECURITY CRITICAL TO CUSTOMER RETENTION?

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THE FUTURE FOR THE GAMING SECTOR IN GIBRALTAR IS BRIGHT

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HOORAY FOR HOLLIE-WOOD: HOLLIE BUHAGIAR

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CHOCOLATES … WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE

ONE STOP SHOP INITIATIVE

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VALENTINE’S DAY COMPETITIONS

BA COVID APP

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BETTER TIMES WILL SURELY COME

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WHAT WE’VE LEARNED ABOUT OURSELVES

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NEW CHALLENGES TO FACE

OPERATION FREEDOM

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MISS GIBRALTAR 2021

Business Insight

Football Insight 27

Valentine’s

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LYNX FC: BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT

Forces Insight

Regular Features 16 TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT: THE COVID CODERS 24 SPORTS INSIGHT: QATAR 2022 31 TAGORE COMPETITION

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VACCINE THIRD BATCH ARRIVAL

38 MOTORING INSIGHT: ALL THAT JAZZ 40 HISTORY: HOW OLD IS MOORISH CASTLE? 42 ADOPT DON’T SHOP 43 A VET’S INSIGHT: PETS & COVID-19 44 THE PARENT & CHILD SOCIETY 46 HEALTH: AROMATHERAPY 52 UNUSUAL PROPOSALS 53 JUST MARRIED ON THE ROCK 54 HOROSCOPES 55 SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES COURAGEOUSLY 58 LIGHT & POWER CROSSWORD

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+44 (0) 203 733 2345 info@montanasgroup.com montanasgroup.com

WITH IT & COMPLIANCE SERVICES FROM THE MONTANAS GROUP We are a specialist IT and compliance services provider.

We work with clients all over the world delivering market leading services and consultancy. Our goal is a simple one; assist our clients in achieving and maintaining market leadership through the intelligent application of technology and associated services.

HOW SECURE IS YOUR NETWORK? Claim your free security and vulnerability assesment today.

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Gibraltar Insight Deputy Editor: Jean King

Gibraltar Insight - the Rock’s longest running magazine.

Accounts & Administration: Rosemary Salah-El-Din

Published by GBZ Media Limited, 5/1 Governors Lane, Gibraltar GX11 1AA.

Creative Director: Ben Lewis Executive Editor: Ross Ford For advertising & general queries, contact: +350 200 40913

Printed by Roca Graphics Limited, 21 Tuckey’s Lane, Gibraltar GX11 1AA

Email:

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Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

Web:

www.gibraltarinsight.com

Socials:

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The names Gibraltar Insight, Bermuda Insight, Mum On The Rock, SYOG, Superyacht Owners’ Guide & GBZ Media are marks of GBZ Media (Overseas) Limited, used under exclusive licence. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

@MumOnTheRockGBZ @BermudaInsight @SYOGuide @GBZmedia

Gibraltar Insight places great importance on the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, but cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. Views expressed by contributors and/or correspondents do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Neither Gibraltar Insight nor GBZ Media Limited is responsible for any claims made, or material(s) used, in advertisements.

For permission to copy cuttings for internal or client use, contact NLA - nlamediaaccess.com or +441892 525273.

Photo: Elliott Howe

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COMMUNITY INSIGHT

OPERATION FREEDOM

THE FIRST PATIENTS TO BE VACCINATED AT THE GHA'S PUBLIC VACCINATION CENTRE WERE 100 YEAR OLD MR BEISO AND 98 YEAR OLD MR COHEN. This happened in mid-January and since then further batches of COVID-19 vaccines have arrived from the UK, courtesy of the Royal Air Force.

Since then, the Public Vaccination Centre at the former PCC has administered first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to circa 10,000 members of the public. Second doses are now underway.

Minister for Health and Care, Samantha Sacramento, commented, “The effort at the PCC to vaccinate so many members of our community in the shortest possible timeframe has been tremendous.

Despite dealing with a huge volume of people on a daily basis, staff have been noted for being incredibly supportive as well as welcoming and courteous, I have received nothing but praise for their work.

‘I would like to express my gratitude to the leading team, Rose Suissa, Suzanne Romero and Suyenne Catania and their teams, for making this first part of Operation Freedom the success that it has been’.

A competition has been launched by Cultural Services to design a logo for this year's Spring Festival.

Festival will see the beginning of the return to a happy life for the community and that, after taking the heavy blow that COVIDhas dealt us, we can begin to recover. It is unlikely that the Festival will yet see the normality that we all crave, and will have to take a different form, with much of the offer being online, but I would like to see it as a Spring of Hope and Healing, and I have no doubt that our talented artistic community will find us a logo that will say all that it has to say.”

It is open to all ages and up to two original design can be submitted.

Entries must be submitted in an A4 size on paper or card, indicating whether the orientation is portrait or landscape.

Logos should be simple in design and suitable for printing on posters, flyers, tickets or other promotional material and must contain the wording: GIBRALTAR SPRING FESTIVAL 2021 First prize is £500 and entry forms plus full terms and conditions are available online at culture.gi You can also call 20067236 or email info@culture.gov.gi Minister for Culture John Cortes said, “I really hope that the Gibraltar Spring

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LOGO

Works can be submitted online, or if COVID-19 restrictions allow for it, handed in at the City Hall reception.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday 5th March 2021.

COMPETITION FEBRUARY 2021

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COMMUNITY INSIGHT

PLEASE USE GHA SERVICES RESPONSIBLY THE GHA HAS ASKED GIBRALTARIANS TO BE REMINDED THAT THEIR SERVICES ARE EXTREMELY STRETCHED, AND APPEALS FOR RESPONSIBLE USE OF THEM.

• loss of consciousness

For life-threatening emergencies – call 190 for an ambulance.

• severe bleeding that cannot be stopped

This type of emergency includes, but is not limited to:

• severe burns or scalds

• acute confused state and fits not stopping • chest pain • breathing difficulties • severe allergic reactions • stroke

Minor injuries can be treated in the Primary Care Centre. For help from a GP, call the Primary Care Centre on 20052441.

For urgent 24/7 medical help, call 111.

A fully trained medical advisor will ask questions about your symptoms so you get the help you need.

111 should be the first port of call for advice or clarifying what to do.

• major trauma such as a road traffic accident

Miss Gibraltar 2021 DESPITE COVID-19, MISS GIBRALTAR 2021 IS NOW OPEN TO ENTRIES. Contestants must be aged between 17 (as at 22nd May 2021) and not more than 26 years old (as at 31st December 2021). The first 10 contestants to sign for the Pageant will each receive £500. The winner of the Pageant will represent Gibraltar at the Miss World Pageant, later on in the year.

THE PRIZES ARE: MISS GIBRALTAR - £2000 cash; £3500 clothing allowance; participation at Miss World 2021 1ST PRINCESS: £1000 cash; £500 clothing allowance 2ND PRINCESS: £500 cash; £500 clothing allowance Entry forms are available from the Miss Gibraltar Office at the City Hall reception or John Mackintosh Hall reception at 308 Main Street.

For further information telephone 20067236 or e-mail info@culture. gi NB, the event and arrangements are subject to change depending on the situation at the time in relation to COVID-19.

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SOVEREIGN CORPORATE SERVICES Establish and Support your Business Market Entry Insurance business packages SOVEREIGN PRIVATE CLIENT Wealth management Asset protection Insurance SOVEREIGN RETIREMENT PLANNING Global Personal and Occupational Pensions Founded in Gibraltar in 1987 Sovereign has since grown into one of the world’s largest independent corporate and trust service providers currently managing over 20,000 clients with assets under administration in excess of US$10 billion.

To contact us email: gib@SovereignGroup.com or call +350 200 76173 Bahamas Bahrain China – Beijing, Shanghai Cyprus Gibraltar Guernsey Hong Kong Isle of Man Malta Mauritius Portugal Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa Switzerland United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai United Kingdom – London, Wirral

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BUSINESS INSIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOVEREIGN GROUP

Worldwide firm Duff & Phelps has opened an office in Gibraltar, extending its services during a crucial time for multi-jurisdictional entities.

The office will be run by MD Andrew Stoneman, a Licensed Gibraltar Insolvency Practitioner.

Stoneman said, “I am delighted that we have been able to expand our services into Gibraltar enabling us to offer a blended range of services from across the Duff & Phelps portfolio. Not

only is there an opportunity for a new restructuring practice in Gibraltar, but the regulatory nature of many business sectors based on ‘the Rock’ – such as insurance, gaming and financial services – means that we will be able to offer a wide range of additional services centred on a broad range of solutions including compliance and regulatory consulting. It is our intention to offer these services via a local multi-skilled team, backed up by the extended Duff & Phelps organisation.

The Hon Albert Isola MP, Gibraltar Minister with responsibility for Digital and Financial Services, commented, "We are delighted to welcome Duff & Phelps to Gibraltar, particularly in light of the special and historic relationship between the UK and the Rock. This announcement brings with it a commitment to building a sustained locally-based operation, backed up by a truly global network.

FAWNS OVER GIB PROPERTY

Mentions of Gibraltar in the international press can appear in the most unexpected of places, and this month saw an article in an edition of the prestigious New York Times.

It focused on the opportunities for property investment in Gib, now that the provisional Brexit agreement between all relevant parties has been reached.

Highlighting some of the advantages that this deal offers, the article spoke to local agents including Savills, Mulberry Real Estate and Chestertons.

One of the developments singled out was The Reserve, on the site of the old casino.

Let's hope this renewed interest from around the world results in benefits for all on The Rock.

BA LAUNCHES NEW COVID APP Although not in place for trips to and from Gib with BA, the airline is having a stab at making the future of flying slightly easier in a post-pandemic world.

It's running a trial with American Airlines for trips to and from JFK using a travel health passport app.

The user can verify a negative COVID-19 test result on a smart device, in an attempt to smooth over the challenges the worldwide health crisis has presented to airlines. Learn more at britishairways.com

The Ministry for Business has launched a new initiative for budding entrepreneurs. The Business Liaison Unit aims to be a "One Stop Shop" for the needs of enterprises starting out trading. This is similar to the "concierge" service offered by the equivalent Government department in Bermuda.

The over-arching aim is to provide all the necessary back-end processes, permits and legislative requirements for businesses in a hassle-free way, allowing the focus of the individuals involved to be "the business of business".

COVID-19 restrictions mean that this will be rolled out in two phases. Phase one is available this month and the team is available on email: businessonestopshop@gibraltar.gov.gi Once COVID-19 restrictions have been reviewed, an appointment service will be available.

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Minister for Business, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP commented, “I am delighted to announce the opening of our One Stop Shop for Business. I have had representations made by the private sector on the need to expedite the setting up of a business for our entrepreneurs. More so now during these difficult times, we need to encourage new business. This will be done in two stages. I hope our entrepreneurs will find this service helpful and I aim to be directly involved in making sure this is a success.”

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FEATURE

WHY CYBER SECURITY IS CRITICAL TO CUSTOMER RETENTION? The fundamental need of any business is to provide service excellence to customers in order to remain in and grow their business. Without customers, a business cannot not survive. Without a solid reputation for excellence, it cannot grow. If the trust of a customer is lost, you will likely lose the customer. Furthermore, if you lose publicly the trust of the marketplace, even with deep reserves, you will struggle to attract new customers.

The sure-fire way to compromise the trust of your customers is by losing their personal or commercial data or compromising their privacy. There are no second chances following a successful cyber-attack and data breach, and there are no warm-up opportunities. A cyber-attack need only be successful once, with any amount of data stolen, for privacy to be compromised, trust destroyed and uncertainty in a business’ excellence to be questioned – cue exodus of customers. While no security programme is infallible, the harder a business is to hack, the greater likelihood another business will be targeted, and a breach averted. Be easy to hack and you will be. It is no longer a case of if, rather when.

To retain your customers, an overwhelming degree of trust in your ability to protect their personal data and privacy is expected. Either your data security and cyber security is robust enough or it isn’t. The frequency and sophistication of attacks increases daily – being lucky to date, does not correlate to being lucky in the future.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF EXCELLENCE IN PRIVACY AND SECURITY? Excellence is defined as the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.

Once a customer is contracted, excellence in the acquisition of other customers does not concern them; conversely excellence in the management and security of their affairs very much does. If asked, any customer will state that on an importance scale of 1 – 10, the value they place on their privacy and security is 10.

established best-practice frameworks for managing cyber resilience. These frameworks have evolved over time and in response to emerging threats, market experiences, academia and industry best practice. The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) 10 steps to Cyber Security is an example of such a framework.

