Gibraltar Insight™ November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

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Admiralty Company Formation, Management & Structuring Financial Services Litigation Matrimonial Property & Conveyancing Ship & Yacht Registration Spanish Property & Law

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NOV E M BE R ISSUE 86

Contents

14

22

45

Business Insight

Health Insight

6 PRODUCTIVITY AND WORK ​LEISURE HARMONY

58

MEDICAL DIRECTORY

60

MEN’S HEALTH

Community Insight

62

RESTART A HEART DAY

64

IMMUNITY SUPPORT

16

DIGITAL SKILLS ACADEMY

Features

Forces Insight

11

ALEJANDRO SANZ

46

48

A PASSION FOR SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

50

SWIMMING THE STRAIT

56

ARE YOU SAD?

72

AUTHENTICITY AND THE DANCE OF LIFE

MILITARY DEPLOYED IN ISRAEL SUPPORT

Police Insight 66

OFFICER DEPLOYS TO THE FALKLANDS

Regular Features

Shop Local 20

CHRISTMAS CLOTHES

22

CHRISTMAS CHEER

24

SANTA'S LITTLE GADGETS

26

HISTORY OF THE ADVERT CALENDAR

30

OFT SHOPPING TIPS

32

UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFTS

34

ENJOY THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

36

CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

38

ACE ART

40

10 CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND EXPERIENCES

45

COMPETITION TIME

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

12

HISTORY: "SAIL, HO!" PIRATES IN GIBRALTAR PT2

14

MOTORING: RETURN OF THE ROTARY

52

GFA: STAND UP WITH ME

54

WAVE FC: A REMARKABLE JOURNEY

67

PACS: A PACS SUCCESS STORY

68

ADOPT DON'T SHOP: DOGS

69

VETS INSIGHT CARING FOR YOUR ELDERLY CAT

70

ADOPT DON'T SHOP: CATS

71

HOROSCOPE

73

MARRIED ON THE ROCK

74

LAS IGUANAS INSIGHT CROSSWORD

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Gibraltar Insight Deputy Editor: Jean King

Gibraltar Insight - the Rock’s longest running magazine.

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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.

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

PRODUCTIVITY AND WORK-LEISURE HARMONY. Are you a sprinter or a marathon runner?

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW SOME LAWYERS SEEM TO GET SO MUCH DONE IN THEIR DAY AND STILL MANAGE TO ACHIEVE A LEVEL OF WORK-LEISURE HARMONY THAT YOU CAN ONLY DREAM OF? We all know that being a lawyer means there’s a lot to do. The relentless demands, looming deadlines, and the never-ending to-do lists can make you feel like you're juggling chainsaws. But what if I told you there's a way to not only conquer your workload but also find more time for leisure and family? It's time to master the art of productivity, and I've got three tips to get you there.

1. Work in Blocks and Take Smart Breaks I get it: lawyers are no strangers to long hours and gruelling work. However, the key to sustainable productivity isn't just working harder, it's working smarter. The principle of working in blocks with short bursts of focus and taking regular breaks is a game-changer.

no mental firepower, like routine administrative work, responding to emails, or organising your workspace.

Then there are times when you aren’t at your peak attention levels, so you’re more easily distracted, but you still have enough focus to do good work. The key is to align your tasks with your attention levels. Ride the wave of high focus when it's there, save the lighter tasks for when you’re more easily distracted and the admin tasks for when your brain has switched off.

Picture your workday as a series of sprints, not a marathon. You start with a laser focus, tackling a specific task or project for a set amount of time. It could be 25 minutes, it could be an hour – choose what works for you. The idea is to dive into your work with unwavering concentration.

3. The Eisenhower Decision Matrix Then there’s this powerful tool that'll revolutionise how you manage your tasks – the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. It's all about making the right choices and ensuring your efforts are directed at what truly matters.

You’ll see the grid with four quadrants below. In the top left, you have tasks that are both urgent and important – these are your top priorities. In the top right, you have tasks that are important but not urgent – these require planning and should be scheduled. In the bottom left, you'll find tasks that are urgent but not important – these are the tasks you delegate. And in the bottom right, you have tasks that are neither urgent nor important – these should be deleted from your list.

By categorising your tasks into these four quadrants, you gain clarity on where to focus your energy. Your top priorities become crystal clear, and you can allocate your time to them accordingly. No more falling into the trap of ‘busy fool’.

The Eisenhower Matrix helps you channel your efforts into tasks that genuinely move the needle.

After each sprint, you reward yourself with a short break. During this time, step away from your workspace, stretch, take a walk, or do something enjoyable.

These breaks are crucial. They recharge your mental batteries and prevent burnout. They're like pit stops in a race, ensuring you're in top form for the next sprint. Don’t undervalue the importance of these breaks - these 5 to 10 minutes away are key to this working, so make sure you reward yourself properly.

You have to learn to be ruthless with what goes into each quadrant, but when you get it right, your work and your business benefits hugely from it.

Bringing it all together

Imagine a workday where you're tackling your most critical tasks with unwavering focus, recharging with well-deserved breaks, and aligning your work with your attention levels. You're not just working harder; you're working smarter. The Eisenhower Matrix ensures that your energy is spent where it truly matters, and all the non-essential tasks are sent packing.

2. Harness Your Attention Levels Not all hours in your workday are created equal. Your attention fluctuates, and understanding this pattern is key to optimising your productivity. The first step is to become aware of when your energy and focus are at their peak. This won’t be the same for everyone: you might find that you’re at your peak an hour or two before lunch or in that final hour before you usually pack up for the day. This is when you are at your most valuable and should tackle your most complex, high-priority tasks. It's the time for diving into challenging legal research, strategizing, or drafting critical documents.

The result? Increased productivity, less stress, and, most importantly, more time for leisure and family. You're not just achieving your goals; you're achieving work-leisure harmony.

So, give these tips a shot and transform how you work one productive block at a time!

Article by Scott Simmons, Director at Legal Balance www.legalbalance.co.uk Scott is a coach and trainer of business development for law firms, he is a regular on podcasts, a speaker and regularly talks about ridding the legal industry of the billable hour in favour of value based pricing.

Your attention will waver throughout the day. The time immediately after lunch is when you often see the biggest dip in energy and focus, when you can feel a bit more like a zombie. This is the perfect time for tasks that require little-to-

WORDS BY SCOTT SIMMONS 6

NOVEMBER 2023

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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FEATURE

ALEJANDRO SANZ RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CÁDIZ IN ALGECIRAS Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro. If I mention that name to you, some might say who? but others, especially his fans will know who I am talking about. If you guessed Alejandro Sanz then kudos.

Alejandro Sanz is definitely a name that is synonymous when it comes to Spanish Music and the singer / songwriter can definitely be proud of what he has achieved in an over thirty year career.

For us in Gibraltar and the rest of Andalusia, it is his charm, especially that Andalusian flair and roots that are instilled in him that attract us to him. His father is from Algeciras and his mother from Alcalá De Los Gazules. He would spend his summers in both towns and his love for Andalusia transcends into his music too.

His songs especially the legendary ones like " ¿Y Si Fuera Ella?, Corazón Partió, Amiga Mia, Pisando Fuerte are among the greatest ever, in my eyes at least and let's not forget his extensive duets with the likes of Alicia Keys, Mark Anthony and so on. On the 20th anniversary of his +Es+ album, a tribute was held for him at the then home of Atletico Madrid, the Vicente Calderon. Legendary names such as Laura Pausini, Juan Luis Guerra, Miguel Bosé and countless others formed part.

academic distinction from the University of Cádiz, which he shared with a few words of gratitude His words, as with his music, have a meaning: “to dedicate this speech to a subject that is not taught in any university in the world: Joy.” He went on to explain that joy is the indispensable seasoning for anything fundamental. It is a feeling, an attitude that accompanies me with what I do in my work every day. The joy with which my parents celebrated my achievements,

the joy of a doctorate like this, at a university like this.

The joy of being a student, always, the joy of feeling that those who know more than you are not a threat but a joy.”

Speaking to this magazine as he exited the auditorium, Mr Sanz expressed his delight at receiving such an honour.

I also had the opportunity to quiz him about a potential concert in Algeciras and he went on to say that he wishes it could happen. For his part the Mayor of Algeciras José Ignacio Landaluce told this magazine that it is something they are working on.

On the 7th of September in his beloved Algeciras, Mr Sanz was presented with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Cádiz.

On a personal note: I would like to thank Sonia Martínez González for her liaising and for allowing me to be on hand for such a momentous occasion.

Upon being bestowed the honour; Mr Sanz in an auditorium filled with peers, family, friends and dignitaries; he declared that he felt honoured and enormously grateful for receiving the highest

WORDS BY DAVID DIAZ GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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FEATURE

A STORY OF PIRATES IN GIBRALTAR - PT2 The fleet left Algiers on August 20th 1540. They stopped on route at Cape Entrefolcos where they sent a brigantine out to find the location of the Spanish fleet under Don Bernardo de Mendoza. The vessel soon returned to report that the Spanish fleet was still in Sicily. The invasion fleet was sighted by the Spaniards from Melilla who sent word across to Malaga and from there by messenger to Gibraltar warning them of the approach of the enemy. The messenger was received by Gomez Balboa in the castle and immediately called Alonso Moreno, the mayor and the other councillors to a meeting in the Castle Tower. The Magistrate, Juan de Lujan was at this time in Grenada. The Council ordered guards to be put on alert and that a message be sent to Tarifa and Cadiz to warn them of the fleet approaching from the East. The defenders were now very worried about the state of the city’s defences. The confidence that the council had in the city defences was misplaced but Pedro de Piña laughed at the warnings. Now they would suffer the consequences, the city was undefendable. Canons and powder that had been left by Bazan in 1538 were useless as they were dismounted. Utter confusion reigned. Nobody warned the surrounding countryside of the impending danger and the people in the town went about their business as if there was nothing to worry about.

At about nine in the evening of the 8th of September, some of the invaders landed in Catalan Bay then called La Almadrabilla and from there sent a spy to survey the town. They returned to the fleet with the news that it was easy to enter the city. One of the brigantines was sent round the Rock and landed in Laudero, probably Little Bay.

One of the Christian oarsmen said in a low voice to the watchmen, “take a good look, you drunkard, we are the Turkish fleet” which nearly cost him his life. The renegades in the party were all talking in Spanish, and this convinced the watchmen that they were Spaniards. They all slept in their ships and an hour before daybreak they disembarked. Two watchmen, seeing the approach of the Turks, fled to the city shouting that the city was being attacked. The warning arrived late at the Barcina as the guards were so exhausted that they could not run any more.

Many of the citizens took no heed of the warnings, believing that no Turk would even try and put a foot on Spanish soil, others fled for the safety of the castle.