WHY CYBER SECURITY RISK MANAGEMENT IS AN ONGOING COMMITMENT. Once is not enough! Just as today’s cyber security framework evolved over time and in response to events, cyber threats continue to evolve every day.

The explosion of Internet of Things devices, artificial intelligence and the prospect of 5G/6G will present ever greater challenges. Like it or not, today’s businesses stand in the middle of a cyber battlefield in a war that is unlikely to end. Cyber risk management must become a cultural consideration for every business. Just as one considers the health and resilience of their body to lead a full and fulfilling life, so now must businesses and individuals alike take constant consideration in their interaction with their digital landscape to ensure they remain resilient to cyber threats.

Michael Wills is co-founder and chief data officer for CSS Platinum.

For further information on the company and the services it provides to Gibraltar businesses and the international yachting industry, please visit https://cssplatinum.com or email support@cssplatinum.com.

Yet presently, only a very small number of businesses allocate specific budgets and resource to cyber security, and often the IT department will be expected to do what they can for cyber with an already under resourced IT budget. Conversely, businesses will allocate large sums into their marketing, business development and sales functions to continue to attract new customers.

So, with maintenance of trust and protection of personal data and privacy being at importance level 10 why do most business fail to apply the corresponding focus on customer privacy and security and choose to adopt an: “we’ll be alright mentality?”

Managing cyber security, or cyber risk management, can be a frightening prospect. As a relatively new and technical discipline, it can be daunting for a business without internal expertise to know what to do, where to invest and understand what good looks like. Guessing, piecemeal action and sporadic investment is not an effective approach of excellence to cyber security and will leave gaps in security and a business vulnerable.

WHY YOU NEED TO TAKE A FRAMEWORK APPROACH TO YOUR CYBER RISK MANAGEMENT. The best approach to achieving the greatest resilience is a comprehensive approach to all cyber threats, obviously…. But what does comprehensive look like in cyber security and who decides? A comprehensive approach involves mitigating appropriately each type of cyber threat. To enable the component threats of cyber-attack to be easier to understand and aid management, cyber security has been broken down into individual threat areas.

The threat areas are presented as a framework that businesses can use to ensure a comprehensive approach.

There are a number of international organisations across the globe that have

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TECHNOLOGY INSIGHT

APART FROM THE CLEAR AND PRESENT PRESSURE THAT COVID-19 HAS GIVEN RISE TO IN TERMS OF DAILY LIFE, IT HAS ALSO UNLEASHED SOME ANXIETIES REGARDING CAREERS. Career anxiety is a major side-effect of the pandemic and it’s affecting workers of every age. Young people are concerned about their career prospects, but the over-45s are just as worried about their future. This has sparked a wave of interest in mid-life professional pivots, with our research revealing that one in four over-45s is considering a career switch or role change.

This growing interest in “encore careers” is motivated by insecurity about the future. One-in-three over-45s cite fears about financial security as one of the reasons they’re exploring new career paths.

Technology offers a unique way to dip toes into something new. A few hours a week learning to code, or mastering an application of software specific to a new vocation can reap rewards. Gibraltar is in a special place regarding the make up of its economy - the traditional economy has been built up over centuries, and the newer digital aspects of what is available stands us in good stead for the future. As one of the leading Blockchain/DLT jurisdictions in the world, coupled with a need for Python and Java programmers, this 2.5 square mile micro-state is pretty unique.

Research by Microsoft has revealed that over-45s currently employed in sales, media and marketing (58%), manufacturing and utilities (54%), finance (53%) and travel and transport (52%) are the most likely to be considering a new career.

But despite their willingness to adapt and "upskill", only 23% of over-45s say they’d consider a technology career, and 60% say they don’t know what resources are available to improve their digital skills.

This, despite estimates that more than three million skilled people will be needed in the technology sector by 2025.

Simon Lambert, Chief Learning Officer at Microsoft UK, said “There is a dangerous misconception that the tech industry is just an industry for the young. The truth is that we need people with a diverse range of experiences, backgrounds and ages. And we need them now to fill the growing skills gap which, left unplugged, will significantly impact the economic recovery post-COVID." Stuart Lewis, Founder of Rest Less, a digital community for the over 50s, said “Investing time into learning digital and technology skills is important for self-development at any age, however one of the biggest barriers for this generation of workers is simply a lack of confidence. Tailored, accessible courses to help boost the digital skills of mid-life career changers will help to open up new career paths as we rebuild a future for the economy post-pandemic.”

One example of a successful mid-life tech career changer is Carol Milligan, 57.

After 25 years working on the ground for an airline, she was made redundant at the age of 48. Following some professional career advice, Carol used her transferable skills and landed a role troubleshooting technical problems for customers at leading travel technology company Amadeus, one of the backbone systems to book flights.

More information is available at the following: • microsoft.com/en-gb/home/digital-skills • restless.co.uk • unigib.edu.gi/courses • srgeurope.com • bctrainingsolutions.com • grasp.gi

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FEATURE

The Future for the

R O T C E S G GAMIN in Gibraltar is Bright

The online gaming industry is a key part of Gibraltar's economy and due to its unique position within Europe it has been renowned as one of the main iGaming hubs in the world, but recently several factors have threatened that position. Insight talks to Paul Foster, CEO of The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA).

The GBGA has operated since January 2005, and in April 2013 it was incorporated as a trade association representing licensed gaming operators in Gibraltar. “As the number of licences increased from the original three or four upwards, the Government decided that they wanted to work with a group of gaming companies rather than individually with each company, so we formed the GBGA,” Paul Foster explains.

Currently there are 28 members split between B2B and B2C brands.

COVID-19 was one of those factors that had a huge impact on the iGaming industry in Gibraltar, and Paul says that like everyone else the issue at the start of the pandemic was how to get staff either into the office or working from home. “One of the benefits is that we are a truly international industry, versed in using online chat, Team, Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc., so for the gaming companies it was just a matter of making sure that individuals had the technology to be able to work from home.” This meant buying laptops for employees who didn’t have access to one, but that came with its own logistical problems. “Thankfully, everybody has smart phones so they could carry on working, albeit inefficiently until we were able to supply the laptops.

Paul goes on to state that the second impact was on their operators who had land based businesses which immediately meant that they faced cash flow and operational challenges. “That is where it hit the gaming industry.”

BREXIT has cast a long shadow over the future of the gaming industry in Gibraltar for quite some time. “There were two issues here,” Paul says. “One was the ability to provide services into the EU and the industry became aware that no matter what happened, unless there was a fantastic deal,

there was a real risk that we wouldn’t be able to provide gaming services from Gibraltar into the EU.” What transpired was that the gambling companies very quickly reacted and set up EU entities so that they could provide services from elsewhere like Malta, setting up satellite offices for the European element of the business. Gibraltar basically just provides head office services for some companies but they also provide services into the UK and non-EU countries such as the US, Latin America, Africa and Asia.”

Asked what major benefits, particularly with the industry in mind, will being a part of the Schengen Area bring, Paul says that one of the risks was the prospect of reduced border fluidity. “Prior to Covid-19 a lot of planning involvedbusiness continuity and setting up secondary offices across the border, but one of the impacts of the pandemic was that people started working from home, so when it came to BREXIT and the border situation most of our members were more relaxed as a result of it .”The concern was that when restrictions were lifted, would employees be able to come back over the border to work and if there was a problem at the border everyday this could lead to a brain drain in Gibraltar.

“We were very happy when we found out that the Government had negotiated the “in principle”agreement because we need freedom of movement across the border for our highly skilled workers and remember a lot of these skilled workers are European - they are not ex-pat Brits, they are from Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and Portugal, so the kind of deal that has been done is excellent.”

Paul confirms that the GBGA has been working closely with the Gibraltar Government in all aspects. “MHGOGhas been very supportive of the industry and we have worked closely together on the CELAC committee for Covid, we have had monthly meetings with them on Brexit, and now we are working with them on the solution for the Border Agreement, so we are very happy with our relationship with the Government and they are very supportive and very

WORDS BY JO WARD GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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FEATURE open with us.”Paul confirmed that the gaming industry chose not to take advantage of the Business & Employee Business Terms (BEAT) Covid-19 support packages in the belief that support should go to the people who have the greatest needs.

“At the original CELAC meeting the gaming companies immediately said they would not take any money even if they were suffering because of retail, but we are mostly online, so we asked GoG to exclude us from the BEAT payments and from furloughing.” He added that they also offered the Government and the GHA access to facilities such as parking spaces, the use of apartments for nurses and the use of call centres on a temporary basis.

“Gibraltar is still seen as a very good gaming hub,” Paul states. “The Government of Gibraltar are very supportive of the sector and in terms of the external parameters, Gibraltar is still the place to be and a lot of people still want to be licensed here.” He goes on to add that there is a real nucleus of gaming, IT and marketing professionals in Gibraltar which means that the industry always has access to new employees if needed. “The key industry players have been here a long time and they are not planning to leave unless something major changes.”

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“The future for the gaming industry in Gibraltar is bright because we are still the innovation hub of the world in online gaming, but we will always caveat that and say the “in principle” agreement needs to be finalised and subject to that it will reduce any potential impact on the gaming sector.”

The Gambling Regulator is quite open that there are a lot of companies still applying for gaming licences in Gibraltar. “Firstly, it is a great place to live especially if you are able to live in Spain and commute across to Gibraltar,” Paul says. “Secondly, other companies want to come to piggyback on the experience and knowledge that is in Gibraltar and there is always a list of people applying for licences here, and at the GBGA we are always happy to talk to new companies and explain the process.”

Paul is optimistic for the future of the industry in Gibraltar. “The gaming industry has been here for over 22 years and it is very committed to Gibraltar and the Government of Gibraltar is committed to us and we have a great symbiotic relationship, so the GBGA is very positive on behalf of our members and although there will always be companies coming and going, mergers and acquisitions - overall the innovative and prominent gaming hub of Gibraltar will grow and thrive.”

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ARMED FORCES INSIGHT

VACCINE THIRD BATCH ARRIVAL ANOTHER BATCH OF COVID-19 VACCINES (THE THIRD) HAS JUST ARRIVED IN GIBRALTAR, COURTESY OF THE LOGISTICAL EXPERTISE OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE. When the first consignment arrived, it was allhands-on-deck with rapid and exemplary co-or-

dination between all members of crucial frontline staff, both here in Gibraltar and in the UK. Speaking at the time of the first inbound shipment, the Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP said, "The arrival of this vaccine is a demonstration of our work with the FCDO and

MoD as part of the British family of nations, a stunning example of the power of science and a chance for each of us to get inoculated against deadly COVID-19."

When the latest shipment was about to land, the CM took to Twitter to show his delight.

GDP TRAINING COMPLETED The latest Gibraltar Defence Police recruits recently completed 18 weeks of training alongside their Royal Gibraltar Police colleagues.

The intense course, delivered by the RGP, provided recruits with a strong legal foundation, knowledge into specialist areas such as drugs and substance abuse, safeguarding children, mental health and personal safety techniques.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been given to 21 frontline workers from the Princess Royal Medical Centre on Devil’s Tower Camp.

This followed on from the first delivery of the vaccine into Gibraltar by the Royal Air Force and British Forces Gibraltar personnel and was a combined

programme supported by the Gibraltar Health Authority and HQBF Medical staff.

A virtual COVID-compliant passing out parade was held for all the recruits including the GDP’s newest officers PC33 Gary Robinson, PC79 Robbie Blakemore, PC146 Stefan Cabezutto and PC48 Ernest de Torres.

PC Gary Robinson received the ‘Best Academic Recruit’ award.

Congratulations to all.

Commodore Creighton Honoured REAR ADMIRAL SIR KENELM CREIGHTON KBE CVO WILL BE AWARDED THE GIBRALTAR MEDALLION OF HONOUR POSTHUMOUSLY AS RECOGNITION OF THE PART HE PLAYED DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

He stood up for and sympathised with the plight of the people of Gibraltar to the degree that he had to be threatened with arrest by the French and he had no hesitation in defying orders when he judged that following them would have put our people at risk.

He had been put in the seemingly impossible position of looking after the welfare of Gibraltarian evacuees who had found themselves having to flee French Morocco once France itself had fallen to Axis powers.

It takes a brave man to stand up to authority in this way and there is no better time to mark his courageous actions for the benefit of our people. The original intention had been to place the plaque at the evacuation monument last year, on the 80tth anniversary of the year in which the events took place.

Sadly, this was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other matters so I will present the commemorative plaque shortly. The Government is confident that the placing of the plaque and the posthumous award of a Medallion of Honour will provide Sir Kenelm Creighton with the recognition that his actions deserve.”