Caramani took a number of men and headed for the castle whilst a second group, armed with axes other tools went to tear down the gates. A third group stayed outside the town to collect the spoils and load them on the ships. Some two hundred others remained in the Paso de los Tarfes. The group from Little Bay entered the Hermitage of Our Lady of Europa and defiled the place and after sacking it left it its interior in ruin. The Turks were already in the streets of the town when the alarm was sounded, sending women and children screaming into the streets trying to fight their way to the safety of the Castle.

At this point it is essential to explain that Gibraltar had not been so vulnerable for many years.

The majority of the garrison were away gathering their crops, othA spanish representation of the landing showing the spanish repulsing ers were away fishing. The Castle the berbers which of course did not happen had virtually no garrison, little or no artillery that was operationOne of the shore parties heard a noise which came from the al, people, although warned, took no notice. The Barcina, alTorre de Genoveses* which was on Europa flats and on being though walled was sloppily guarded. challenged as to who they were, and they replied in Spanish The cries of the women and children energized the few men that they were part of Don Bernardino de Mendoza’s fleet in the town to face the invaders. In the Barcina lived a noblecoming to careen the ships. (This is cleaning below the water- man called Andres Suazo de Sinabria. His house was walled line by beaching the ship at very high tide so that as the tide and with a few archers at his disposal were able to defend his drops the hull can be cleaned of growth. This had to be done household. His twenty year old son, Juan de Sanabria joined while the tide was out.) They were asked why that had not his father on horseback, accompanied by his Squire and some paid homage to the Virgin of Europa, as is the custom, so as of the servants, as he left to look for the Turks. He was joined not to alarm the city, to which they replied that Don Bernardi- by the councillor, Francisco de Mendoza and another five no was intending to have a ceremony there tomorrow.

WORDS BY PAUL BAKER 12

NOVEMBER 2023

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

FEATURE gentlemen to seek out the attackers who were now in the Main Street and reached the church of San Francisco* and were sacking the monastery. They roamed through the streets taking anything that took their fancy and collecting prisoners as they went, among them women, children and young girls. It was in the Barcina that the defenders confronted the Turks. Fired by their fear and hatred the Spaniards, charged and killed seven of the pillagers. The hail of bullets and arrows from the enemy was like a shower of rain. The young Juan de Sanabria was hit in the chest by a bullet and as he fell from his horse his leg got caught in the stirrup. The horse dragged him for some distance until it was stopped and carried to his father’s house mortally wounded.

The ferocity of the defenders forced the infidels back to their base outside the walls. Many other defenders were dead, some had been on foot others mounted on horseback. Francisco de Mendoza had his horse shot from under him, and although wounded he sought shelter in a thatched shack on Red Sands* where he continued to fight until it was set alight and was captured. Pedro de piña, a councillor who had previously refused to accept that the Turks were going to attack, took his wife and children into the castle and then was shot as he closed a window in his house.

ing two but the fourth run off taking the eighteen-year-old daughter. Two youths were able to rescue two of their sister’s children. Those that sought refuge in the castle were not totally safe, many died from Turkish fire. Another case involved a woman who, seeing her husband confront a Turk that entered their house, took up a halberd (like a spear) and wounded the intruder and between them killed him.

The leader of the invaders, Muzarred, seeing the situation, decided to take a flag and go up to the Castle gate where he would fix a parchment as he had promised the Bey in Algiers but a servant called Alonso el Suerto, who, having taken a crossbow from a dead soldier, who he realised was his father, shot the leader through the head and an inn keeper called Juan Mateos from Albalate finished him off. The flag was picked up my Rodriguez Nuñez but he was shot by the Turks as was the flag bearer. A third Turk, although wounded, picked up the flag and ran off.

The horse men then retreated to regroup while the footmen stood firm. By this time the enemy were close to the main church, where women and children had taken refuge. It is reported that five men including Sabastian de Fontalva, a priest, and Juan Gomez, set themselves up in a narrow street with four crossbows and a shield where they were able to infuriate the Turks by holding them off for a long period.

A messenger had already been sent off on horseback to ask for assistance from the surrounding countryside, including Jimena and also to warn them of the landings. Unfortunately the key to the gates of Puerta de Tierra had been lost and many of those who responded were, at first, unable to enter the city. Finally, Juan de Esquivel with another six riders and others from the neighbourhood were able to gain access and reinforced the defenders.

Their resistance was so fierce that the Turks were force out of the town area and into the suburbs.

At the same time, in the Castle, Captain Balboa set out to get men to garrison the fort, closed the gates behind him trapping the refugees that were on their way up. When they saw Turkish force coming towards them, they tried to enter by a narrow postern or gate. In the rush to get through some twenty-six women and children were crushed to death. Fortunately, the infidels, fearing being shot from the Castle walls and not having ladders to scale the walls or shield to cover them from missiles from above, decided to take the easier and more profitable task of capturing the people trying to get to the Castle and sacking the houses in the area. Little did they know that the Castle’s defences were virtually useless.

Among those that were trying to find refuge was the wife of Antonio de Mendoza who resisted the man that was trying to capture her. She was badly beaten and fell to the ground where she pretended to be dead and thus saved herself from a fate worse than death. Another incident involved a black slave that took on four Turks with a sword to defend his mistress and her three children killing one, wound-

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

On the 14th of September Malaga reported a Spanish fleet of forty sail off the coast.* Don Bernardino de Mendoza with the Spanish was advised from Cartagena that the Turks were on the move and heading for the island and so anchored there to wait. On the morning of the 1st of October as the sun rose saw the enemy fleet approaching.

Mendoza engaged the Turks but despite their intense canon fire, he did not return the bombardment until they were nearly alongside the enemy. In order to protect the archers, Mendoza put all the crew on one side of the vessel so that she would list and provide a shield over which the archers could fire. Ali Hamat in which Calamani also sailed, seeing he outnumbered the Spanish fleet ordered his ships to get alongside and board the Spaniards Arrows and shot from arquebus ( a primitive form of musket) filled the air but the Spanish were able to board first. Mendoza himself shot Caramani in the chest with an arrow and was finally killed by two bullets. The vessel was captured, and Hamat threw himself into the sea and was rescued by another Turkish vessel. This galeot was in turn captured and Ali Hamat was taken prisoner along with the Turkish crew. In total the Spanish captured two galleys, and seven other ships including brigantines, galeots and sunk another ship. The others flew from the scene of the battle.

Ali Hamat was captured with four hundred and twenty-seven of his men. The Spaniards lost one hundred and thirty-seven among whom was Pedro Benitez one of the galley captains and a Gibraltarian and five hundred were wounded, including Bernardino de Mendoza who was hit in the head by a shot from an arquebus.

Eight hundred and thirty Christians were freed in the action.

A celebration took place in Malaga in which the crew and the released captives took part.

Following this, the Turks decided they had had enough. Regrouping in the Turba, they returned to their ships carrying the captives and all the booty they had collected. The captives amounted to six men, some women, many children and young ladies amounting to seventy-three all told. They were carried away amid screaming, moaning, Children screaming for their parents, young girls who had lost consciousness, were dragged along the ground by their arms or legs but with little sympathy from the captives that drove them like sheep.

The attack lasted some four hours. The fleet departed Catalan Bay heading round Europa Point, sailing along the walls of the town with their drums beating and playing their musical instruments as if to thumb their noses at the defenders.

Forty vessels lying at anchor in the harbour were plundered before the ships headed for Punta Mayorga where they landed in order to raid Spanish towns in the surrounding area, A ship belonging to Alvaro Balzan, thought to be under construction, was burned. During the raids into Spain the captives were imprisoned in Velez de la Gomera awaiting a ransom of 7000 Ducats. But a ransom of 1000 ducats was demanded for the release of Francisco de Mendoza. Negotiations for the release of the prisoners fell through and the invaders set sail with the prisoners on the 12th of September for the island of Alboran with a fleet of sixteen ships.

This event made the Spanish authorities reassess the defences of Gibraltar and steps were taken to improve them. In 1552 an Italian Engineer was commissioned to improve the defences.

As the Sultan of Algiers, Hizir managed to consolidate large areas of North Africa for the Ottoman Empire. He died around 1546 of the plague or fever.

NOTES The spelling of names from Arabic is arbitrary as there is no direct co-relationship between Arabic writing and Western alphabet.

Dates are confusing during this period as most Catholic countries in the Mediterranean had adopted the Gregorian calendar 1582 when the 5th of October became the 15th which put England ten days out of line with these countries until 1752 when the day following the 2nd of September became the 14th. * According to Kenyon the tower “is marked on one of the plans of 1627 above Laudero Bay, but well inland, being nearly due north of the chapel of “Our Lady of Europa” * The Convent of St Francis Now Government House. * Where Humphries Buildings are today * Some reports number the fleet as 10 galleys.

Article supplied by History Society Gibraltar.

Email: historysocietygibraltar@hotmail.com Dedicated On the 100th anniversary in 2018, to RAF Gibraltar, by the History Society Gibraltar.

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MOTORING INSIGHT

WORDS BY MARTIN WARD 14

NOVEMBER 2023

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

MOTORING INSIGHT

RETURN OF THE ROTARY MAZDA MX-30 R-EV THE NEW MAZDA MX-30 R-EV IS AN ADDITION TO THE MX-30 ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET. BUT IT HAS A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE. THE ORIGINAL CAR IS PURE ELECTRIC, WHEREAS THE R-EV IS A PLUG-IN ELECTRIC, BUT HAS THE HUGE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING ITS OWN ON-BOARD POWER SUPPLY.

We started off on our test drive from the splendid Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, which is a converted Rum Warehouse. The hotel is opposite the new Everton FC complex, which is still under construction and expected to open in 2024.

We headed out of Liverpool and into North Wales, taking in some magnificent scenery including Snowdonia, a very pleasant drive.

The R-EV has a 830cc Rotary Engine, powered by regular petrol, and has a 50-Litre fuel tank. Mazda have been making these clever Rotary engines for over 50-years, and have now made over 2-million, so they should know what they are doing by now.

They chose this power plant due to its unique ability to produce the required output from a small, light and easily packaged unit.

There is no connection between the engine and the wheels, as the engine acts as a Generator producing

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electricity, and charging the 17.8kWh battery. You can also charge it from home or a public charge-point, and you can get a range of 85km, so you can do local journeys without the Rotary engine firing up. To put it simply, and I’m sure Mazda won’t like this way of describing it, but imagine an old electric milk-float, commonly seen in the early mornings in the UK, but not for many years. Put a Honda petrol generator on the back of the milk-float, and the generator charges the batteries, well that is basically how the R-EV works, with a load more technology added, and I mean a lot more.