He managed to galvanise the effort to remove civilians from the area after the Vichy Admiral refused to prepare evacuation vessels. With this in mind, he set sail - but defied London and went to Gibraltar instead of the River Thames. The ships were then free to be made more adequate in Gibraltar.

Speaking of this historically significant event, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said, “The Government is delighted to honour the memory of Rear Admiral Creighton.

His vivid description of the incident with Gibraltarian evacuees in Casablanca can be read in his autobiography “Convoy Commodore”.

22

Gibraltar House has managed to contact some of his surviving family members in Australia, who will - naturally - be kept informed as matters progress.

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SPORTS INSIGHT

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WORDS BY LIAM BEGLAN, SPORTS WRITER 24

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SPORTS INSIGHT QUALIFICATION for Qatar 2022 World Cup Finals kicks off next month when Gibraltar, drawn in Group G, play host to Norway and Netherlands, those two games sandwiching an away trip to Montenegro, with Turkey and Latvia completing this tough six-team group. Pandemic permitting, the nation that tops the table when qualifying finishes next November will have booked their ticket direct to the finals, with the runners-up advancing to the playoffs for a second chance to join them on the plane to Qatar, the first time the tournament will be staged in the Middle East.

Gibraltar hopes have been buoyed by recent confirmation from UEFA that their home games, in this their second World Cup campaign, can be played at Victoria Stadium, unlike their first foray into the global competition - Russia 2018 - when the Rock were required to play their “home" ties in the vast, almost empty Portuguese Faro stadium, a rather soulless, eerie experience, nothing like the frenzied but friendly atmosphere created at the Vic in previous international and club encounters, notably on nights when Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark and Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers came calling.

Fresh from the Rock's remarkable achievement of promotion to Division C in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, Julio's “Gibraltarian Warriors” will not lack for confidence in embarking on this ultra competitive qualification odyssey. In addition to charismatic coach Ribas, who has engendered a special family togetherness in the squad, there is the neversay-die spirit of “Captain Fantastic” Roy Chipolina, the creative quality of midfield dynamo Liam Walker and the goal poaching power of Lee Casciaro, lionhearts the entire squad, all dedicated to achieving the impossible, but, alas, cold reality decrees that qualification for Qatar 2022 will be a dream too far, but hey, there will be fun and maybe even glory nights on the way.

When Gibraltar was warmly welcomed into FIFA's football family on 13th May, 2016, it wasn’t an event just about opening up world football to the Rock, but also about opening up Gibraltar to the world. Gibraltar is a picture postcard destination with a first class but sadly underused airport, practically every person on earth has heard of the Rock, but not

NETHERLANDS Population: 17.15m d Government m, (Parliament an Capital: Amsterda n Cruyff Arena, ha Jo m: diu Sta e). based in The Hagu 0) ,50 55 y cit Amsterdam (Capa : 14th Fifa World Ranking nk de Boer Head Coach: Fra . encounters: None Previous Gibraltar , nds - 30th March rla the Ne vs tar ral Match Dates: Gib raltar - 11th OctoGib vs s nd rla the KO 20:45 CET / Ne T ber, KO 20:45 CE ught “total footthe nation that bro The Netherlands, nic names over the ico , rld wo d nte Neeskens, van ball" to an encha n, Cruyff, Kluivert, decades, Van Baste s. No one of that mp bu ose go it elic Nistelrooy, still perhaps captain rent squad, save mascalibre in the cur int from the Dutch po gle sin a t bu . tar ral Gib Virgil van Dijk, for t ge achievemen ters would be a hu dinner for two m: Three-course rda ste small When in Am ck around £70. A ba u yo set l wil (no alcohol) . .50 £4 sts co er bottle of be

that many have visited, and now international football is providing opportunities for footy fans from all over the globe to put that right, sit in the sun and quaff cider in Casemates Square, hit the casino tables, roll the dice and explore the delights of Ocean Village, while Gib's footy fans reciprocate by rocking up to exotic destinations, like wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen, tip-toe through the tulips in Amsterdam and spend drunken nights in Dublin.

Gibraltar's Group G campaign, labelled the Group of Death, commences with a Viking visit from Norway on 24th March and concludes on 16th November, again at Victoria Stadium, when familiar foe Latvia provide the opposition. What a finale that night would be should the impossible have come to pass, with Julio's boys still having something to play for – most unlikely of course, but it’s nice to dream!

Coronavirus protocols may have relaxed somewhat come the last week of March, the impressive rollout of the vaccine and responsible social distancing may by then have put a check on this ghastly pandemic, perhaps sufficient for the lockdown to be lifted, Victoria Stadium and the pubs given the green light to reopen, deprived and parched footy fans free once more to quench their thirst and toast their heroes as they rub shoulders with visiting football greats. Who knows, maybe travel restrictions may be lifted in time to join Julio's army on battlefields abroad!

Let's take a quick glance at the opposition....

LATVIA Population: 1.92m Capital: Riga Stadium: Daugava Stadium, Riga (Capacity 10,460) Fifa World Ranking: 136th Head Coach: Dainis Kazakevics – Previous Gibraltar encounters: Two friendlies, a win apiece (25th Gibraltar 0-5 Latvia (29th March, 2016); Gibraltar 1-0 Latvia March, 2018).

CET / Match Dates: Latvia vs Gibraltar - 1st September, KO 20:45 Gibraltar vs Latvia - 16th November, KO 20:45 CET have Honours shared in the two previous clashes and Gibraltar will realistic prospects of gaining points from both these games. a reaWhen in Riga: Three-course dinner for two can be had for sonable £36, while a bottle of beer is available for just £1.50.

TURKEY

MONTENEGRO

Population: 82.3m Capital: Ankara

Population: 622,157

NORWAY

Capital: Podgorica

Population: 5.33m

Stadium: Podgorica City Stadium (Capacity 15,225).

Capital: Oslo

Fifa World Ranking: 63rd

Stadium: Ullevaal Stadium , Oslo (Capacity 28,000) Fifa World Ran king: 44th Head Coach: Ståle Solb akken Previous Gibraltar encoun ters: No previous meetings.

Match Dates: Gibraltar vs Norway - 24th March, KO 20:45 CET / Norway vs Gibraltar - 7th September, KO 20:45 CET Tough opening oppone nts, a draw would be a great result.

When in Oslo: Expect to pay about £78 for a three-course dinner for two (no alcohol) and a small bottle of beer cos ts a wince-inducing £7.7 5.

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Stadium: Ataturk Olympi c Stadium, Istanbul (Capacity 76,760) Fifa World Ranking: 32n d Head Coach: Senol Gun es

Head Coach: Miodrag Radulovic Previous Gibraltar encounters: None.

Previous Gibraltar encoun ters: No previous meetings.

Match Dates: Montenegro vs Gibraltar - 27th March, KO 15:00 CET / Gibraltar vs Montenegro - 8th October, KO 20:45 CET

Match Dates: Gibraltar vs Turkey - 4th September, KO 20:4 5 CET / Turkey vs Gibraltar - 13th November, KO 18:00 CET

The Balkan territory could well prove to be a fruitful points source for Julio's boys.

Very tough opponents whe re any points return would be a huge bonus.

When in Istanbul: Three-co urse dinner for two is a very reas onable £30 and a bottle of beer can be yours for £2.30.

When in Podgorica: A three-course dinner for two is a very palatable practical giveaway at £23, especially washed down with a £1.70 bottle of beer.

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FOOTBALL INSIGHT

My story at the Lynx is that of the one-club-man, which is not so frequent these days. I´m arguably the first coach to ever sit on the club bench back in 2008, as the first coach, (and current, Albert) was also a player at the time.

Those were really good times, we ascended to first division twice, in a time where there was still no money in football. In the meantime I never stopped coaching teams from U7 to U17 for around 12 years.

I did my coaching training with the Welsh and FA federations. With the entry into UEFA and also having commitments as an Evangelical Pastor, I was not able to have the dedication being a coach required, but I developed other functions within the club, where today, I am vice president.

Today we live in times of uncertainty, where so many people are experiencing loneliness, and where we can read daily figures, estimates, information and conspiracy theories, which only bring more anxiety and despair.

Finally we have recommendations for the Spirit, and here in this not-so-well-traveled place of our being, we also make decisions.

2007 - 2008

2008 - 2009

The situation can be depressing, if we spend the day in front of the TV counting contagions and deaths, but it's also a season where we can find time to think about the amount of things that usually occupy our lives, and that are not really indispensable.

Also this lockdown has highlighted important values in our society, like the value of the silent worker, those who have the lowest wages, cleaners, cashiers, care workers- the ones that make things happen, while the important executives are waiting for everything to happen at home with their laptop.

2009 - 2018

Jesus did not say, "You will know the truth and enter into a religious system ," nor did he say "you will know the truth and you can do nothing of what you like", he said "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free", and what is freedom but making choices , and accepting the consequences of said choices?

I do not come from a religious family and I was never taken to any religious institution of any religion, but when I had enough understanding, I made a decision. I decided to follow Jesus, because it’s revolutionary, because He revolutionized my way of understanding the World, my way of understanding people and my way of understanding God. Jesus was a Jew who overcame all the cultural barriers of humanity, because He does not speak of a book of laws, He does not speak of a system of customs, or beliefs of religious rituals, Jesus spoke and taught about what is in the heart of Man, he walked among the poor and the marginalized where the religious did not want to enter. He healed lepers who the religious did not want to touch. He ate and drank with the people, understood their problems.

Healed them and He spoke of a kingdom where there are no politicians or priests, where there is no more pain or famine or war, where love reigns supreme. He healed their illnesses but above all He healed their heart.

The world is full of reasoning and philosophies, of scientists and mystics, but you have to make a decision, and even doing nothing, is a decision, I have decided to follow Jesus and he has set me free.

One of David's psalms says "even if I walk in valleys of shadows of death, I will fear no evil, for You will be with me, your rod, and your staff will give me breath." It´s this lack of fear and encouragement that we have to share with our loved ones during these times. It´s this peace in the storm that makes us grow as people.

There are recommendations for our body, usually to keep us as active as possible, to take advantage of exercise that´s allowed, always within the sanitary precautions that have been repeated so many times, social distance, masks and cleaning.

The reality is that all of our life revolves around decisions, big and small, and even not deciding, is a decision in itself. I decided to be British, I decided to live in Gibraltar, I decided to have this car, this bike, etc., and so I also decided to be a Christian, that means to be a follower in the footsteps of Jesus. Making decisions is what makes us free.

As a football coach I have understood the importance of a healthy body, and as an Evangelical Pastor, I have also understood the importance of a healthy soul and spirit. In these times of lockdown and anxiety, these last two facets of being human have been my field of work during 2020, and I have witnessed the benefits in a word of encouragement through an online connection. That's why I encourage everyone to connect, call and relate in a positive way, transmit hope rather than worries, sharing encouragement rather than complaints, and always remembering, as the saying goes, that the world will change RTHER with your example, not with your FOR FU TION, A M R O opinion.

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There are recommendations for our Soul, and just as there are healthy foods for our bodies, there are also healthy foods for our souls, thoughts that enter our minds and do us good, and others that do us wrong; relationships that do us good, and others that make us sick, emotions and memories that make us happy, and others not so much. We need to choose with which to feed our souls with.

WORDS BY SERGIO RIVELLI GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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FEATURE

Hollie Buhagiar It’s all around us. Sometimes it’s subtle, other times it takes a more “in your face” approach. It can tug at your heartstrings... and it can make you smile and laugh. Sometimes it helps add pace and momentum.

It’s a skill and craft that manages to marry emotion, technology and - for want of a better word - “vibe.

This is the world of the composer who matches visuals to sounds they create. In recent years, video gaming has also become a key part of this profession. Of course, film and television have been the core genres for years.

Close your eyes, imagine a scene from The Godfather. Can you not help but hear the iconic haunting melody playing along to the visuals in your mind?

Insight was lucky enough to catch up with Gibraltarian Hollie Buhagiar, who is currently in London - a centre of excellence in the mysterious world of composition for TV, film and gaming.

GI: To the uninitiated, what exactly is it that you do?

things weird and wonderful too, so those in combination are an absolute dream!

HB: I am a film and TV composer, in a nutshell I write the original music heard within a project. This generally includes conceptualising, writing and recording the soundtrack as a whole. Most of this tends to be extremely collaborative as it takes a village, I typically work very closely with the director of the piece to fully realise what is needed to complement it.

Do you get an idea for the musical concept first, and then doodle? Or do you sit in front of the video rushes and get inspiration from there? Or both?

What’s been your favourite thing you've worked on?

Hard to say, I’ve worked on everything from documentary, fiction, animation and VR all of which have varied across genre, from psychological thrillers through to romance. What I would say is that the projects I tend to love and gravitate towards are the ones that feel like they have a narrative that deserves to be seen, one that feels like it will broaden people's minds and perspectives on various subject matters in a positive way. That being said, I do very much adore all

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FEBRUARY 2021

Every musical idea feels different to me in some way, I’m always trying to find an element of uniqueness to each piece I write, so I find they naturally tend to form in different ways. Sometimes I’ll hum a melody to myself and it’ll excite me into writing something that finds a filmic home later down the line or perhaps I’ll have a film in front of me and that will directly inspire me. As I say it’s always different though, even when starting from a similar position as each narrative too is its own entity, sometimes the dialogue or the general concept, the sound or even the title card font and conversations I’ve had will inspire the final results.

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FEATURE

What does your setup look How did you get into such a like? specialist field?

I would say my set up is really quite modest. I believe that depending on the person of course, it can be very easy to get lost in a Scrooge McDuck level of gear and options. I have mainly invested in a few beautiful, crucial bits and pieces like my monitors and microphones.

That being said.. I am slowly hoarding instruments as I go and you could argue that it’s slowly becoming quite extravagant. Personally though, I’d much rather invest in real instruments and record them so that they are unique to themselves, even if the space itself isn’t perfect and has quite a character rather to it, I generally take this route rather than purchasing sample packs [software that emulates sounds and instruments] as I have found them to be quite recognisable and that is something I’m always looking to avoid.

To be completely honest, whilst I feel I’ve been involved in music in some way, shape or form since the dawn of time, I actually stumbled rather unexpectedly into film. I grew up with a brilliantly artistic mother and a very creative household, so visuals had always been at the forefront of my mind, especially as I dabbled in them myself. It was when I took a film composition module during the first year of my bachelors at Leeds College of Music (now Leeds Conservatoire) though that everything changed for me, it was a real lightbulb moment in my life. It was the catalyst that moved me to pursue a career in combining my love of both music and visuals, since then I’ve truly never looked back.

How long does it take to complete a project?

I’m extremely fortunate to say that I’ve worked on quite a few projects that have been absolute dreams and currently am too at this very moment! In the future though I’m very much looking to move more consistently into long form. Whilst I will always have time for a piece that has an honest and positive purpose for the world no matter its shape, there is nothing more exciting and rewarding for me than being able to develop musical ideas across greater lengths of time and moulding them in various forms and interpretations.

This is next to impossible to quantify really. I’ve spent a very long time, years even, on some of the shortest pieces mainly due to scheduling changes and occurrences that are beyond control, in contrast some features have taken just a few weeks so it’s really hard to say. It does often depend on the type of project and at what stage I’m brought on board. If I’m on a project from the start, that tends to take quite a lot longer for my role to be completed than it would say me writing the music for a picture locked film. An animation too tends to take longer than a fiction film as a shoot will happen and then one can immediately edit whereas the animation equivalent takes time to be built from the same stage.

You’ve recently won an award.

Can you tell us about that?

Yes! ‘Father’, a track of mine was very recently awarded the Gold at the LA Motion Picture Festival for ‘Best Music Track'. I was so astonished and thrilled to receive recognition for my music, especially having it be from across the pond. I’ve had various incarnations of this track hidden away and it felt like the perfect moment to reveal one of them to the world, I’m so overwhelmed to have had such a positive response. It was released in collaboration with the wonderful Sister Music under Sister X, there’s a full album written by different artists called Salience. It’s up online on all the major streaming platforms, I very much recommend giving it a listen!

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What would be your dream project?

What’s it been like in London during lockdown?

It’s been, interesting. Quite dystopian at times I would say ha, the incident of the disappearing loo roll was an extremely curious and historic event to witness across the United Kingdom too, but all in all I’ve been very very lucky and have fortunately been working quite consistently throughout the year. Emotionally it’s been very tough, but I’m so very thankful to have such wonderfully strong and awe-inspiring people in my life, be they near or far, together I think we’ve built a rather strong fortress.

When will you be visiting home again?

I’m very sad to report that I have absolutely no idea. London is in a “Tier 4” lockdown, so within this fortress I sit, watching and waiting for any realistic and safe opportunity to do so, fingers crossed it will be soon!

We wish Hollie continued success!

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FEATURE

CHOCOLATES WHAT'S NOT TO

Giving chocolates to your loved one on St. Valentine’s Day has been a tradition that goes back to the 1800s, but how exactly did the two become inseparable? Strangely, St. Valentine has little to do with it. The origin of Valentine’s Day is linked back to two early Roman saints, both named Valentine, who were lauded for their sympathetic, heroic, and romantic endeavours. One legend is based on an imprisoned priest named Valentine who sent the first “valentine” message, a letter, to his jailor’s daughter signing it “From your Valentine”.

paste of the beans, whilst cocoa is applied to anything that has been processed, such as chocolate bars, drinks and cocoa powder. Nowadays, cacao powder is often packaged as vegan as it has been minimally processed with no additives.

It was Swiss confectioner Daniel Peter who developed the first solid milk chocolate in 1875, establishing Switzerland as a chocolate-making centre. In an effort to increase sales of chocolate produced by his own chocolate factory and driven by a need to increase his sales, Daniel Peter decided to experiment by adding milk powder, made by his friend Henri Nestlé. SwitChocolate has been revered for centuries, but not always as the delicious, zerland is still renowned for producing DARK, MILK, WHITE OR EVEN VEGAN, sweet confectionary that we know of delicious, smooth milk chocolate and SOME FILLED WITH EXOTIC FLAVOURS today. Cocoa and cacao both come some of the most famous chocolate OR INGREDIENTS SUCH AS FRUIT AND from the Theobroma cacao tree of brands in the world today are Swiss.

NUTS – LET’S FACE IT, MOST OF US South America, with the name TheoClever marketers started to package ENJOY EATING CHOCOLATE. CHOCObroma taken from Greek and literally chocolates in heart-shaped boxes LATE IS SYNONYMOUS WITH VALENmeaning “food of the Gods”. decorated with Cupids and rosebuds.

TINE'S DAY ALL OVER THE WORLD, ESIt was Richard Cadbury, son of John It was thought to have all begun in anPECIALLY IN THE US WHEN THE 14TH Cadbury one of the leading cocoa and cient Mesoamerica, present day MexiFEBRUARY REPRESENTS THE MOST drinking chocolate traders in England, co, where the first cacao plants were LUCRATIVE DAY FOR CHOCOLATE who in 1868 came up with the idea found and the Mayan and Aztec indigto sell an assortment of their ‘fancy enous cultures would grind the cacao MANUFACTURERS. chocolates’ in these decorative boxes. beans, mix them with water, chilies Cadbury’s boxes went on to become a and cornmeal to form a bitter drink. popular gift of love on Valentine’s Day and the boxes were When the Spanish invaded Mesoamerica in 1519 they witthen often used to keep love letters in. nessed Montezuma, the Aztec King, drinking up to 50 cups of the dark liquid before his visits to his large harem of womIn Japan, it is women who give chocolates to not only their en, which gave some credence to the myth that chocolate male partner or to someone they have romantic feelings for, is an aphrodisiac. Whilst chocolate does contain tryptophan but also to their male colleagues. Men reciprocate a month and phenylethylamine, two chemicals that affect the brain's later in March on White Day, an event dreamed up by chocopleasure and reward centres, most scientists agree that the late makers in the early 80s to boost sales. amount of these chemicals present in chocolate is too little to have any marked effect on desire.

Germany is where you will find little chocolate or marzipan pigs, (the pig represents lust and luck) holding flowers or The Spanish took the cacao bean back to Europe and by the four-leaf clovers reclining provocatively on chocolate hearts, early 1600s “chocolate houses” had become popular spots being exchanged between courting couples. for social gatherings. The world’s most famous lover, Giacomo Casanova dubbed chocolate the 'elixir of love', and reItaly is known for romance and Italian lovers traditionally putedly drank large quantities for its stimulating qualities. exchange a box of small hazelnut-filled chocolate ‘kisses’ wrapped in silver paper called Baci Perugina (baci means It was during the 1980s that some well-known chocolatiers "kiss" in Italian). Each praline holds a little love note, with rocame up with a process of extracting pure cacao butter from mantic quotes from philosophers, artists, authors, and provwhole cacao beans to create a more desirable form of “drinkerbs, to help express feelings of love. ing chocolate.” This process resulted in an excess of cacao butter, which was used to produce more varieties of what Chocolatiers are constantly coming up with unusual, excitwas then called “eating chocolate”. ing and exotic combinations that enhance the experience of eating chocolates taking it from the ordinary to the sublime.

Are you aware that there is a difference between cacao and Whether you want to purchase fresh, handcrafted gourmet what we describe as cocoa? Although both start out as beans chocolates or whether you opt for the everyday brands, you from the cacao plant, it is common for chocolatiers to refer can be sure that giving a beautifully decorated box on St. to cacao to describe the plant, the pod, the beans and the Valentine’s Day will be a sign of love.

WORDS BY JO WARD 32

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Who played the title role in the film Shirley Valentine? or post Email your answer to jeaninsight@gibtelecom.net number to your answer along with your name and tel 1AA. Insight Magazine, 77 Main Street, Gibraltar GX11 The winner will be drawn from all the correct entries 26 February.

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FEATURE

BETTER TIMES WILL SURELY COME As I introduce my second column of the New Year we find ourselves still struggling with the Pandemic. When we went into isolation for the first time in March last year I published some poems that were written with the best intentions to promote solidarity and perhaps raise a smile in those dark days which have still not left us. The four selected poems are called ‘Blue Angels’ ‘Lockdown’ ‘Again’ and ‘Deliverance Day.’ I think it’s fair to say that we still have some way to go before we can shake of this bad dream and return to some semblance of our old normal. It is in that spirit that I hope my words will be read and hopefully enjoyed too.

Lockdown words

BLUE ANGELS Mostly they are blue but not always so and we love them to bits They wear different colours and have different wings but they all matter to us They have manifested their selflessness to rally against unknown odds Fate has rolled the dice all over the table and the six has never come up once Uncertainty and infection were seemingly insurmountable stumbling blocks at first Blue angels got past the hurdles but yet their folks at home wouldn’t listen They wouldn’t listen because they were not in that mindset and were not yet ready to obey There were messages of staying indoors that were being misunderstood unheeded and certainly abused The threat was still invisible to the naked eye but the havoc it was wreaking everywhere was real enough World news is somehow still seen as detached from here because local stats are comforting at first glance Blue angels and all the other divisions of frontline fighters are much loved and appreciated because we know that they will be our heroes Yet somehow a number of noisemakers at the eight pm balconies rendezvous also make it outside next day undoing all the good work done the day before Blue angels are disheartened but they will never gave up on their folk Day by day and night by night they fight their battles for them They are determined to win at all costs and there will be a cost The fat wallet and the donations cannot buy time and still folk are not listening Blue angels sometimes cry into their gowns when no one’s looking

Unexpected unprotected Segregated isolated disinfected We were ready we made plans Top of the list washing hands Fight this war and win first battle Still in hiding penned like cattle Great outside we’re wishing for Families meeting outside the door Someone’s coming let them through We like to ask how do you do Suspicion lingers just enough Spoils the moment life is tough Smiles unseen behind their masks Frontline heroes do their tasks News is good what food is news Life is changing TV views We just listen - no debate Unfolding drama at the gate Are we there yet are we winning Seems like so but few are grinning Crystal gazing self effacing We can’t lose our sense of humour Don’t stoke the fire in the mill of rumour Nose out of joint what’s the point Staying indoors will set you free Empty chairs just two for tea.

Cupcakes for you sandwich for me Mortdella lucky fella Not the way we it used to be Happy families the more the merrier Tasty scraps for cat and terrier Over the top and always noisy Happy birthday aunty Rosy Missing that and missing more Walks along the seashore What to do what to say Have to wait another day Catching flies wishing ‘n’ hoping Prefer blue skies to indoor moping Never mind let’s just be kind Let’s stay bright fit and sane It will not have been in vain Well worth staying alive for That’s who we are resilient to the core.