The car will automatically charge the batteries as and when needed, or you can push a switch and set the engine going, and you can see on a display the battery ‘percentage’ going up, and it does charge fairly quickly.

The MX-30, has normal opening front doors, but the rear doors open ‘back-

wards’ and used to be called ‘suicide’ doors. So quite a quirky thing to have these days.

The interior also has some unique features including the use of cork in the centre console and other places, to save in the use of plastic, though I’m not sure cork is as easy to clean as plastic.

Although there are three seatbelts in the rear, I’m not sure I’d want to travel far on the back seat, legroom is very limited, even with the front seats fairly well forward. But the cabin generally is up to a very high standard in quality and fit and finish.

Prices in the UK range from £31,250 to £36,000 Mazda have certainly got this car right, except maybe for interior space, it is economical, low emissions, high quality, clever technologies, priced right, and the systems and technology work beautifully.

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COMMUNITY INSIGHT

Gibraltar Digital

Skills

Academy

Minister for Digital Services, Nigel Feetham, visited the Gibraltar Digital Skills Academy where pupils from Bayside, Westside and Prior Park are competing in the 1st round of this year’s CyberCenturion X competition.

The students, most of whom are girls, have been attending weekly training sessions delivered by industry professionals. The Head of School (Cyber) at the Academy is Mr J Cruz, who has been spearheading the initiative and leading the sessions.

CyberCenturion is a national cyber education initiative for 12-18 year-olds in the UK and UK overseas territories.

​Laguna Youth service hosted their annual Halloween Community event on Sat 28th Oct. This family event has been a popular part of the Youth service for many years and included fun and games for the whole family It was attended and enjoyed by over 145 people.

The Gibraltar youth service would like to thank all the organisers for their hard work and local business's who made donations towards this event.

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NOVEMBER 2023

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COMMUNITY INSIGHT

GETTING THE JOB DONE

Photo's by David Diaz

Fabian Picardo's GSLP Liberals won a tight general election on 12 October. The alliance goes into its fourth term of office with nine of 17 members of parliament. The turnout was just over 76%, with some 19,256 Gibraltarians casting their vote.

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What Christmas Clothes say about you

How we dress on Christmas morning reflects how we are feeling about the day and sets the tone for the festivities. For some of us, practical choices are a necessity, especially if we are chief cook and host. However, for those who are dining in restaurants or guests at family and friends houses, the sartorial choices we make can be flamboyant, fun or deliciously stylish.

Dressing to impress at Christmas can take many forms: an elegant velvet jacket or possibly a sequinned dress with a nod to Christmas lights.

There of course, is a fun element to such a special day - reindeer jumper anyone?

Clothes offer us the opportunity to express ourselves and what Christmas means to us personally.

Traditionally speaking, Christmas fashion tends to lean toward classic items that make us feel alternatively cosy or glamorous: from humorous holiday jumpers to glistening accessories, possibly colour-coordinating green and red.

Planning the perfect Christmas day outfit can be tricky – the 25 December looks very different for everyone. While some are unwrapping gifts in their pyjamas, others will be lunching with family. There are also those who may be flying abroad or getting glammed up for parties.

Savvy shoppers will invest in hardworking pieces – co-ordinates are always a clever buy. They can be dressed up and down to suit every festive situation.

If you are on the relaxed end of the scale, you can still dress for the occasion: luxurious loungewear is such a treat and great for gifting, too.

Whether you are ready to embrace a festive ensemble, looking for something more versatile to work all winter, or just want pyjamas you are happy to be photographed in, our attire is central to how we navigate our day.

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On a daily basis, most of us like to present our best selves and from a fashion perspective, look the chicest we can but when it comes to dressing for Christmas, we love to dazzle and shine.

Depending on the situation and the individual, dressing for Christmas can vary enormously. For some, Christmas dressing may involve wearing a new outfit with the intention of being the centre of attention, for others it may be choosing something more subtle that flatters the body and boosts confidence, while for others, it might mean relaxing in our most comfortable clothes.

Although knowing how to dress for the occasion is key, feeling great in what you’re wearing is the ultimate confidence boost.

If you’re dressing for a party or dinner in a fine restaurant, sequins or velvet, red or black are always on trend this season.

Warm burgundy is a popular colour, as is holly green. Of course, women might go for the classic sophistication of the little black dress. Other seasonal favourites are lace, silk, leather or velvet again in black and shades of red. Pearls that reflect the light look amazing as does the warmth of gold jewellery.

Men might choose a new shirt in a colour they would not wear at work or a classic Bond-like tuxedo.

Another perennial Christmas favourite is the Christmas jumper. The shops are bursting with these at this time of year.

Why not search your local Charity shop for one as these seasonal items are typically worn only once and then often donated to charity outlets.

Christmas parties are a great opportunity to impress our colleagues and friends. Although womenswear has ruled traditionally in the Christmas dressing tables, when it comes to glamorous dressing, in recent years, menswear has become increasingly important.

Many men now want the same level of choice that women have had for decades and seize the opportunity of dressing to

WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH

impress. We can do this by dressing differently from what we would wear on a daily basis and in a sense, this lets us become the person we would like to be. A change of clothing style enable us to look and feel confident and glamorous. Christmas is the perfect time for guys to look as splendid and festive as women.

There are numerous special days in the year such as birthdays and anniversaries when many of us tend to make more effort to look our best. The festive season in particular calls for a special nod to our clothes choices.

Culturally, Christmas, as well as several other religious festivals at this time of year, celebrate some aspect of light. Given the short, dark days of the season, who wouldn’t welcome the chance to light up a room when they enter? Making an effort signals the importance of the day and if you are sharing the day with others, it also signals you care enough about them to put in the extra effort with your outfit.

Clearly, appearance matters and we want to look our best especially in the holiday season, but stressing about what to wear can undermine our self-confidence and spoil our enjoyment of the event.

The festive season is often packed with various social events. Be it drinks parties, work gatherings or meeting up with family, friends and work colleagues, each occasion allows us to show a different side of our Christmas personality and our festive wardrobe.

Although there is no official Christmas day dress code, the big day usually consists of more than one outfit.

Whether you are taking a crisp morning walk, opening presents, drinking champagne or enjoying all of the above, your outfit - or outfits - choice should reflect on how you will spend your day.

So cosy up in cashmere pyjamas or feel glamorous in a glitzy dress. Whatever clothes you decide to wear, have a sartorially sensational Christmas Day.

You

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T&C’s Apply

Christmas morning is an exciting time, and if a flute of fizz or a cheeky cocktail are your preferred tipples, there is a great deal of choice.

Sloe Gin Fizz:

Although you can buy shop-bought, you could make your own sloe gin in this festive twist on a classic gin fizz.

Christmas Spiced Negroni

Take your favourite cocktail and give it a festive makeover with homemade spiced gin.

From light, easy going drinks to ease you into Christmas gently, to drinks with a bit of a hit, to non-alcoholic beverages with lots of flavour, Christmas is a special time and therefore special drinks are a must.

Hot Buttered Rum

Treat yourself this Christmas yourself to a hot buttered rum, mixing golden rum with soft light brown sugar, unsalted butter and festive spices.

For such a special day, your usual morning orange juice might need a bit of a spruce up and the coffee might need a little kick. Whatever budget you are on this Christmas there should be something for everyone out there to make the day begin with a sparkle.

Christmas Mojito

Jazz up this minty cocktail with festive flavours – rum is mixed with cranberry juice and soda, then garnished with mint leaves and pomegranate seeds.

Because of its warm spices and the incorporation of flavours, like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean, we have grown accustomed to drinking eggnog during the winter season, particularly around Christmas.

Christmas Spritz

Mix Aperol, sparkling wine and bitters with ginger beer and garnish with orange, star anise and pomegranate seeds to make this festive spritz.

As well as eggnog, here are a few favourite Christmas drinks. Measures can be perfected by your chosen ‘drinks master’ so tweak accordingly!

Mulled Old Fashioned

Make this mulled old fashioned for a festive twist on a classic cocktail, featuring a homemade syrup infused with cinnamon, orange and cloves.

Eggnog:

Eggnog is traditionally made with eggs, egg yolk, sugar, milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract. It is often spiked with brandy and topped with freshly grated nutmeg and/or cinnamon sticks.

Why do people drink eggnog on Christmas? It was thought that the use of luxury ingredients such as cream and alcohol would invite prosperity into the household for the coming year. In most households today, a cup of eggnog ushers in the good cheer of the holiday more so than any belief in impending wealth.

Spiced rum:

This was introduced from India to England in the 17th century, by employees of the English East India Company.

Rum itself was not very palatable at this time, so by combining it with sugar, spice and citrus, it tasted far better.

This beverage was often consumed from massive punch bowls at gatherings such as Christmas, which is why we have come to associate this spirit as a festive treat. Nowadays, we enjoy this wonderfully complex flavour straight with ice or in drinks like hot toddies.

Sloe Gin:

Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ remains an enduring part of Christmas, as does the writer’s favourite tipple: sloe gin. A traditional English seasonal sip that dates back to the 17th century.

Rich red in colour and sweet in taste, this fruit liqueur is the perfect winter warmer. Sloe gin is made by infusing gin, and sloe drupes, a small fruit that has a sharp, sour taste, for three months.

Christmas Punch:

Punch became popular during the mid1600s, after the Restoration, punch made with arrack from the East Indies, and then rum from West Indies be-

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Grasshopper Cocktail

Mint chocolate fans, this one’s for you: check out this retro dessert cocktail made of crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and single cream. came the fashionable social beverage in London's coffee houses, then the new gathering places.

Christmas Punch is warming with a hint of nostalgic. One recipe involves cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and almond extract into a large drink dispenser and mix. Pour in ginger ale and give it one quick stir. Add in cranberries, ice and ginger ale.

Are you one of the many people who love a Christmas martini?

The Christmas martini recipe is a flavoured vodka martini that is made with cranberry juice. In fact, it is actually more like a cosmopolitan than a martini. The classic martini is made with gin and dry vermouth, though vodka sprang up as a popular swap for gin.

Over time, the vodka version became a blank slate for adding all sorts of fruity variations. There are various martini recipes including from pomegranate, cucumber and ginger.

A fabulous Christmas Martini recipe:

• Cranberry juice: 100% unsweetened • Vodka • Cointreau • Lemon juice

• A Simple syrup (or maple syrup)

WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH

Spirits are responsible for at least one unequivocally delicious food pairing for the dining table. Is there a better partner for the richness of Christmas pudding than a dusky, smooth rum filled with dried fruit and nut flavours?

Perhaps only cognac or armagnac have the same like with like matching potential.