WORDS BY JOE ADAMBERY 34

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FEATURE

Deliverance There was joy in the air and we were running because we had to get there This was going to be the day when most of us would sing and dance We had found a new way to live because we had left nothing to chance Far too long we had been quiet and still – very much against our will Today would be the day that we could abandon precautions Once again we could cast fate to our wind from the east What will be will be and hopefully come in the right proportions Many a tinge of sadness yes but mostly gladness - we had slain the beast We had to isolate for a while and we had suppressed many a feeling Time now to let it out with screams and shouts and hugs and many a kiss Recent memories of fervent prayers and dark days that we wouldn’t miss So dancing on the ceiling today would be a welcome break from kneeling

Again

We shall dance in the supermarket aisles again We will have our May Day Rally and concert again We shall eat ‘calentita’ in overcrowded Casemates, again Maybe not so soon this time but again Maybe not too long from now we shall be smiling again Again we will do our Red and White This is not a shutdown it’s just a temporary glitch Mother Earth is breathing easier, pollution resting, looking bright Give her a break while we make our pitch A vaccine will be found of that we can be sure It’s waiting in the shadows for science to procure Since we’re stuck in this together and it’s not of our own making Let’s all stick to the plan. Let’s share some home bakingnot for real- just onscreen We can’t be too careful if outside we may have been We shall laugh again, high five again and hug again All those noisy things that make us who we are We know we’re blessed, we have a lucky star.

A million happy tears have rolled away the years - now we are all the same age We have been reborn and we should write ourselves a new page There was joy in the air and we were running because we had to get there None of us would be late but the gathering crowds had the same idea Let’s all go there early and get a view that’s clear No room for moving with so many familiar faces packed in such tiny spaces Expectation in the air- hearts in our mouths when we finally got there Today we’re going to celebrate our deliverance day party in Casemates Square.

Suddenly I wake up and reality is clear this D-Day party’s not happening I fear Would be playing into enemy hands with so many people to each other so near We shall have to wait and see and those who believe continue to pray That we come through this lockdown safely and gather to party another day.

Author’s note: Though the party scenario in the above poem might appear tempting it lives in the lines of a poetic fantasy and hopefully deserves poetic licence. There are no plans to celebrate coming out of lockdown. We can still dream of such a party when all this is well behind us.

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FEATURE During these incredibly difficult times, it can be easy to blame politicians, dwell on the challenges of living through a pandemic or feel hugely frustrated with those in charge. However, to be more introspective and examine our own growth during this upsetting time is both healing and somewhat fascinating. It may also be the most unique experience you will have during your life.

Many people have discovered an inner strength yet still find themselves struggling in everyday situations.

has been an opportunity to take on tasks and jobs they would have previously paid for. Be it home hair colouring, garden maintenance or some DIY jobs that have been neglected due to the pressures of everyday life.

Vanessa Gebhardt, Mind Coach at Freeletics, the leading provider of AI-based fitness and mindset coaching.

Gebhardt states ‘The pandemic has been tough on everyone’s physical, emotional and mental health. People have learnt new things about themselves

Physical fitness is incredibly important at all times but non more so than now. Our mental and emotional health is being severely challenged so the ability to channel our energies into our physical wellbeing is essential.

It can prove positive for certain individuals to retain their particular routine, whether it’s a daily walk, online classes or a keep fit regime you have created to meet your abilities and fitness level. Partaking of exercise at the same time each day can be reassuring and the sense of routine gives us a structure that we

Walking and connecting to nature is very pivotal to a persons wellbeing. Staying in contact with friends and family, maintaining connections to those close to us is emotionally important - in fact, essential. Being a people person makes lack of socialising difficult so ensuring regular and meaningful contact can keep our emotional wheels turning.

Having time freed up can allow us the luxury of thinking, planning and dreaming of what we want. To realise our ambitions and embrace activities that embrace what motivates us. It is a chance to explore interests that there simply isn’t enough time to enjoy when you are working full time. Delving into books that have been gathering dust on your shelves. Learning to play a musical instrument or picking up one you’ve toyed with over the years. The joy we receive from creative ventures are unique.

Where can you find emotional comfort: loved ones, nature, animals possibly favourite hobbies or pastime. For each of us, it will be something different. Whatever gives you a sense of calm, some inner peace, must be embraced and cherished.

The time that we spend by ourselves can be revelation. It gives us the opportunity to explore what is important to us. It provides real time emotional space to discover or rediscover what our priorities are, in all areas of our lives. It is incredible yet somehow poignant that small moments and rituals can make such a big impact on our daily routines. Whether it is a coffee and a browse through the newspapers or a stroll through a favourite park, recognise what gives you sense of wellbeing. Feeling loved and cared for gives us all a sense of security.

Looking at the past is pointless and trying to predict the future is also using up our energy on a fruitless task. It is worth channelling our feelings on what we can make a difference to, not on situations we have no control over. The time this situation allows us gives us a chance to be honest with ourselves. Not in a judgemental way but in a measured, knowing way. The only solace at the moment is to live in and appreciate the moment. Has this crisis brought out qualities in ourselves?

Almost certainly.

Empathy, awareness and developing inner strength are all emotional assets, especially now when we need to embrace them more than ever. Some individuals who have needed to self isolate understand more about their own personality. It allows time to reflect on my strengths, my fragilities, in fact, it gives us room to consider and think about various situations and events throughout our lives. For others, the extra time

are connected enough to people to actively miss them and desire their company. Another way to engage and be part of a wider community is to watch streamed live music. Of course it cannot replace the physical experience but you can be part of that moment. There are plays, magicians, comedy - in fact a whole raft of entertainment to draw on.

This is particularly valuable to those who live on their own, especially those who are isolating.

How we ‘top and tail’ our days can also play a fundamental part in keeping balanced. For those based at home, whether working or perhaps home schooling, it would be easy to stay a little later in bed or watch late night films into the early hours. Our bodies and minds respond to routine. Getting up and going to bed at roughly the same time enables us to create our own rhythm.

Gordon Fraser is a Health and Wellbeing Expert, Executive Coach and Motivational Speaker. Mindfulness and gratitude are two areas Fraser feels are important and comments ‘Stop multi-tasking and be in the moment. Do one thing at a time and giving it your full focus will help you maintain your calm. If you’re throwing your lunch down your neck, watching TV and scrolling through the internet – what’s the quality of your experience of life like? I mean, you won’t even taste or savour your food, slow down, chew much and take it easy’. and how to cope during these strange times. I have learnt to slow down when it comes to working, which has made me look after my overall wellness and check in with myself every day.

If you’re not sure where to start, just begin with a to-do list or simply write down your daily goals, thoughts and feelings, there is plenty of room for inspiration and writing down ideas.

Journaling helps to give your life more structure, and checking the boxes gives you a feeling of achievement. It also allows you to emotionally navigate your feelings, make sense of them and figure out how to overcome them’.

all need at such a difficult time.

The examination of ourselves can reveal surprising personality traits that we might not have been aware of. There are those who considered themselves to be quite introvert, not particularly in need of company or socialising. However, when placed in a situation where they are unable to meet up with friends or visit restaurants or bars, they realise just how vital human interaction is. They are almost surprised how much they actively miss the companionship and interaction with others. This realisation can be emotionally reassuring and comforting. It actually feels good to know you

Regarding gratitude, Fraser suggests ‘Before you go to bed, write down 5 things you’re grateful for. Have a list next to your bed. It really makes a difference. If you are feeling confident and want to pass it forward you can also text people who you’re grateful for too. This first mental step of appreciation is excellent for your mind health. We spend so much time trying to obtain what we don't have, (like the six pack).’

Gordon Frazer: gordonfraser.blog Vanessa Gebhardt: freeletics.com

WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH 36

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FEATURE

Business and commerce have discovered that they have to reach out to the potential customers and trade in a different way. No crowds no footfall and no shoppers are all bad for business. From the comfort of telephones and laptops we are ordering-in and the long established shopping trends are changing with each new delivery. Staying in is the new going out and you read it here first.

'THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES THAT WE LIVE IN’ MAY BE STARTING TO SOUND CLICHÉD AND WEARY FOR MOST BUT LET’S PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND EXAMINE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE NEAR WORLD-WIDE ISOLATION THAT THE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC HAS IMPOSED ON SOCIETY AND THE WAY THAT MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE HITHERTO. NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN BECAUSE MOST OF US HAVE FOUND NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS. THERE IS A CHALLENGE IN MANAGING A NEW FOUND DIGITAL INDEPENDENCE THAT KEPT THINGS TICKING OVER WHILE THE LOCKDOWNS PREVAILED.

Amazon and the like don’t spend money on prestigious shopping centres, they have gargantuan warehouses and have AI led profiling which will show you, the potential customer, what they think you might buy.

Whether you need it or not is bye the bye, they will insist until they make a sale. Their products are in your personal in-tray daily. Unsubscribe or fall victim to ‘online shopaholic blues’. A new ill which makes you feel guilty about not ordering anything online on a regular basis.

There is no antidote vaccine for this and no research is yet in place to find one either.

In the Arts the hub of every society, the long term impact of isolation is yet to be felt worldwide but in the short term, huge artists and performers have been offering up their work for free. Concerts are more intimate now, stripped back of the glitz and glamour for which in preCovid19 times we were paying a fortune to attend. Now we are seated up close and personal, warts and all, but happy to share and comment as we follow them around the virtual entertainment universe for free.

A very welcome challenge is that we will have to become increasingly aware of each other and in turn, perhaps kinder and more circumspect in our ‘keyboard warrior’ excursions and put-downs. Coming together as we have recently done during this crisis has also strengthened our community bonds in a virtual way at least and it remains to be seen whether this new broom will keep sweeping once we leave our homes again after lockdown two. Chances are that it will have tempered our resoluteness and forged a tougher ‘Yanito’ metal. That would be a good thing.

Let’s examine the term ‘herd immunity’ by removing it from the medical idiom and asking ourselves whether the indifference to news in general and to the plight of the planet in particular, is not another form of herd immunity that we may well have acquired? Marketing wizards, who are

always six jumps ahead of the rest of us, probably have strategies up their sleeves to try to overcome the social distancing that is being created by this indifference to advertising. Notice how sometimes the volume of the TV seems to increase during the ads? For sure that’s no accident.

The challenge to provide new information is good for free thinkers and bad for movers and shakers including news makers. Some of us have learnt not to be too reliant on news led TV. It’s important to be well informed by serious newspapers and national broadcasters must not be ignored in these times. In the last year the planet has perhaps rebooted and certainly taken a breather from pollution. There is a challenge in not spoiling its honeymoon and a challenge also in filtering what to believe from the glut of information that is being speedily dispensed on the WWW. Multinationals had already tried subliminal advertising and didn’t succeed because it was made illegal. That would not have stopped them looking for new ways to ‘penetrate’ our subconscious. We may be reading up on the pros and cons of 5G and whatever noises are made against the new technology, it’s only a matter of time before we will be made out to feel backward or technologically deficient if we don’t embrace that futuristic nettle. That is one major challenge that we face in a post-Covid 19 world.

The Telecoms giants will have been emboldened by the sudden surge in our reliance on the virtual communication tools at our disposal.

It won’t have gone unnoticed too that working from home reduces overheads and streamlines the way that new business and commerce is conducted. Transforming our homes into workplaces may seem a convenient thing at first glance but what will happen to the good old fashioned activity of ‘switching off’ in the longer term? That is also an important challenge that we must face up to.

All is not doom and gloom though because the new vaccines are being rolled out at the speed of light- now that will certainly be a challengeto beat the new strain of the virus before it does more damage. Happily in Gibraltar we are small and the vaccination programme will be easily implemented and carried out. We could all be safe by summer if not sooner, now there’s something to be optimistic about. Where do I sign?

WORDS BY JOE ADAMBERY GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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MOTORING INSIGHT

WORDS BY MARTIN WARD 38

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MOTORING INSIGHT IT’S NOT OFTEN A NEW JAZZ COMES ALONG, THEN TWO AT ONCE, IN THE FORM OF THE JAZZ, AND THE ‘PUMPEDUP’ VERSION THE CROSSTAR. The differences are very easy to spot from the exterior. The Jazz is the typical five-door hatch. But the Crosstar has a different front grille, black cladding around the wheel arches, lower sills and integrated roof rails. It also has a raised ride height to help it over more difficult terrain, but it is not an off-roader or 4x4, although its appearance gives that impression.

The Jazz has been on the market since 2001 and in those 20 years it has sold well, but not been remarkable, it has often been regarded as just a dull car, driven mainly by the elderly, and often seen driving very slowly. I remember clearly seeing one on a fairly clear M1, in the middle lane doing 43mph, I know because I slowed down to follow it, the driver was either being ultra-cautious, or just plain stupid.

I had each of the new cars for a week each from the press department at Honda Uk, first to arrive was the Jazz, and I have to say, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it coming, a week in a Jazz, what will people think??