Particular favourites are Normandy apple brandy, calvados, perfect alongside a ripe camembert, a smoky Islay whisky with stilton, and a fruity, mellow cognac with hard cow’s cheeses that have a bit of age but retain some youthful fruitiness, such as 12-monthold comté, cantal, gruyere or vintage cheddar.

Christmas is associated with many amazing tastes, smells and sights and what we drink during the day is a huge part of our enjoyment and our memories.

So pour your most loved Yuletide drink, raise your glasses and have a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas

Spiced Negroni

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SANTA'S LITTLE GADGETS

GUINNESS NITROSURGE If you love a good pint of Guinness, then boy do we have the gift for you. The Nitrosurge is a tiny, affordable gadget that transforms the standard at-home-poured pint of the black stuff from the mundane to the extra-special, releasing the built-up nitrogen in your cans for a supremely exciting sup.

OURA RING The celebrity fitness tracker of choice, Oura’s ring sits stealthily on your chosen finger while keeping tabs on your heart rate, activity, sleep and loads more. It’s ideal if you know someone who’s already wedded to their mechanical watch but still obsesses over their gymbound PBs.

KNOG BIKE ALARM & FINDER If your giftee already has a bike but tends to get things lost, or mixed up, or isn't that security-savvy, then consider this excellent device. It keeps your bike secure and alarmed and will help you locate it in case it's been stolen or tied up and forgotten about.

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Christmas is coming lier supp y r a HP prim vo & Your Leno , l l e of D ock he R T n o

Lapt o & Ta ps, Desk blet tops s

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GAMIN USTOM

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Whatsapp us on +350 54073714, call us on 20042131 or send us an email to sales@medcomp.gi to place your order. www.medcomp.gi

APPLE AIRTAG Struggle to remember where you put your phone, wallet, keys, or literally anything else in your life? Sometimes it’s helpful to have Big Brother’s eye on your stuff. Apple’s AirTags are an affordable location-tracking device for iPhone owners, pinging the exact location (within a metre or two) of your misplaced gear straight to your handset. It even has safeguards against creepy behaviour built-in. For Android users, you might consider the Galaxy Smart Tag alternative.

SONOS ROAM Pound for pound one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy, the Sonos Roam has been dominating the on-the-go music space for over a year now, and there’s little reason to believe it will be knocked off the top spot. The headline specs? It’s affordably priced, looks great, sounds even better, and is slender enough to slide into that little water bottle pocket you get on the side of your rucksack – perfect for one of those pumping EDM-filled hikes everyone pretends to love on dating apps.

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History of the

ADVENT CALENDAR

WE ALL LIKE AN ADVENT CALENDAR IF TRUTH BE TOLD, NO MATTER WHAT AGE WE ARE. THE THRILL OF OPENING UP A DOOR TO FIND A CHOCOLATE OR SMALL GIFT IS PART OF THE FUN IN THE RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS. Just as we have to thank Prince Albert who introduced the Christmas tree to Britain and like many other aspects of modern Christmas traditions, the Advent Calendar comes from German origins.

There are many Advent symbols, from wreaths and candles to calendars. But exactly what is Advent? The word Advent derives from the Latin adventus, which means an arrival or coming. Advent is the first day of a new Liturgical (relating to public religious service or ritual) calendar and it is meant to be a time of mental and spiritual preparation leading up to the birth of Jesus on the night of 24th December. Advent is observed over the four Sundays before Christmas Day and as with any religion, Advent customs and practices vary from place to place. The first Sunday of Advent this year is the 3rd December 2023.

The history of the Advent calendar most likely starts in the early nineteenth century, when German Protestants began to mark the days of Advent either by burning a candle for the day or, more simply, marking walls or doors with a line of chalk each day. 1851 saw the creation of the first wooden Advent calendar that was crafted by an artisan’s hand.

Printer Gerhard Lang is credited with publishing the first Advent calendar in 1908, featuring 24 little doors which could be opened to discover small pictures or a surprise inside. Legend says that it was his mother who inspired him by giving him a calendar as a child with 24 cookies sewn onto the lid of a box which he was allowed to eat - one every day during the Advent period.

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The Advent calendar tradition spread quickly across Europe and then became popular worldwide where in a more secular context it counts down the days until Christmas.

During the Second World War, the Franz Eher Verlag publishing house – under the control of the Nazi regime – printed Advent calendars, changing the name to ‘Pre-Christmas calendar’ and replacing the religious content with ‘new’ symbolism and ideological content.

Thankfully, the calendar returned to its former glory after the war, no doubt thanks to Dwight D. Eisenhower. During his presidency, he was photographed opening one with his grandchildren and the photo ran in several national newspapers.

For the past twenty years, the town of Gengenbach in Baden-Württemberg, located in the Black Forest in Germany, transforms its Town Hall into the world's largest Advent Calendar, with the structure’s 24 windows (two rows of 11, plus two more in the roof) each decorated with a Christmas tableau, revealed one per day throughout the season.

Nowadays, Advent calendars come in all shapes and guises. From beauty and makeup to alcohol calendars containing gin, whisky or even wine, cocktails and champagne – strictly for the adults!

There are also luxurious Advent calendars that are a considered purchase for many of us. In 2019 Tiffany's Jeweller launched its first ever advent calendar – with an eye-watering £104,000 price tag. The luxury calendar was 4ft tall and weighed more than 11 stone, and contained 24 gifts in little blue boxes priced between £100 and £13,000 with only four available in the whole world.

WORDS BY JO WARD

Beauty Advent calendars have become a firm Christmas treat, and often sell out as soon as they are released. For businesses, beauty Advent calendars provide the opportunity to boost brand awareness, but they also offer great value for money and allow potential customers to sample products they may not normally buy.

But we mustn’t forget where this all started, and that was for children. These days they have come a long way from the cardboard versions where we opened a window to find a small chocolate, although thankfully confectionery calendars are still available.

From toddlers to teens, you can buy calendars containing toys, games, crafts and books, so you can be sure that you can find something that fits in with their hobbies or passions.

Think Lego, Disney or trending toys such as Squishes, slime and fidgets.

Rather than giving the kids in your life one big present, get them a themed Advent calendar and they’ll enjoy a gift every day for a month. It’s like Santa’s workshop but better.

The hardest part of all this is choosing the perfect Advent Calendar. Take into account the different themes, prices and age recommendations and shop early, because the popular ones sell out quickly.

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REMEMBER YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS Any goods that you buy, whether in the high street or online must fit the description given, be of satisfactory quality and suitable for purpose. If they are not you may be entitled to refunds, repairs or replacements.

REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS If goods are naturally defective (as opposed to being misused or suffering from normal wear and tear) and you’ve had them for some time, you may still be entitled to a free repair, like for like replacement or partial refund.

SHOP AROUND FOR THE BEST PRICES IN TOWN Look around for the best price before you buy.

Refund and return policies are not obligatory and you may not be able to return an item just because you have found a cheaper price elsewhere.

DO YOUR ONLINE SHOPPING IN TIME Retailers have up to 30 days to deliver goods unless otherwise agreed, so it's worth doing your online shopping early to ensure your goods arrive in time for Christmas. If you want your goods to arrive before Christmas make sure this is guaranteed by the retailer.

Check if retailers have refund and return policies

REMEMBER YOUR ADDITIONAL ONLINE SHOPPING RIGHTS In addition to your statutory rights, consumers also have additional protection when shopping online. In most cases consumers will have a 14 working day cancellation period, from delivery, to change their mind and get a full refund, including the basic delivery charges. You may be asked to cover the reasonable costs of return carriage but these must be made clear in the terms and conditions of sale.

Refund policies are only obligatory where goods are not as described, are of unsatisfactory quality and/or are not suitable for purpose.

Many retailers nevertheless offer additional refund and return policies which differ from store to store. Make sure you check whether refunds, exchanges or credit notes are available and how long you have to make use of these. Remember, you do not automatically have the right to return unwanted purchases.

GUARANTEES Many goods will come with a free warranty which offer consumers protection in addition to their statutory rights. Make sure you read the terms and conditions and follow instructions to validate your manufacturer’s warranty. Please note however that manufacturer’s warranties may not necessarily be applicable to goods sold in Gibraltar. You should therefore ask the retailer what warranty applies locally to each good.

KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS If you wish to return your goods or make a claim against a retailer you will need proof of your purchase, so keep your receipts. You may also use any relevant bank and credit card statements where necessary.

GIFT RECEIPTS If buying a gift for a loved one ask for a gift receipt. These enable the recipient of the gift to exercise their rights to return the goods or make a claim against the retailer if something is wrong with the goods without revealing the price of the item.

GIFT VOUCHERS Gift vouchers are a popular present, however you need to be aware of the terms and conditions of each voucher, often found in small print. If a voucher has an expiry date this information should be communicated to you.

ACT PROMPTLY IF SOMETHING IS WRONG Check your purchases at the store or as soon as you get them home if they have been delivered. If something is wrong you will need to act promptly if you wish to exercise your statutory right reject the goods and claim a full refund.

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JANUARY SALES Remember you have exactly the same rights on sale items as you do on full price goods. If a reduction is offered as a result of a fault that is pointed out to you however you will not be able to make a claim for this fault later.

We hope that you will find these tips useful and will help you avoid any unfortunate surprises during the festive season. Should you nevertheless encounter any problems or have doubts about your consumer rights please contact the OFT’s Consumer Protection Team: Email: consumer.protection@gibraltar.gov.gi

r the oft shopping tips fo d upcoming christmas an seasonal sale black friday is coming up and sees the commencement of the most intense annual period of consumer spending which continues with the run-up to christmas and the annual january sales thereafter. in light of this the office of fair trading (oft) is issuing the following guidance and recommendations to local consumers with a view to minimising disappointments during the festive season.

Tel:

20071700

Web: www.oft.gov.gi Visit: Office of Fair Trading, Suite 975 Europort

is the information contained in this article ided prov is and only nce guida as ded inten . it for awareness and educational purposes as , upon d relie or as, rded rega be should not e. rwis legal advice or othe follow oft on social media for regular consumer updates! facebook - oft gibraltar instagram - @oftgib twitter - @oftgib

lasT orders To be PlaCed bY 3PM on wednesdaY 13TH deCeMber To arrIve In TIMe For CHrIsTMas* *subject to stock availability

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UNIQUE

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START PLANNING YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, BUT WHAT DO YOU BUY FOR FRIENDS OR THOSE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY THAT SEEM TO HAVE EVERYTHING AND THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE? HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST RECOMMENDATIONS WE COULD FIND THAT SHOULD DELIGHT AND IMPRESS ANY GIFT RECIPIENTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN THE HIGH STREET OR ONLINE.

FOR MOTHERS: Whether that is your own mother or maybe you’re a mum yourself and would like something a bit different this year, apart from perfume or a scarf, we’ve chosen some things you’re sure to love.