The first thing I thought when I saw it was, well this looks pretty good and modern. Then I started driving it, and quickly realised it had a brilliant Hybrid system that self-charges as you go.

When setting off it either uses just electric power, or if you push the accelerator a bit harder, the engine kicks in, and you have double the power almost.. well... I wasn’t expecting that. When you take your foot off the accelerator or braking, or cruising down a hill, the engine stops and the battery gets power put into it, to use at a later time. This very clever system makes sure you don’t waste any energy, everything gets used and improves fuel economy and reduces emissions.. the system was so much better than I thought it would be, and I wasn’t expecting that.

The interior, for a small car, is huge, probably has more leg, head and shoulder room than cars in the next “size up”, it is so spacious. Under the back seat there is a large space for storage, and if you don’t know it’s there, it is easy to loose things, as they can slide under there and could be lost forever. Which I found out after buying a meat & potato pie from

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the local farm shop. I put it on the floor in the rear, got home with no pie to be found anywhere.. the mystery of the missing pie..yes the interior was so much bigger than I thought it would be... and I wasn’t expecting that..

The Jazz is powered by a 1.5-litre i-MMD petrol engine that produces 97ps and coupled to a CVT gearbox, it also has the benefit of the electric motor that produces the equivalent of 109ps, so between the two power sources, it produces quite a kick, the 0-62mph (0-100kph) is a very respectable 9.4 seconds. During the time I had the car, I was alongside a boy racer in his super-up Golf, he saw me, an old bloke in a Jazz, easy he was thinking, I set off quite rapidly using petrol and electric power, and left him standing... well... he wasn’t expecting that.....!

After a week with the Jazz, the Crosstar arrived, and to look at was very different, and I did immediately prefer this model, despite it costing a bit more, but you do pay for Style. But to drive was very similar, so similar in fact, it was the same, just as economical I was averaging 68 mpg (3.459 litres per 100 km) so quite a cheap car to run... and I wasn’t expecting that..

It is certainly well put together and the fit and finish and all the materials used are up to a high quality..

It is not the most dynamic car to drive, but it certainly isn’t dull, it is just a nice car to drive, comfortable and the sort of car you could drive hour after hour, and with such good fuel economy, you don’t need to keep stopping to fill up. It does every thing you need a car to do, and is full of standard equipment, yes, lots of nice goodies.

The boot is relatively spacious, and the rear seats fold down in a very clever and unique way, and as I put it down to test it.. the mystery of the missing farm shop pie was uncovered, it was hiding well under the rear seat squab, thank goodness for that, we could have some tea.

Prices in the UK for the Jazz EX is £22,035 and for the Crosstar is £23,035 that I had on test (OTR).

I don’t really like to admit it, and it pains me to say, even feel a bit embarrassed to have to write these words, but I really enjoyed driving and using the two Hondas... and I wasn’t expecting to say that...

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FEATURE

HOW OLD IS MOORISH CASTLE ?

IN HIS HISTORY OF GIBRALTAR PUBLISHED IN 1946, DR HOWES, AFTER CONSULTING ALL THE HISTORIES OF GIBRALTAR IN ENGLISH THAT HAD APPEARED UP TO THAT DATE, DECIDED THAT IT HAD BEEN BUILT BY TARIK IN 711. TODAY WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT TRUE.

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FEATURE THE CITY WALLS IN THE XVI CENTURY Although the chroniclers talk of Tarik having built a hisn (fortification) on the Rock of Gibraltar, historians have ignored the fact that he was in Gibraltar for less than six weeks .

There were only seven weeks between his first landing on 27 April 711 and the Battle of Guadalete on 23 July, in which he defeated Roderick’s army. Therefore any fortifications he would have built would have been temporary whilst he assembled his army, which was being transported from Ceuta in the four small ships at his disposal Thirdly, Francis Carter, in his book, A Voyage from Gibraltar to Malaga, published in 1772, tried to fix a definite date for the construction of the first permanent fortifications in Gibraltar, and through his scant knowledge of the history of the Moslem kingdom of Granada he arrived at a completely wrong date.

visit of Ibn Battutah to Spain. This article appeared at a time when Spain was undergoing a period of great financial crisis as a result of the Civil War and the World war, and very few numbers of the journal were printed, and was ignored by English historians for many years. I was fortunate to obtain a copy from a Spanish friend who found a copy among her father’s possessions after his death and I referred to it in my article on Moslem Gibraltar in Heritage Journal 5, in1998.

Ibn Yuzzay, who was ibn Battutah’s editor adds this gloss to the traveller’s visit to Gibraltar, referring to its capture by the Moroccans in 1333:

In 1843, the Spanish scholar Pascual Gayangos, whilst in political exile in ‘Our Lord Abu’l Hassan (may Allah have mercy on his soul) England, translated The History of the built the huge tower which is now found on the highest Mohammedan Dynasties in Spain of Al part of the Kasbah; for before there was only a small one Makkari into English. This book gave which had been ruined in the siege, and our lord constructthe story of how Abd al-Mumin had ed the vast tower in its place which I mentioned. He also founded the city of Gibraltar. But this built a dockyard and workshops in Gibraltar, which were was a very scholarly book and its inlacking, and finally built the great wall which surrounds the dex in Arabic and red hill, and starts from the dockyard scholarly translitand stretches to the tile works (Red erations into Latin characters made it THE DATING OF THE CONSTRUCTION Sands).’ difficult to refer to. So only one historiOF THE MOORISH CASTLE HAS BEEN an Frederic George Stephens quotes it BEDEVILLED OVER THE YEARS BY The remains of the small tower were in his book, A History of Gibraltar and THREE MISCONCEPTIONS. FIRST WE incorporated into the massive solid its Sieges, published in 1870. All other REFER TO THE TOWER OF HOMAGE structure that we know as the Moorhistorians, both Spanish and English, AS THE MOORISH CASTLE AND ish Castle, and traces of it have been ignored this information, but modern IGNORE THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL discovered by archaeologists. It was scholars have delved more deeply into FORTIFICATIONS, BUILT ALL AT ONE always assumed that this small tower this question.

TIME, WERE MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE was part of the original fortifications THAN THAT, THEY WERE NOT JUST of Abd-al Mumin’s time, but Manuel The French historian Étien LeviAN ISOLATED CASTLE BUT A FORTIFIED López FernanProvençale researched the Moroccan KASBAH. dez, (Heritage state archives and in 1941, he published Journal 17, 2010) in the Paris journal Hesperis, ‘Trentehas found in sept lettres officielles Almohades’, the Chronicle of and one of these letters contains the instructions by Abd Fernando IV a al-Mumin for the foundation of the new city of Madinath alstatement that Fath on the Rock of Gibraltar. The text of this letter is given ‘otrosi mando in Heritage Journal 2, page79. labrar una torre encima del reIt was left to Leopoldo Torres Balbás to write the definitive cuesto de la vilstory of the foundation of Gibraltar. Torres Balbás was for la’ – he ordered many years the architect conservator of the Alhambra and the building of a he was great Arabist. In 1930, Governor Godley invited him tower on the hill above the town. In other words, there was to Gibraltar to investigate the Moorish baths in the newly no tower there before, but because that was the place that opened Gibraltar Museum. Torres Balbás always intended the Castillians had broken into the fortifications Fernando rereturning to Gibraltar to continue his archaeological investialised that this was the weakest point in the fortification and gation but he was overtaken by events. When the Civil War decided to strengthen it by building the tower. When the broke out he was on holiday in the north of Spain, luckily for Moroccans attacked Gibraltar they attacked the same spot him, because if he had been in Granada he would probably and therefore Abu’l Hassan decided that a stronger tower have suffered the same fate as all the other liberal intellecwas required and he built what became the largest fortified tuals there, and he would have been shot out of hand. But Moslem tower in Spain. although he lived for another quarter of a century the Franco regime never allowed him to have a passport so that he could travel outside Spain because of his liberal antecedents.

Torres Balbás was therefore unable to make his second intended visit to Gibraltar, However, in 1942, he published in the journal Al-Andalus, in Madrid, the results of his research, in an article entitled ‘Gibraltar, llave y guarda de España’. In this article he employed all the known texts on Moslem Gibraltar, including Levi-Provençale’s monograph, the al-Makkari and the recorded

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HOW OLD IS THE MOORISH CASTLE? The answer is that the Tower of Homage dates from the middle of the fourteenth century and is about 660 years old, but the original fortifications date back to 1160 and are 850 years old. There is however one proviso, in 1068, al-Mu’tadid, king of Seville, fearing and invasion by the Almoravides of Morocco, ordered the governor of Algeciras ‘to build a fort on Gibraltar’. This was only to prevent a landing by the Moroccans and was probably the origin of the Torre del Tuerto at the New Mole, which the historian Portillo considered a very ancient construction.

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ADOPT

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CROSS

SAMU Spanish Dogs

Cross arrived at pound in March 2020 and was about 5 years old on arrival. After receiving lots of TLC, Cross has turned into a happy, active boy who loves cuddles and playtime.

LEO

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Leo is around 4 years old and was recently rescued from a shelter in northern Spain where he was on their list to be put down as the shelter was at capacity. He is very gentle and timid but he is learning to trust again. He is a loyal dog who wants to please and is good with children and female dogs.

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Samu is approximately 3 years old and was rescued from a shelter in northern Spain where he was due to be put down as the shelter was full. He is a fun dog who is very loving and he enjoys playing. He is good with children and female dogs. More info: www.ainf.gi

AMIGO

Amigo arrived at the pound in July 2019 and was approximately 5-6 years old on arrival. He is a male crossbreed who was found wandering the streets and brought to the pound.

Spanish Dogs

More info: www.spanishstraydogs.org.uk

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A VET'S INSIGHT

PETS AND CORONAVIRUS, COVID 19, WHAT ARE THE RISKS? AS WE LIVE THROUGH THIS AWFUL PANDEMIC THAT HAS CAUSED SOME MUCH HEARTACHE AND DISRUPTION ACROSS OUR LIVES THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH FAKE NEWS AND SCAREMONGERING ACROSS MANY MEDIA PLATFORMS. I will try to add reason to some of the stories, in many cases fables that contaminate social media platforms.

First thing that has to be acknowledged is that most of the species we come into contact with us are very different genetically to us. Evolutionarily we have common ancestors with dogs and cats about 100 million years ago, in the case of primates, our common ancestor was roughly 60 million years ago. The Great Apes have a common ancestor to us that is quite recent and that is approximately between 5 and 8 million years ago.

The significance of this is that the majority of diseases tend to be very species specific, therefore there is low risk of contagion between species in the majority of diseases . There are always going to exceptions to the rules, such as rabies, but that is the rule of thumb. The closer a species is to us evolutionarily the higher the probability of zoonosos and reverse zoonosis. For example if your dog has kennel cough you are not going to catch it. In many cases you can isolate pathogenic bacteria from different species but in most cases even the same type of bacteria has become so specialised that it cannot cross species.

So we come to Covid 19, in principle the animals most at risk from this disease are any of the other Great Apes, e.g chimps, gorillas, bonobos and the orang-utans. As they are relatively close to us evolutionarily there will be susceptible to this disease and it is critical that we do not have contact with these majestic animals, not to protect us but to protect them.

The animals we come into regular contact on a daily basis are not significant with regards to infection to humans. Animals, felines, have tested positive for Covid, but with minor if any clinical disease and with the virus load so small there is a miniscule risk of zoonosis.

Stories going round that pets will have to vaccinated against Covid 19 are a nonsense.

For more information please phone Gibraltar Vetinary Clinic on 200 77334

WORDS BY MARK PIZARRO GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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PACS GET CREATIVE THIS

NOT ONLY DO WE “PLAY” AT PLAYGROUP, WE ALSO CREATE! CRAFT TIME IS ALWAYS FUN AND MESSY OF COURSE! WITH VALENTINES DAY COMING UP, WHY NOT GET THE GLITTER OUT AND GET CREATING! and away you go. If you are feeling really brave, they can use their feet too! For extra fun, you could make a character from the hand print with googly eyes for example.

• Valentine Cards are always a firm favourite and easy to do at home.

All you need is some card or paper, colouring pencils and maybe tissue paper if you have some. Your toddler can draw and stick to their hearts content... excuse the pun!

• If you have any spare toilet rolls holders, you can tape them up to make a heart shape at the end. Dip the shape into some red paint and print onto some paper. The result is a beautiful picture of hearts! *Note, if you have any heart shaped cookie cutters, you can use these instead.

• Heart Garlands are also fun to make.