Microwavable Slippers For someone who constantly suffers with cold feet, or who is not so mobile these days and finds that due to sitting for long periods they have poor blood circulation to their feet, microwavable slippers are not only soft, fluffy and comfortable, but you can put them in the microwave and heat them up.

They'll stay warm for up to two hours and also give off a pleasant lavender scent.

Portable Air Fan Living in a warm climate means that most of us have some sort of folding hand fan to waft air towards our face, but for hands-free cooling relief a portable neck fan is the answer. Great for those mums who suffer with hot flushes as well, these portable air fans look like headphones and sit around your neck. Our tip is to look out for the ones that are USB Rechargeable with a large capacity battery.

FOR FATHERS: Notoriously difficult to buy for, these gifts are great for the man who says he wants nothing but expects something anyway!

Golf Practice Net If your dad is constantly complaining that his golf swing never gets any better, this is the perfect way for him to practice at home and the best thing is that he won’t lose any golf balls! A golf practice net that comes with a carry bag, a golf hitting mat, a tee holder, golf balls, and a hitting net that features one large target and three chipping target pockets will enable him to

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practice shots and swings in the garden or indoors.

Phone Screen Magnifier If your father likes watching videos or films on their phone, then a mobile phone magnifier is not only a practical and functional gadget, but it’s an easy-to-use gift for those who may find looking at a small screen tiresome.

There are several foldable designs on the market that are compatible with both iPhones and Android smartphones. Some of the phone screen magnifiers can magnify your smartphone screen by 4-5 times which can prevent eye strain.

FOR TEENS: These two gift suggestions will suit either boys or girls.

Cozy Chair Blanket Just the thing for those gamers in your family! They can keep warm with this blanket that attaches to any chair back. Easy to get in and out of by simply wrapping the flaps together, it doesn’t get stuck or falls on the floor like a normal blanket would.

Customised Neon Sign No longer just for clubs or bars, neon room signs have become the trendy new bedroom accessory for teens when customised with their name, an inspirational life quote, motivational saying or favourite shape, such as a butterfly. They add a pop of colour to any space and like a painting they can become a piece of personalised art that decorates their personal space.

FOR KIDS: Three options to delight your little ones.

Space Projector There are lots of different space projectors out there, from novelty or mood-enhancing lights to scientific learning tools. Whether you are look-

WORDS BY JO WARD

ing for something to act as a nightlight for the nursery or for a toddler who has an interest in planets, or even for an older child who likes astronomy, there is a great selection to choose from. Most models offer features like brightness and colour controls, image rotation, and an automatic shutoff timer. For older ‘kids’ (including adults) choose a ‘home planetarium’ that accurately represents the night sky, and look out for those with plenty of extras, including two projection discs; one displaying 8,000 stars, and the other which has guidelines for the major constellations overlaid on them.

Pottery Wheel With the popularity of BBC’s The Great Pottery Throw Down, enjoyed by adults and kids alike, there is no better gift than a Pottery Wheel set that young children, from the age of 7, can use and understand. Most of the Pottery Wheel sets come with everything that is needed to start throwing pots and bowls, allowing them to lean some fundamental skills which they can build upon as they grow more confident.

Slime Kit There’s not one child I know that doesn’t like slime! More often than not when a child wants to make slime it involves sourcing the ingredients and making a mess and as there as so many recipes out there for different types of slime, life can be fraught in getting in right. What’s not to like about a slime kit that has everything in one place?

Choose from the right one to suit your needs, from a basic pack to start them on their slime making journey, to a set with glitter, to a glow-in-the-dark kit.

There are even edible kits, with tastes such as hot chocolate slime, marshmallow slime and more!

So don’t panic… we’ve got your Christmas gifting covered, even if you buy the slime kit for grandpa and the chair blanket for mum!

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ENJOY THE

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS WITH THESE 12 SAFETY TIPS When we’re busy getting ready for Christmas and the house is full of excited children, you’ve got visitors popping in at all times and you’re maybe partaking in a sherry or two, it’s easy to overlook some important safety issues.

So here are 12 reminders to help you stay safe when lighting up your home this Christmas season: 1: Check that your festive lights and any plugs, cables or extension leads are in good condition and that they haven’t been damaged since last Christmas.

2: Plan where you’re going to be putting your decorations, make sure that you have enough plug sockets available and that your extension leads are long enough to reach without straining or causing a trip hazard; also make sure that they’re suitable for the location they’re going to be used in.

3: ake care not to overload your sockets and extensions leads. Use the 80% rule, that’s to say; an extension lead rated to 13 amps should only be loaded to around 10 amps. Always check the rating on your extension leads do not assume they are all 13 amps.

4: The power required on “Add Along” strings of lights can add up very quickly so pay attention to the man-

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ufacturers instructions regarding the maximum amount of strings that can be joined together and powered from one plug.

5: Make sure any lights and decorations being used outside are suitable for their location. Non LED flood lights and lamps generate a lot of heat that will easily burn inquisitive fingers. In dry weather they also present a very high risk of fire so make sure they are not placed near flammable materials.

6: Wires and cables should be supported so you don’t put strain on the connections. Also be carful not to trap or crush them with furniture and avoid running them under carpets or rugs.

7: Try to use an RCD (residual current device) or RCCB (residual current circuit breaker) on your electrical decorations this will instantly cut the supply if certain fault conditions develop.

8: Check your lights are off when you go to bed or leave you house for a long period. You could try using timers or integrate some smart home switches and sockets for the ultimate control.

9: Real trees pose much higher fire risk than artificial trees; If you have a real Christmas tree take care to use low heat lights such as LEDs and use

non-flammable decorations. Stand your tree in moist soil and carefully water it regularly. Do not spray your tree with products to help prevent needle loss - some of these are flammable until thoroughly dry.

10: If you buy an artificial tree make sure it’s labelled as being flame retardant and always buy them from a reputable suppler.

11: Candles are one of the biggest causes of fires so try replacing them with LED alternatives. If you must use traditional candles never leave them unattended and make sure they’re on a suitable surface with nothing near them.

12: If you’re using extra grills for cooking or radiators for heating you should be careful not to overload things.

When you’ve finished cooking make sure everything is switched off and unplugged.

A little common sense goes a long way and if you have any doubt about anything regarding the safety of any Christmas decorations your local retailer should be able to offer you help and advise. Above all please make sure you and your family have a safe and Happy Christmas.

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I N S I D E - O U T S I D E - B AT T E RY - S O L A R We have a great selection of festive lighting.

All plugs and adaptors are the UK style.

Safe and secure Limited stocks, shop early and so you don’t miss out !

Commercial lighting also available.

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Whether baking biscuits, building a snowman or possibly sledging (weather permitting) is what you always connect to Christmas, we all have favourite activities and routines that link us to Christmas. Many people love nothing more than to take a crisp, early walk in Christmas day whereas pulling wrapping paper off presents is a must for many.

The actual run up to the festive season is full of events and moments of wonder. Many shoppers enjoy their first glimpse that the festive season is approaching: mince pies in the shops, Santa greeting children in shopping centres or the lights being put up along our high streets.

Seeing some Christmas lights If you do not fancy travelling to a Christmas light switch-on event, simply go for a walk around your neighbourhood and spot some luminous holiday displays.

This is joyous to do as a family or equally heart warming if you are taking a solo stroll. With friends you can create a game where you tally up the houses you see with white lights and those with multicoloured lights.

For those who relish a town switch-on,

Historically, there have been particular Christmas traditions and events that have become ingrained in our minds and which we undoubtedly associate with the festive season.

These include:

The best way to describe a Christmas market is to say they are similar to a farmer’s market or a street market but it’s all about Christmas and not only food and drink.

Prepare Christmas Food Nothing says Christmas quite like some brilliant bakes. So, get your Yuletide apron on and flour those work surfaces, because it’s time to get messy.

Who can resist favourite recipes that include The snowman and Christmas tree shaped biscuits. However, there are so many other Christmassy treats you can make. Spread the cheer further by making big batches of your creations and sharing them with neighbours, family and friends. This is a wonderful gift as well as a great and easy way to help out those in need.

What makes Christmas special for each of us is very personal and varies enormously. For some, cuddling up on a sofa and watching a festive film, typifies that unique Christmas feeling. For others, hanging the decorations is an essential part of achieving the perfect Christmas atmosphere.

nothing creates such a festive buzz as turning on the lights where we live. It brings us all together and is a perfect excuse to start talking to fellow attendees of the spectacle. In major cities, a well known name is often asked to do the honours which provides extra excitement for the crowd. Such events can also be charity fund raisers so your magical evening can help a great cause too.

Pantomime Pantomime is as synonymous with Christmas in the UK as the King’s Speech and Christmas pudding. The

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A pantomime is a popular seasonal theatrical production that takes place every year across the UK, Ireland, and (to a lesser extent) some other English-speaking countries. Pantomimes are generally staged in the run-up to Christmas, and they combine musical theatre, slapstick comedy, newsworthy jokes, and utilise familiar stories to create a brand-new adventure. It is often a child’s first experience of theatre to visit a pantomime and the unique, funfilled performance stays with them forever.

Cities, towns and villages that open up for late night shopping experiences provide an exciting array of festive fun.

There is often music as well as food and drink offerings to tempt shoppers in. Many locations will invite Santa to distribute gifts to children which just adds to the feeling of jollity and anticipation.

These markets are characterised by wooden huts, twinkle lights, regional foods, Christmas trinkets, and a festive spirit that has made these markets popular all around the world. Christmas markets generally coincide with Advent, beginning four weeks before Christmas, and usually lasting up until Christmas Eve.

Christmas music and dance is also often featured. It is an opportunity to discover some of the traditional Christmas customs and stories of the area. There will almost always be a Nativity scene.

Despite panto’s long history, UK event creators are still finding ingenious and wonderful ways to give their productions a new, creative angle.

Late night shopping events:

Christmas Markets

Most of these Christmas markets emphasise traditions and customs of the area. There will be stalls filled with local products and local artisans selling their wares.

You will find traditional food to nibble on as you wander through the market and festive drinks such as spiced cider or mulled wine to keep you warm.

uniquely British musical and comedy stage productions, usually based on beloved children’s stories and fairy tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan, are a tradition that date back hundreds of years.

WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH

Late night shopping is always about far more than simply buying presents – it is an opportunity for communities and neighbours to start their Christmas countdown, mingle with mulled wine and be thrilled by the twinkling lights adorning the town. In our everyday life, shopping becomes a chore through necessity. Late night shopping gives us a rare chance to enjoy visiting shops and taking some time to actually look properly at different, often hand crafted items.