You can decorate your home with hearts... just cut out some heart shapes, allow your toddler to colour them and then if you have some wool or string attach the hearts with some sticky tape. *If your child is old enough, you could let them cut the hearts out themselves (with supervision) as its great for their fine motor skills.

• Hand painting is one of our most popular activities and is great for keeping the little ones entertained. All you need is paper and paint

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• One of our favourite “Valentine” activities is to make a vase of flowers from some celery! Put some elastic bands around some celery sticks so they are tightly together. Dip in some paint and print onto some paper. The result is a beautiful bunch of flowers!

FEBRUARY 2021

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PACS

At home

The thought of cooking with your young children Most people would not dream of Children learn so much better from can fill some people with dread and others images of letting little children loose with a doing an activity than watching or traditional quality family time together.

For the last kitchen knife to help prepare food at reading. That is why cooking with seven years the Parent and Child Society has been home. At cooking club, children are your children can make such a differrunning a weekly cooking club for up to 16 children provided with specially designed safe ence to your child’s life. Not only will under the age of five years. Over the years we have chopping knives that they can use to you be teaching them a valuable skill seen the many benefits that cooking with young chilchop up the ingredients. The action of that they can use throughout the rest dren can have. chopping and dicing has a huge beneof their life. You will find that you will naturally be teaching them mathematfit to your child’s development of motor skills. ics, reading, science and so much more!

Moreover, you will also have a great Cooking together is also a great way to help children learn to folbonding experience and build a lifetime of memories. low directions. Not only are they following a recipe, but they also In this month’s article PACS’ own cooking lady Helen Mumford, relearn that things have to be done in a certain order to bring out the best result. So whether you're making biscuits or a family dinner, flects on the benefits of cooking with your little ones. walk your kids step by step through the process so they understand For the last seven years I have been known as the cooking lady as why things happen. Cooking can also help with a child’s reading.

I have been running the PACS weekly cooking session. Many times Whether they are reading the recipe, or you are reading it together have I been told that I must be crazy to spend time with 16 under there is a lot of reading involved. This can help build your child’s vo5-year olds with knives trying to create something edible. However, cabulary skills as well as opening them up to words and vocabulary I know from my own experience that these classes are teaching chilthat they would not normally hear in the classroom on nursery endren key skills and although what we produce may not be Michelin vironment. As well as reading, cooking is full of mathematics. Your starred it is always a yummy and fun time. child can learn adding, subtraction, fractions, and multiplication all in the kitchen. This can be from measuring out ingredients to cutCooking with children can be chaotic but it can also be great fun. ting up portions but more than that cooking together can make As adults we can find preparing the daily meals a chore but for chilmaths more fun! dren it is a great opportunity to spend time with adults while gaining experience in understanding the importance of healthy eating However, the greatest benefit of cooking together is the emotional and balanced diets. At our cooking sessions we encourage children bond that can be formed between the adult and child. I can still to try foods that they wouldn't normally experience, and we have remember many happy times cooking together with my grandma found that when a child is involved with the cooking process, they and mother baking and cooking a range of recipes. will be more willing to experiment with food. Over the last seven years I have had many a parent say to me “my child never eats that I started running cooking club because my child enjoyed it so much. at home how have you managed to get them to eat it?” There's I can still see that the time spent teaching my children to cook has no real secret, as an adult you wouldn't eat food placed in front of been beneficial for all of us when we need quality time together. you that you had no understanding of, this is the same for children Even now that my children are bigger we still join together in the if children know what is in their food they are more likely to eat it. kitchen to make something together.

Here are some of PACS favourite recipes that you can try at home and you will find videos of our cooking lady demonstrating more recipes on our Facebook page, Parent and Child Society, Gibraltar.

Veg Packed Pasta Bake • 300g cooked pasta

So be brave get your aprons on and head to the Kitchen to get baking!

Brownies

• Cup of butter – then melt

• ½ courgette • 1 red pepper

• 1 Cup of white sugar

• 1 yellow pepper

• 2 Eggs

• 3 mushrooms

• 1 Tsp vanilla extract

• A small tin of sweetcorn

• 1/3 Cup of cocoa powder

• A carton of Tomato Passata or Frito

• Cup of plain flour

• 50g grated cheese

• Tsp salt

Place the cooked pasta in a large oven proof dish. Let your child chop up the courgette, peppers, and mushrooms into chunks. Mix in with the pasta.

Sprinkle on the sweetcorn and mix.

Pour over the tomato passata covering all the pasta. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 200.

• Tsp of baking powder

Hint – if you kids aren’t fans of the chunky veg then puree it with a blender with the passata before adding to the pasta.

Heat the oven to 175 and grease with butter and flour an 8-inch square tin. Melt the butter and mix in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add in flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder and mix. Place in the oven for 25 minutes – do not overcook. Let it cool then cut into slice – Enjoy!

WORDS BY THE PARENT AND CHILD SOCIETY GIBRALTAR (PACS) GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

AROMATHERAPY TO BOOST YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL Aromatherapy oils, also known as essential oils, are made from natural plant extracts which can be found in the flowers, roots, leaves, seeds and bark. Although Aromatherapy is now one of the most popular forms of complementary therapy, the use of essential oils to heal has ancient origins dating back thousands of years.

More than just a calming scent, they also offer a natural approach to healing and improving your overall well-being, and provided they are used correctly and never swallowed or massaged into broken skin, essential oils are safe to use. Essential oils can help with everything from headaches to sleep to sore throats. For instance, if you suffer from insomnia you can use essential oils to promote deeper and longer sleep or you can use essentials oils to soothe your skin and also to relieve symptoms of anxiety.

Holland & Barrett has a large range of essential oils to stimulate or soothe your mind, body and soul.

Anxiety Thyme has long been used as an anxiety reducing herb. Try adding a few drops of Miaroma Thyme Oil to your bath or use for a soothing and aromatic massage. As with most essential oils, you could also add a few drops to water in a diffuser or humidifier for a calming effect.

Miaroma Grapefruit Pure Essential Oil - just like other citrus essential oils, grapefruit is said to have a refreshing, energising, and mood lifting effect. Banish those feelings of stress and anxiety and help promote feelings of vitality by rubbing a few drops of the oil onto your neck.

Cinnamon oil Cinnamon oil, with its warm and spicy aroma, offers a variety of health benefits and is an incredible essential oil for treating bacterial infections. It contains a powerful compound that is unique to cinnamon which makes it effective against a wide range of skin conditions, including rashes and acne. Try Miaroma Cinnamon Leaf Pure Essential Oil from Holland & Barrett. Mix the oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and apply to the skin to soothe the affected area.

Eucalyptus oil This oil is an anti-bacterial warrior. Known for its first-aid healing properties, it is used for treating cuts, bruises and minor wounds, and can help to reduce pain and inflammation associated with many conditions. It’s also effective at relieving acne, chicken pox, boils and insect bites. Eucalyptus Oil is often found in beauty products to moisturise and nourish the skin. Holland & Barrett’s sells Miaroma Eucalyptus Pure Essential Oil which can be mixed with an equivalent amount of apple cider vinegar and dabbed onto the skin to treat insect bites, boils and wounds.

Lavender oil Renowned for its calming aroma, Lavender oil is frequently used to promote relaxation and sleep but it also has numerous other benefits and because it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, this makes it an excellent choice for easing sore muscles. Spray a fine mist of Dr Organic Lavender Sleep Therapy Pillow Spray from Holland & Barret on to your pillow before going to bed. Lavender oil also has proven antibacterial qualities and may prevent and heal acne. Not only does it help guard against infection but it will speed up the healing time. Dilute the oil with a minimally processed oil such as coconut, argan or olive oil before applying topically to irritated or inflamed skin.

Peppermint oil With its cool and refreshing aroma, this versatile oil is perfect for a natural morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up and is said to help provide excellent relief for mental fatigue. Miaroma Pure Peppermint Essential Oil is also useful to naturally cleanse and rejuvenate the skin and has strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It has a cooling effect which soothes irritation and inflammation due to acne.

Tea Tree oil Tea Tree is one of the most popular aromatherapy oils and can be used for several different purposes, including treating skin problems and keeping hair and nails healthy. You can add it to your bathwater, toner, moisturiser, or sunscreen. Try mixing 5 drops of Miaroma Tea Tree Pure Essential Oil with coconut oil or aloe vera gel to soothe and treat troubled skin.

Flower Remedies Flower remedies are made using the flowers of certain plants to create a mother dilution, or tincture. Try blending and mixing Essential Oils and Bach Flower Remedies, available from Holland & Barrett.

Bach Original Flower Remedies White Chestnut is a natural flower remedy designed for those who cannot prevent thoughts, ideas or arguments from entering their minds. You can take an individual essence based on your needs, or create a combination of up to seven essences. One of the most well-known remedies, Rescue Remedy, is a combination of five flower remedies designed to be used in times of sudden stress, anxiety, crisis or shock.

Advisory Information: Never digest essential oils orally. Only ever apply to the skin and in most cases they should be diluted with a carrier oil. To test for an adverse reaction, you can rub a small drop on the area of your forearm with the oil diluted in a carrier oil and if you don’t see any allergic reaction within 24 hours, it should be safe to use.

Supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or are under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional and always read the label before use.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

10 million people in the World die each year from cancer; the number of cancer cases and related deaths worldwide is estimated to double over the next 20 to 40 years.

Cancer is a term used for a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumours and invading nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream.

Prevent your risk of cancer by: Following a healthy balanced diet Keeping a healthy weight

World Cancer Day observed on February 04 every year is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC); it is the one singular initiative under which the entire world can unite together in the fight against the global cancer epidemic. By implementing resource-appropriate strategies on prevention, early detection and treatment, we can save up millions of lives every year.

The aim of World Cancer Day is to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment and targets the public through global communications, encouraging policy makers and UICC member organizations to make cancer a political priority. #IAmAndIWill (Read more on www.healthygibraltar.org)

Avoiding tocacco use Reduce alcohol intake Staying sun-safe

Exercise regularly

Cancer Relief Gibraltar provides support to people living with cancer in the community; as well as to health care professionals in their roles. The Centre’s services can be used by anyone affected by cancer, whether for a one-off chat or more continued support. For more information, call:(00350) 20042392 or email: info@cancerrelief.gi

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FEATURE

l a u s u Un s l a s o p o r P

WEDDING PROPOSALS CONJURES UP IMAGES OF ROMANCE, SURPRISE AND ABSOLUTE JOY OF THAT MAGICAL MOMENT, AND THE FUTURE SHARED LIFE. James and John both proposed to their partners in Cornwall, in beautiful, moving and deeply personal ways. Here are their stories:

whole proposal was captured discreetly. We now have a video and photos of that incredible moment.

James, 38 and Megan Browne, 37, live in Warwickshire with their 10 month old son Finley. James is a Director of a Digital Agency.

Megan is an Assistant Head Teacher at a Secondary School.

Meg was genuinely shocked. She had moments in the day where she thought it might be on the cards but by the time it got to the evening, she was expecting my brother to turn up - he was a decoy! She couldn’t believe the scene and felt that it was the perfect setting for the proposal she’d been waiting for!

‘We met on Match.com in 2010. Meg had had a few dates on the platform but she was the one and only date I had from Match.

I immediately knew I wanted a serious relationship with Meg. We both fondly remember those first few months. It felt like a very natural process. We were both cautious as I had never really been in love before, so it was a gradual build up. It was 6 years before we got engaged. I knew I’d met someone really special and Meg felt the same.

Cornwall was our first holiday destination so I wanted to propose there. Also, Meg loves the Cornish coast. I knew the area a little but because of distance and logistics, I needed help.

Jenny (who I found on Google) was an experienced wedding planner so clearly I was in safe hands. We looked at a few options.

We discussed another elaborate plan - then Jen told me about Lusty Glaze. It seemed to be the perfect spot, where we could stay over, get engaged and have dinner afterwards.

Due to the time of year, we could pretty much guarantee we would have the beach to ourselves. Meg loves camping so having a bell tent with a candle lit walkway leading to it from our cabin was perfect. The bell tent was incredible. When we arrived it was beautifully lit, with a romantic fire and personal items such as photos of us. I then presented Meg with a photobook which documented our key relationship moments. I was on one knee when Meg reached the final page, a photograph of me holding a “Will you marry me?” sign. We toasted our future with a glass of fizz by the fire, looking out over the Atlantic. The

We married in August 2017 in our home county of Warwickshire and honeymooned in Italy.

Meg planned an elaborate road trip. We welcomed our son Finley in early 2020, just as the Covid pandemic took hold of the UK. John Appleby, 36, and Sarah Appleby, 38, live in Hertfordshire. John is a co-founder of tech company in compliance and business management. Sarah is a driving instructor with her own driving school. They have two boys; Jaxon, 2, and Colby, 6 months.