The Christmas activities and events we take part in and attend are intrinsically linked to how we feel about this glorious time of year. Many of them will be traditions we are involved with, year after year, ensuring a particularly nostalgic glow. On other occasions, we will explore new festive ventures, just to mix up the old with the new.

Whatever your Christmas looks like, embrace the season and make the most of all the Christmas traditions that makes your season so special and continue to make memorable moments.

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The widest choice across the best brands in clothing for Mens, Ladies & Kids through to the Emporium Christmas shop for the latest Toys, Mens Gifts, Gadgets, Ladies Gifts, Food and Home Decorations.

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WORDS BY JP BAUTISTA

HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO OUR ACE ART COLUMN. WITH OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WELL RECEIVED ROCK & PAPER EXHIBITION OVER WE HAVE NOW ADDED A FEW MORE ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS TO OUR PORTFOLIO. ITS NEARLY CHRISTMAS AND WE KNOW IT’S HARD TO FIND THAT PERFECT GIFT SO IN THIS FEATURE WE AIM TO HELP YOU WITH GIFT IDEAS. Few gifts are more memorable and meaningful than a carefully chosen artwork. But how do you decide what art to buy for your friend, family member or partner? It’s important to think about their ‘art personality’. What interests do they have? Does a certain artwork remind you of a friend? It’s tough getting it right, so here are few ideas to help you give the perfect gift of art this Christmas.

•Most Gibraltarians are passionate and very proud of our Rock of Gibraltar and of its local artists. Some of our local artists such as Karl and Chris-Anne Ullger have stunning paintings of local patios and streets. Whilst Jana Nicole created Mons Calpe a tribute to Gibraltar’s Barbary apes and our local fauna.

• Keep a memory alive by commissioning your very own personal doodle by Gail Francis-Tiron. Pick a theme and add your own ideas and images into the piece. A holiday doodle for example, Gail will fill the canvas with memories and allow you to cherish them every day.

• For those nature lovers we have an award winning Botanical series by Jana Nicole’s featuring her nurturing earthy mushroom collection. For those with a more lively and adventurous character have a look at her Animal Attraction and Cirque des Enfant series.

• We have those abstract art lovers covered with a selection of very colourful limited edition series of Gibraltar’s key landmarks by Almeria based artist Delia Balaguer.

• For friends who prefer that classic decor we have original oil portraits by Cane Yo artist who recently featured at our Rock & Paper exhibition. With artworks by Ale Casanova, Manuel Castillero, Shanice Farrugia and Karl Ullger added to our portfolio.

• For the adventurer, we have an extensive collection of street art from world famous artist Shepard Fairey. His work is widely collected around the world and his limited editions prints sell out in a matter of minutes. His work can be seen in murals around the world and is currently exhibiting and creating murals in Asia.

• For the travellers, get lost behind the lens of Stephen Hermida and Marco Prizont. Our selection of photographic prints gives you an insight into our artists’ travels. Documenting events and capturing the right shadows or movements. Their work takes you to nearby places such as Cadiz and as far as Asia.

• And for those eccentric full of life and colour type of friends, why not surprise them with something unique and different.

Be the ONE that introduces them to the works of multidiscipline local artist Naomi Martinez. Her ‘taking liberties with colour’ will sure put a smile in their faces.

If these ideas are not enough and need more inspiration then have a browse online at www.aceart.gi. We have over 20 artists and more than 300 artworks available. From Ramon Maiden’s traditional tattooed pin ups girls to Rich Levine’s Mondrian Tin Tin. Get in touch and let us help you find that special piece to gift this Christmas.

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Your

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E: info@tagoregroup.com

Gift Guide

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NECKLACE

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Cocktail

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Opal

EARRINGS

STONES

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Fancy

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Clover

YELLOW DIAMONDS

JEWELLERY

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Rainbow

Toi et Moi

SAPPHIRES

YOU & ME RING

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10 personal gifts and experiences to gift this Christmas November can be overwhelming when you’re trying to buy gifts for everyone and struggling to figure out what the person actually wants or needs. Personally, I think you can’t go wrong with buying them something that feels personal and covers their interests. Judging by this list below, I’d be quite happy if I got a tasting menu for Christmas every year, so they are gifts you could also repeat. Here are ten personal gifts and experiences to gift this Christmas.

For the one who loves food A tasting menu would be perfect. These usually aren’t cheap so it’s not something that people usually buy for themselves, especially if you need somebody to go with too. If you need some inspiration, Dani Garcia has several restaurants around Marbella and Tarifa and some of the tasting menus start at £40. For lovers of steak I definitely recommend giving LENA a visit!

For the one who loves food and movies I added this experience to my bucket last year and still haven’t had the chance to go, but Taste Film in London would be the perfect gift for them. The concept is that you watch a movie and during the film they will bring out several courses that perfectly fit the movie. Think Matilda and chocolate cake or Shrek and gingerbread men. Tickets start at £80, so this would be a great gift for a special occassion.

For the one who loves being in the kitchen Whether it’s baking or cooking, level up your gift by buying them a cookbook but also choosing a recipe and buying the ingredients for it. Then you can both spend an afternoon putting it together and enjoying the meal after.

For the one who loves music Now that concerts are back in full swing, why not check if any of their favourite artists are on tour in 2024? If you use the website ‘Songkick’ you can easily search if any artist is on tour or scheduled to be playing at any future festivals. This year I surprised my boyfriend with tickets to see The Weeknd, coincidentally he was

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there the weekend we were visiting Milan so it all worked out perfectly.

For the one who loves the gym

For the one who loves to travel

Nothing fuels my workout more than a new gym set (and pre-workout). You could spend a bit more and buy them a few sessions with a personal trainer, or simply get them a bundle of gym supplies (clothes, protein powder etc). My personal favourite brand is Women’s Best, which you can buy online locally from Amrock who also stock other suppliers.

Depending on your budget, why not book a weekend getaway in Europe for the Christmas markets? Flights to countries like Poland and Czech Republic are usually under £100 and accommodation is relatively affordable. If you have a smaller budget, you can also ask them if they have any trips planned and then book an activity for them whilst they’re there.

For the one who loves wine or gin There are a few places in Gibraltar that offer beverage experiences. Firstly, The Wine Shop offers wine tasting sessions where you can learn about and try different wines as well as enjoy a few nibbles. If the person you are gifting to is more of a gin drinker, Spirit of the Rock offers a gin distillery tour which talks through how gin is made, as well as tasting 6 different gins and finishing off with a cocktail. This experience is just £20 per person.

For the one who loves fashion For this you need to know the person's style quite well, or at least remember if they have shown you any clothes that they are interested in lately! If you know they have an event coming up, you could surprise them with the outfit they had been thinking of buying for New Years Eve for example. Just make sure that they haven’t already bought it themselves first.

WORDS BY GIANA SPITERI

For the one who loves reading If they don’t already own a kindle, then that would be the best present. You can buy these on Amazon and they start at £100. Black Friday is around the corner so this would also be a great time to purchase one. If you’d prefer to buy them a few paperback books, I’d recommend going to their GoodReads profile and seeing what they have saved in their ‘to read’ list.

For the one who loves a games night Purchase a game (or a few) and host a games night with all of your friends. Music Corner has a big variety and my personal favourite is ‘Hot Seat’. Where the person in the hot seat reads out a question such as ‘I am on the cover of the local newspaper, what is the headline?’ and players need to write down how they think you are going to answer. This works well with close friends and family members and it’s a lot of fun.

Giana Spiteri is a local writer, specialising in lifestyle, beauty & travel. instagram.com/ teawithgi

THE MOST ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE GIFTS

Visit our shop at 271 Main Street, Gibraltar (beside the Law Courts). Tel: 20077881 Facebook: adam gifts & luggage / Instagram: adamgiftshopgib

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CHRISTMAS

JEWELLERY & REPAIRS

SHOPPING

EST 2003

FACTS

Who loves shopping?

We work in conjunction with all the best jewellers in Gibraltar.

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The average woman makes 301 trips to the store annually, spending close to 400 hours a year shopping. This amounts to 8.5 years spent shopping during a typical lifespan.

Over 1000 models of diamonds & other precious stone ring settings to choose from.

Choose from the best quality metals - Platinum, Gold, Silver.

When asked about hobbies, girls (age 13-18) identified shopping as their favorite pastime.

UNIT G4 GROUND FLOOR, ICC BUILDING, CASEMATES SQUARE, MAIN STREET, GIBRALTAR

TEL 00350 54021471 / 0034 691777563

Men are less likely to spot special deals Women are more tuned in to spotting special offers

Have you ever wondered why retailers play music in their stores?

This is to attract potential shoppers to enter. And that playlist is not random. Retailers know that shoppers are more likely to enter a store if they like the music being played.

The tempo of the music is equally as important. A slower tempo tends to make shoppers walk through the store more slowly. If the music has a faster tempo, shoppers will typically walk through faster and will be less likely to spend.

Red is a great colour for marketing because it encourages spending. As a result, advertisers will purposefully incorporate red into their advertisements and displays.

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NOVEMBER 2023

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LIGHT MY SENSES WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE PRODUCTS & EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD DELIGHT YOUR SENSES – SENSE OF TOUCH, SMELL, SOUND, AND SIGHT. Our goal is to provide personal advice on the perfect smells, lights or diffusers for you, and for your home.

We aim to create a unique charm by creating a warm and inviting cozy atmosphere to shop in whilst also educate customers on how certain oils and smells can help with anxiety, colds, sleep issues and more. In addition to this goal we also strive to keep tickling those senses with regular stock updates and themes making the shopping experience change from week to week – keeping it new, yet still charming and welcoming.

Incorporated in October 2021, the team has worked tirelessly to source unusual yet beautiful diffusers, wax burners, candles, lanterns, water fountains and balcony garden ornaments. They regularly visit world trade shows to establish relationships with the best suppliers to give Gibraltar the best range and best quality products possible When it comes to Christmas – this is our time - the time for warmth, joy and celebration.

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Scent has a powerful influence on our emotions and memories.

A particular fragrance can evoke feelings of nostalgia, happiness and comfort.

And for the sense of touch and sight we have: Christmas gonks, Santas and cuddly toys. Not forgetting the all important Elf on the Shelf.

We are stocked with gifts for the whole family.

• Cork world travel maps so you can track where you have already been with pins but more importantly where you plan to go.

• Gorgeous glass planet lights to cosy up your living room.

• Bird feeders, wall art and fairies for your balconies.

• 3D mugs – so you can enjoy your drink whilst appreciating the artistic relief.

Our Christmas smells aim to do just that.

Cinnamon & apple, red amber & clove, forest sage & pine, and vanilla spiced orange.

Moving to decoration we have: Christmas lanterns, lights, baubles, ornaments, tree decorations and many other wonderful products.

NOVEMBER 2023

• Horoscope mugs – to appreciate the important women in your life.

• Wax warmers to plug into your plug sockets.

Come and visit us at 241 Main Street or 4, King Street and we promise to entice your senses.

Contact +350 225 00446 for more information or visit us online at http://www.mbsretail.gi

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WIn TWO tickets for the Festive Christmas Buffet with BARBARY @ SUNBORN GIBRALTAR Just answer this simple question:

What popular Christmas beverage is also called 'Milk Punch' The competition closes 25th November POST YOUR ANSWERS TO INSIGHT COMPETITIONS TO:

GBZ Media Ltd. Unit 6 Crutchets ramp, Gibraltar along with your full name and contact telephone number, Or send your answer by Email to jeaninsight@gibtelecom.net ​

WIN AN APPLE MINI HOMEPOD Question:

this Simply Answer six d actor played oo w lly Ho h Whic ristmas movie Ch e th in s le different ro ess' 'The Polar Expr

post your answers to Insight competitions, GBZ Media Ltd. Unit 6 Crutchets ramp, Gibraltar. along with your full name and contact telephone number, Or send your answer by Email to jeaninsight@gibtelecom.net Answers must be received before 25th November

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ARMED FORCES INSIGHT

PRIME MINISTER DEPLOYS UK MILITARY TO EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN TO SUPPORT ISRAEL AND REINFORCE REGIONAL STABILITY • Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft to begin patrols today [FRI] to help partners track emerging threats to regional security.

• Royal Navy task group to deploy to eastern Mediterranean in coming days to help mitigate humanitarian crisis • Military teams bolstered across the region as cooperation with Israel is stepped up The Prime Minister has directed UK military assets to be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean to support Israel, reinforce regional stability and prevent escalation.

Maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft will begin flying in the region from Friday to track threats to regional stability such as the transfer of weapons to terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, a Royal Navy task group will be moved to the eastern Mediterranean next week as a contingency measure to support humanitarian efforts.

The military package, which includes P8 aircraft, surveillance assets, two Royal Navy ships – RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus – three merlin helicopters and a company of Royal Marines, will be on standby to deliver practical support to Israel and partners in the region, and offer deterrence and assurance.

The Prime Minister has also asked for all military teams in Israel, Cyprus and across the region to be bolstered to support contingency planning and the efforts of neighbouring countries to deal with any spill over from instability in Israel.

ROYAL GIBRALTAR REGIMENT INSTRUCTOR SERGEANT DAVIES-PREVOST RETURNS HOME AFTER POSTING ON URBAN OPERATIONS COURSE Sgt Daniel Davies-Prevost, an Instructor in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG), has returned to Gibraltar after a short-term posting to the UK on the Urban Operations Instructor Course (UOIC), run by the Lethality Wing at the Infantry Battle School.

In total, 70 students from across all Army Cap Badges and 10 international students took part in a 4-week course, which aimed to qualify individuals to deliver Urban Training to the wider Army.

Sgt Davies-Prevost took a 10-person section and instructed them in Close Quarter Battle (CQB), Urban Offensive and Defensive considerations and finally completing the course with an Urban Combined Arms module.

Sgt Daniel Davies-Prevost said: ‘Being part of the Infantry Battle School as part of the Directing Staff so soon after doing my last infantry battle course was an honour. To be asked back to instruct at the heart of the infantry where commanders are made has been a privilege and a highlight of my career so far.’

The final module saw students working with Armoured Vehicles, Combat Engineers, Military Working Dogs and Assault Pioneers to deliver a combined assault within the Urban Environment.

This serves as another fantastic opportunity available to soldiers in the RG to support and work with other units across Defence.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister spoke to the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, today to understand the wider regional picture and underscore the importance of supporting civilians to leave Gaza.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “We must be unequivocal in making sure the types of horrific scenes we have seen this week will not be repeated.

Alongside our allies, the deployment of our world class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation.

“Our military and diplomatic teams across the region will also support international partners to re-establish security and ensure humanitarian aid reaches the thousands of innocent victims of this barbaric attack from Hamas terrorists.”

The package of military support, which will work alongside allies already in the region, is a significant demonstration of the UK’s support for Israel’s right to self-defence and will allow the UK to adapt to the needs of partners as the situation evolves over the coming weeks.

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NOVEMBER 2023

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FEATURE

Brandon Avellano

A PASSION FOR SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

WORDS BY JO WARD 48

NOVEMBER 2023

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

FEATURE

SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE OFTEN SAID TO ‘HAVE A GOOD EYE’. THIS USUALLY REFERS TO SOMEONE WHO NOT ONLY KNOWS HOW TO TAKE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH BUT ALSO HAS A KEEN EYE FOR COMPOSITION, LIGHTING, AND STORYTELLING. Twenty-eight-year-old amateur photographer Brandon Avellano is becoming recognised for his ability to capture winning sports photo shots, and credits his fiancée Charlene Busuttil for sparking his interest in photography. “She has been a photographer since the age of fourteen, so everything I have learnt is from her,” he says.

Fitting photography around his job working for the Gibraltar government, Brandon started by taking photos of the wildlife and nature he found around him, but it was his passion for sports that led to a volunteer position taking photos for the Scorpions Rugby Club. “I started covering more of the Rugby League matches until eventually I got asked if I wanted to take photos for some games at international level, and my first match was Gibraltar versus Jamaica at the Europa Sports Park.”

More recently, Brandon has signed up to become the official photographer for the Europa Point Football Club. “I have also worked for Manchester 62 F.C. and if I am free when Lynx FC are playing, I will go along and take some photos.”

“11-a-side football is something that I have played and watched all my life, so that is what peaked my interest in football photography.”

Brandon is hoping to get UEFA accreditation soon which would enable him to officially attend Champions League or Europa League matches. “I already have accreditation with the GFA that gives me pitch side access,” he states.

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Every photographer has their own individual perception of what makes a good image. “We all have our own personalities, that is the beauty of photography,” Brandon says. “For example, some photographers focus on trying to get photos of rugby tackles, whereas I enjoy capturing a different aspect of a match, such as when Manchester 62 scored and I captured a really good photo of a pair of players dancing as they celebrated after they had scored the goal.”

people start out in photography they think they have to buy high-end equipment, but I have had a camera which was fifteen years old and it is only now that I have managed to earn enough money to invest in the most recent technology.”

Quickly making a name for himself as a talented photographer, Brandon was asked to cover some events held at the Mayor’s Parlour by the previous mayor of Gibraltar, Christian Santos. “I also covered a couple of events for Sustainability week as well as during Pride Week.”

“I understand the concept, and it is quite popular with a lot of people like bloggers etc. but I have mixed views on that - if I am out and about and I see something I am happy to take a photo with my phone, but I try to carry my camera with me as much as I can - mainly because of the resolution and the quality of the photo.”

Being able to catch great moments on camera requires skill and perfect timing.

“If there is one piece of advice I would give to budding photographers is that it is all about having patience,” Brandon comments. “When a photo is published all that you see is just the tip of the iceberg.”

“What people don't realise is that you may have that one good shot but you will also have taken ten wrong ones.”

Recently, Brandon was asked to take photos for Futsal (indoor football), but this confirmed that he much prefers being outdoors. “There is nothing better than natural lighting over artificial lighting,” he explains.

Something else that Brandon wants to pass on is that you don’t need expensive equipment to take great photos. “When

With smartphone use for personal photography gaining in popularity, what does Brandon think about using his smartphone in his sports and event photography?

Above all, Brandon says that it is crucial to enjoy what you are doing. “Ultimately it is your time and effort that you are putting in, so don’t just chase the money, because if you aren’t enjoying yourself it will show in the finished image.”

Asked whether he hopes that photography could become a full-time career, Brandon says that at the moment it is a side business. “I have met a lot of lovely people who have been really helpful throughout my photography career,” he says. “I am the type of person who is willing to learn and sometimes you learn by making mistakes - so who knows what the future holds, the sky is the limit!

Follow Brandon on his Instagram page here: ba_p.hotography

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FEATURE

SWIMMING THE STRAIT

On the fourteenth of June, four local swimmers crossed the Strait from Tarifa to Morocco in an epic swim of five hours and eleven minutes. They did so in far from ideal conditions after their first weather window a week prior to the swim, saw it cancelled by ACNEG the Spanish body that controls and records supervised swim attempts across the strait.

Graham Olivero 53,Chris Keightley-Pugh 54, (UK national residing here since ‘95) and Nicola Favaro 37,(an Italian previously resident in Gibraltar) came together to plan for the swim of their lives last Autumn. Daniel Victory 37, joined them later around February this year. Although mostly they trained separately, the gruelling challenge ahead had been on their personal radars long before, as indeed had their particular reasons for taking on the strait swim.

Just like in charity marathons on dry land, the motivation to continue till the finish, comes from deep within each individual and three out of our four swimmers were driven by the memories of loved ones.

The youngest, Daniel Victory who lost his mother over seven years ago and also lost a very close friend more recently. “I was determined not to let them down and I would have had to be dragged out of the water. Nothing was going to stop me completing that swim. That was my focus.”

when he came back from injury to train for the strait swim. Our swimmers all concur that it’s a mental battle, tougher than the physical one. “You shut out fears, put one arm in front of the other and look down into the blue, regularly looking up for the lead boat, and sideways for your swim buddies”.

Nicola Favaro no longer resides in Gibraltar and trained himself for the swim in Italy. He was not present at our get together but remains in touch with our three. Daniel has already registered interest in doing a six and a half kilometre transcontinental swim from the Bosphorus strait in Turkey next year. Chris and Graham have shown interest in that too.

The swim attracts over 2000 swimmers worldwide. Swimming from Europe to Asia is bridging two continents in the swim and that is what holds the attraction for them. Daniel thinks it’s manageable as it is half a strait swim and with the recent strait swim under his belt, it would be a second transcontinental swim to achieve.

Our swimmers got together around January this year to consolidate the plan for the strait swim. They would be mentored by Nathan Payas and although they mostly trained separately, towards the end of the training they did swim together as they would have to stay fairly close to each other during the crossing.

Father of three Chris Keightley-Pugh lost his wife Carole to cancer two years ago and fell ill with severe depression after that. He had read that cold water swimming is good for mental health and dragged himself back to open-water swimming fitness, determined to honour Carole’s memory and heal in the process. In the event he succeeded on both counts.

Surprisingly the cost of inscribing for the swim is expensive. It set them back over eleven hundred Euros each as ACNEG, the people who control and supervise the swim, provide two launches that stay with them till they complete and then ferry them back to Tarifa. Chris says he checked and this is one of the most expensive Ocean Seven Swims (Ocean Seven Swims are international marathon channel swims) to inscribe for.