We originally met when we were 15 and 17. We were both working locally. Sarah worked in a cafe. I use to visit multiple times a day, pretending to be hungry. All I wanted was to see her! I hinted at having a crush on her, but it never materialised.

On Christmas Day, 18 years later, my sister showed me Sarahs picture on Facebook, saying this woman knows you. I instantly recognised Sarah. My sister was taught to drive

by Sarah and were good friends still. We exchanged messages for weeks until our first date.

I think we both knew pretty quickly we liked each other. I made it clear - I wish I had when I was 15! Sarah took a bit longer than me, purely as I had quite a large beard at the time. Unfortunately, the caveman look did not appeal to her!

I knew I wanted to do something special. After weeks of researching and realising that although Sarah is incredibly organised - I couldn’t ask her! I needed an expert.

Once I had confirmed St Ives, Cornwall, as a location, I contacted relevant companies. I instantly connected with Jenny and we secretly communicated over a few weeks.

Sarah was pregnant at the time so I knew she would not want to fly.

With amazing panoramic views, I knew St Nicholas Chapel was the place I wanted. Jenny looked into the logistics of using the chapel and after considering other options, my heart was firmly with St Nicholas chapel.

After sending photos to be displayed of us, and a playlist of some of our favourite songs, Jenny created a plan of how it will look and how the evening will play out. The plan was after our meal that evening, we would go for a walk and find our way to St Nicholas Chapel.

After our dinner, I coordinated with Jenny so she was waiting close by to ensure it went smoothly. Sarah was feeling tired so I had to use every persuasion skill to encourage her to go for a light walk before bed.

As we walked up the dark hill, Sarah kept asking where are we going. We approached a chalk board. It asked Sarah to take the key and open the door. After tentatively unlocking it, Sarah was greeted by pictures of us, her favourite flowers and music playing.

My rehearsed speech went out the window.

I got down on one knee and presented her the ring. She immediately burst into tears and shouted yes. We returned to the fire pit, toasting marshmallows whilst enjoying the views. Sarah was so overwhelmed! She couldn’t believe that I went to all of the effort for her, she said it felt like she was in a movie.

We married in October 2019, at of Wasing Park, in Berkshire. It was an incredible day that took a lot of planning, and was worth the wait.

Jennifer Granlund, Wedding & Event Planner: jennywrens.com

s Jame

John

Sarah

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Just Married on the Rock

Mobile: 58897000 Email: nicholas64@gibtelecom.net

Georgia & Arron Married 4th December 2020 Photographer Nicky Sanchez

Chloe & Keiron Married 5th December 2020 Photographer Nicky Sanchez

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HOROSCOPES

YOUR FUTURE IN THE STARS

FEBRUARY WITH KATE MCHARDY

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 23)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 - Dec 21)

February is a good month for you to take a look at how your physical and spiritual life is balancing, Aries. Maybe time to do a financial check and/ or a review of your health goals for the coming year. These last months have taken their toll. Time spent on yourself in is crucial for a successful year ahead.

Your inner guru must be listened to this month, Leo. So, stop and listen. You may need to start meditation or deepen your practice or just sit quietly and listen to what The Universe is trying to tell you. You have much to do but you must take time to get clear on exactly what,

Karma works to its own schedule, Sagittarius, and we can’t hurry it up. This month, be aware that karma is entering your orbit and balancing out some important energies. You can’t speed it up but you can connect and ask for patience and guidance through meditation and prayer.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21)

VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 23)

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 20)

If you feel emotionally confused this month, Taurus, just breathe into it and allow these feelings to pass. Make time to nurture yourself emotionally. This way you will learn more about what your needs are and how to have them met successfully

If you have a yearning to travel this month then make plans to do so, Virgo.

You are on the brink of stepping into your greatness but lack of confidence is holding you back. Expand your horizons, mentally and physically and go forward with joy!

Romance is in the air for you this month, Capricorn! So, open your heart and practice loving kindness with everyone you come into contact with. We have to be open to receive true romance and the more love you give out the greater opportunity love has to respond!

GEMINI (May 22 - Jun 22) The Universe is going to present you with some exciting new opportunities this year, Gemini! These will be in a different direction but you are advised to grab them with both hands and be open to learning. Great things await you.

CANCER (Jun 23 - Jul 22) Your inner child is calling this month, Cancer. That means that you must loosen up and allow yourself more freedom to be who you truly are instead of taking care of other people! You need to find a balance where these aspects of support each other and your energy soars.

LIBRA (Sep 24 - Oct 23)

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19)

You may feel like you are in a tunnel at the moment, Libra, and not quite able to see light at then end of it. Fear not... the light is there and you will find it by breathing into your own invisible power, your heart centre, and trusting the process.

You will be invited to a celebration this month, Aquarius. This is an outpouring of joy which is a very special thing. Feel that joy deep within your soul and you will connect with others on a deep level which is so needed at this period in time. You will receive many blessings for understanding this.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22) The world is your oyster right now, Scorpio. It may not feel like it and there will be many voices telling you so. Ignore them. Listen to your soul and make your plans accordingly. Take steps at a time and share your dreams only with a chosen few.

PISCES (Feb 20 - Mar 20) If you feel like you are spinning too many plates, Pisces, then that is probably because you are! You are only one person and you are not obliged to resolve other peoples’ emotional upheavals. Sharing is caring but boundaries are essential.

For Private Readings Tel: (0034) 666 966 502 Email: katemch@gmail.com Facebook Group: Horoscopes Gibraltar 54

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FEATURE

SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES courageously

AS WE MOVE FURTHER INTO THE NEW YEAR OF 2021, WE MUST GATHER OUR WITS AND OUR INNER STRENGTH AND REMEMBER WHO WE ARE. ARE YOU READY TO COURAGEOUSLY SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ARE GOING TO PRESENT THEMSELVES TO YOU THIS YEAR? You are a sovereign human being... you are not a human ‘doing’ but a human ‘being’ with a body, a heart, a mind and a soul. These four aspects or pillars must be recognised and nourished in order for you to live a full and successful life; in order for you to live the best version of yourself that you possibly can be. And you can!

The last year has tested all of us... in one way or another. Many people have lost loved ones, lost businesses, lost incomes, lost homes, been separated from friends and family members. Lost precious time that they will never get back. The challenges have come thick and fast and, all too often, just when you are rising to your feet again another blow lands and you feel so overwhelmed that you feel you will never rise again. You will.

The world has never experienced anything like this and here we are living through this incredible period in the story of mankind.

It has been well documented that in the Chinese language, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters, one representing danger and the other, opportunity.

I love this interpretation and I feel that it could never be more relevant than now... in this year of 2021.

Within every crisis there resides the seeds of opportunity. The current global crisis is no exception. In fact, if you just stop for a moment and have a look at your life over the last year you will see that you have invoked this idea on many, many occasions. You may have had to be strong for someone who is normally strong for you. You may have had to be innovative in ways to earn money, pay your bills, feed your family, homeschool your kids. You may have had to learn to live without things that you thought you never possibly could or you may have found yourself

in circumstances which have forced you to learn new skills, update old ones or change direction altogether.

I believe that the world has been undergoing a monumental shift, a rebirth. I would even say a rescue mission... rescuing mankind from ever increasing darkness and bringing us forth into light.

Into remembering who we really are, our true worth, creating a new world of love, respect and joy for our children and grandchildren. Birthing is never an easy process... the mother needs love and support and the baby needs to keep travelling down through the darkness of the birth canal in order to enter the glorious light of the world and into the arms of love and security. Breathing is essential as is belief in the outcome and the understanding that upheaval is a necessary part and parcel of the experience.

And, so it is with our wonderful world at this time.

The crisis may be raging but still the seeds are growing. Those seeds are growing into the opportunities for your future. Are you willing to recognise them, water them and encourage them to grow? The best way is to have no expectations but to listen to your heart and your intuition. The energy of upheaval raises our vibrations and we become much more sensitive to everything. We are on alert. This can manifest as fear but with some self-work and inner healing we can transmute fear into love. Remember that fear is nothing more than ‘false expectations appearing real’ and once we can see that, we simply choose ‘love over everything’ instead. It is a change in perspective and one that will transform your life and inspire those around you.

Get creative and start with yourself. Think about the things that you love to do just for the sake of doing them. That you can teach your children

or create an extra income from. Reawaken your dreams and imagine them being part of and shaping your daily life. Those seeds are just waiting for you to recognise them and start bringing them to fruition.

You are a created being and so you are a creative being and now you have the greatest opportunity ever to create your best life taking small steps and growing slowly and steadily into the person you were created to be.

It is important to be very clear about how you want your future to look and to have clarity and awareness on where you want to go. It does not have to be complicated – simple is often the best.

It is about being rather than doing.

Opportunities come in many guises and you must be of open mind and raised awareness in order to recognise them when they come calling. Be watchful and aware of everything happening around you and remain motivated so that when you are ready to take action you will move fearlessly and courageously. There will be setbacks... treat them as opportunities to reach higher.

Stay calm and centred, confident and in control.

When you do this, you will always walk in your invisible power from your heart centre. You will grow in self respect and remain true to your highest self.

Just do it... and have a wonderful year!

Kate Mchardy MA(Hons) PGCE MSPH Spiritual coach, teacher and healer. katemch@gmail.com / Tel: +44 7712889534. Facebook: The University of Light Group / Readings at The University of Light (@tarotangelspiritreadings).

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The fresh and fragrant scent of lemon creeping through every corner of the house is just one of the reasons to make this, the balance of sweetness and sharpness from the lemon is another.

Enjoy with a cup of tea.

INGREDIENTS 250g self raising flour 175g caster sugar

3 lemons (washed and unwaxed) 125 g greek yoghurt

175g butter

1tsp baking powder

3 eggs

250g icing sugar

METHOD Preheat the oven to 170C. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth then add the eggs and whisk the ingredients together until you have a smooth paste, adding in the zest of the lemons.

Next, fold in the flour, yoghurt (if you don’t have greek then stracciatella will do) and baking powder. Once the cake mix is lovely and fluffy, pour it into a a butter greased baking tin. Spread the mixture out evenly throughout and leave it in the over for about 45 minutes. The knife should come out clean.

When the cake is ready, remove it from the tin and leave it to cool completely before pouring the drizzle over.

Squeeze the juice out of the lemons and whisk the icing sugar into the juice bit by bit until smooth and white. Poke a couple of holes on top and drizzle the icing on top.

For more delicious Mama Lotties recipes visit:

www.mamalotties.com

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CROSSWORD

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WIN!!! WIN!!!

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DOWN

1. To offer an apology or excuse for some fault. (9)

1. Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. (4)

A FABULOUS HIMALAYAN SALT LAMP

2. _ _ _ _ nder, a poisonous shrub. (4) 5. These makes honey. (4) 7. A specified income payable at stated intervals for a fixed or a contingent period, often for the recipient's life. (7)

3. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ n, the state of being inhibited . (9) 4. Calm and unworried. (9)

9. S_ _, to weep (2)

6. Type of shoe. (7)

11. Robert _ _ _ _ _, ex Croatian football international, left back. (5)

8. B _ _ _ _sera, 'good evening' in Italian. (4)

12. Criticism; hostile reaction; abuse. (4)

10. Type of high hairstyle. (4)

13. _ _ _ _ c. part of a house, directly under a roof. (4)

11. Type of green mineral. (4)

14. The lair / shelter of a wild animal. (3) 15. Above. (4) 16. A shallow bell sounded by a hammer. (4)

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Fill in the details below and send it, with the completed crossword, to Insight Magazine, First Floor, 77 Main Street, Gibraltar (Tel: 200 40913).

Entries to be received before 24th of the month. A winner will be drawn from all correct entries and will receive a Himalayan Salt Lamp from The Light & Power Shop.

Name:....................................................................................

Address:................................................................................

Tel: ............................................

Last month’s lucky winner was: YOLANDA ESCALONE

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We had our January and you couldn’t come and see us.

So we’re going to continue it through come and grab a bargain.

325a Main Street

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T H E

H A R G R AV E

THE ART OF TOWN CENTRE LIVING

It’s not all just about a sea view.

Our cityscape is full of character and beauty.

Gibraltar’s town centre is vibrant and charming and it’s only getting better.

Over the years developments like The Arches, Prince Edwards Gate and Tarik Views, to name a few are restoring the beauty of our Old Town.

The Hargrave aims to continue with the restoration of decaying yet stunning buildings into their natural glory with that contemporary touch.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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