Graham Olivero lost his life partner two years ago and recalled that even when she was quite ill she had supported him on a record breaking ‘Round the Rock’ swim, so like Daniel, he too was strongly focussed for the mental battle ahead

Graham takes up the story: “Since the Tangier Med ferries run so frequently (and fast) the attempts to cross the strait are very strictly controlled and swims are not allowed on calm Easterlies any more, as they expect you to drift west and the

shipping lanes are too busy. In a Westerly they expect you to drift into the Med, so now they only allow crossings for swimmers on calm Westerlies.” It was rough on the day and a wave slammed Chris sideways taking his cap and goggles off his face. “You can’t train for that and it certainly knocks you off your pace. You need your wits about you out there” During their training it became obvious that Daniel, the youngest swimmer, was the fastest so Graham and Chris trained together at their own pace, eventually closing the gap between them so that they could stay reasonably close together on the day. I had wondered about their exposure to cold water for long periods and Chris surprised me with his answer.

“I found the cold water very helpful and in fact now I miss it because you acclimatise to it and they say it’s very good for mental health. During the training I had joined a friend of mine in Spain for various coastal swims with other Spanish swimmers. They all use wetsuits over there so I was getting strange looks in my speedos. I always felt great after those swims.” Graham concurs with him as he doesn’t like pools for training, although sometimes work schedules can push swimmers to train indoors. I tell them that I used to see Daniel train hard in the GASA pool, which led me to take an interest and ask him what he was training for. That’s how I first learned about their intended strait swim this summer.

“I was very clear I needed to swim more as last year injury kept me away” says Graham. “I was way behind these guys so when someone said swim for an hour I would do two and so we all followed our own schedules. I couldn’t train normal hours so I would go for very early swims (6am) in the dark with George Posso (Dolphin Swim Club). Chris remembers … “I did swims with my friend James from Conil to Tarifa where I joined him on stages of 10k swims. The swims we have in Gibraltar are beautiful but it’s also nice to swim elsewhere.”

Daniel gives us more insight into his

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FEATURE swimming. “I used to swim with Nathan Payas in GASA and in 2009 we went to the Island Games together and we have a good friendship. During Covid when I took up open water swimming, I told him that I wanted to do a strait swim. He gave me a lot of advice on open water swims and I did a ‘Round the Rock’ swim. When I found out that these three guys had a provisional slot for the strait crossing in June, I worked my training around that distance as Nathan had told me that ‘you need to swim 10k to cross’, although we ended up doing 17.5k (rather than 15k) due to currents making us miss the closest landing point. During my training I didn’t want to peak too early and the waiting after our first June window got cancelled was terrible.”

Graham: “Did I enjoy the training? Not really! Did I enjoy the swim? It was tough.

The toughest thing I’ve done and I can’t

really say I enjoyed it. Do I enjoy having done it? Amazing! On the day they asked us if we wanted to cancel because it was rough and we said no and it was probably one of the toughest crossings this summer.”

“Once I was in the water there was no way I would give up. They would have had to drag me out.” Daniel had never been more determined to succeed and this ‘big swim’ was for his mum and his friend Rory. It was almost a sacred challenge for him. Chris seemed a little disappointed that they had not come across any sea life during the swim. “I would have liked to see whales or dolphins.”

Daniel remembers a worrying moment when he put his head up and saw people in the support boat ahead pointing at something…”I could see that my dad and two other guys on the safety boat were pointing at something in front of us and I thought wow, here we go whales or a shark, but nothing happened. On the trip back I asked my dad and he said that they had seen pilot whales.”

I wanted to know how they had felt at the end of their big swim and they all agreed that they were pretty much destroyed and collapsed on the boat to gulp down fruit, cereal bars and chocolate to replenish their tired bodies. Chris said that the emotions came later… “The

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sense of achievement or euphoria comes later, like now when I drive along the Tarifa road I look across the strait and it all sinks in”. Graham has been on the coastal road twice since the swim, on his way to Zahara de los Atunes …“I now look across and wonder how did we do this, whereas before I would have driven past the ‘mirador.’” Daniel frequents the Med Steps and now admires the view across the strait with a very different eye.

After their successful swim they get into the record books and their times are also displayed on the ACNEG website.

Apart from that they were each awarded a swim certificate and a memento swim cap. “That’s the cap I use now“ says Graham proudly. He is going to frame his certificate and maybe his cap too. There is also a notable charity aspect to their achievement and that request came first through Chris.

“There is a person who requires urgent medical, perhaps lifesaving, treatment who is going to benefit from monies that we have accrued through sponsorship.

There is also a philanthropic foundation involved called ‘The Barzilai Foundation’ who Graham has connection with, that has agreed to come on board to also help this cause - as they also help other charities on the Rock.”

In a few months no doubt more will be known about how the epic swim across the strait of Gibraltar has helped to bring our swimmers closer to charity and helped them to realize their dreams of doing something really challenging to honour a loved one and also help others by their combined efforts. “Now we will all get back to normal forty minute swims instead of the long, cold and lonely three hour swims that we had to put into our preparation for the strait swim” says Graham.

“I have just got back from a break and actually feel that I want to get back into regular swims with the guys” says Chris and on reflection, Daniel feels that he wouldn’t take on the challenge again.

“I won’t say that the swim was easy because it wasn’t, but knowing what I know now I would prepare in exactly the same way.”

Our swimmers were mentored by Nathan Payas who is an elite swimmer,

having completed a number of international recorded challenging swims, achievements which continue to inspire the growing number of local swimmers who venture into the blue all year round in Gibraltar. Praise from Graham: “The reality is that when you train for this and a guy like Nathan Payas says ‘you’ve got this, you can do this’ it gives you a lot of confidence. He’s been there and done it, so he can comment with authority about feeds during the swim, technique in rough seas, etc and he brought his wealth of experience into the group at the beginning.”

Daniel joined in and added: “To be able to tap into his experience and get his vote of confidence was a great resource and proved invaluable when we had to swim for longer than we had planned for on the day”. Chris remembers how Nathan taught him how to change swim

technique for swims in rough water… “He has amazing technique and strength, he taught me a lot and when I swam with him it was all I could do to keep up”.

“The physical benefits are great. It’s a full body exercise and we are fortunate to be surrounded by coastal water which provides challenging swims and the sea is warm enough that we can swim all year round. I’m not going to say that it’s not cold in winter. It is, but you acclimatise and you can swim without a wet suit. If conditions are bad on one side of the Rock, you can generally swim on the other side and if you can’t, we now have two pools to train in. I would even say that the mental health benefits outweigh physical benefits.” That is a plug for taking up open water swimming and it comes from Daniel Victory.

My final thoughts are that when you consider that Everest has been climbed by 6338 and the strait has been swam by over 600 and out of that ten are from Gibraltar, is when you realize that the strait swim is quite the feather in the cap for more swimmers per capita here than many other countries. That is something that should not go underreported and our four swimmers have just added to that tally so we should be proud for them because it was a huge challenge on the day and still is a notable achievement.

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FEATURE

STAND UP WITH ME

WORDS WORDS

BY STEVEN

BY JOHNGONZALEZ GONTIER GFA 52

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FEATURE

THE GIBRALTAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION & MELON DIESEL ANNOUNCE EXCITING NEW PARTNERSHIP. THE GIBRALTAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LAST MONTH ANNOUNCED AN EXCITING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ICONIC GIBRALTARIAN ROCK BAND, MELON DIESEL. has been composed specifically for Gibraltar football. It is exciting as a Gibraltarian to see them back on stage again, and even more so with this song. We are releasing a lyric video of the anthem which will help our fans to learn it and chant along in our matches.

The initial centrepiece of the collaboration is the launch of the brandnew song titled "Stand Up With Me." “Stand Up With Me” has been written specifically, by Melon Diesel, in collaboration with singer/songwriter Jonathan Sacramento, for all of Gibraltar football and football fans, and aims to encapsulate the bands unique sound, energy and passion through its powerful lyrics.

The song was given an advanced screening in June both at the Estadio Algarve in Gibraltar’s Men’s National Team’s home European Qualifier versus France, and at Gibraltar’s Women’s National Team’s International Friendly versus Panama at the Victoria Stadium.

We also look forward to working together with Melon Diesel in other future projects. ”

online store, and is priced at an initial launch sale price of £39.99.

Commenting on the partnership, Gibraltar FA’s General Secretary Mr Ivan Robba stated: “We are thrilled to be able to an-

In addition to the anthem, the launch of the partnership will see the release of an exclusive ‘Melon Diesel Gibraltar kit’. This limited-edition kit, which has already been worn on stage by the band in recent concerts, will go on sale immediately on the Gibraltar Football Association’s

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nounce the start of a long-term partnership with Melon Diesel, a Gibraltarian rock band that have been global ambassadors for Gibraltar for many years.

‘Stand up with Me’ will be the first song released since the band readopted the name Melon Diesel, and

Melon Diesel frontman, Dylan Ferro added: “As a band, we have always been musically influenced by our homeland and our culture. When we were approached by the Gibraltar Football Association, we jumped at the chance to help produce a song

which further helps embrace our local essence and identity. We hope this team effort helps to further put our home on the world stage through football and as a band we have thoroughly enjoyed working on this project, we hope you all enjoy the song!”

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WAVE FC

GIBRALTAR WAVE FC'S REMARKABLE JOURNEY: FROM FOUNDING TO ECA GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN BERLIN A TALE OF AMBITION, GROWTH, AND INCLUSION IN EUROPEAN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL. Berlin, a city known for its rich history and vibrant culture, played host to the prestigious European Club Association (ECA) General Assembly from September 5th to 7th. This gathering of the most influential clubs in European football was a remarkable event for Gibraltar Wave FC, a club founded just over two years ago. Invited to join the new ECA Network, Gibraltar Wave FC seized the opportunity to showcase its journey from a nascent club to a promising entity in European football. The presence of John Gontier, Founder and Chairman of Gibraltar Wave FC, along with Managing Director Heiko Mock, was a testament to the club's ambition and commitment to growth of women’s football and especially in Gibraltar.

Gibraltar Wave FC's rise in the footballing world has been nothing short of astonishing. Founded in March

2021, this young club quickly made its mark in the local football scene. The passion and dedication of its founders and members, led by John Gontier, propelled Gibraltar Wave FC to success on the pitch.

The club's mission has always been clear: to provide a platform for talented players in Gibraltar to showcase their abilities on a broader stage.

THE ECA NETWORK INVITATION: A GAME-CHANGER The ECA Network, a newly established initiative by the European Club Association, aims to connect clubs from across Europe, fostering collaboration, and knowledge sharing. It is designed to provide a platform for clubs to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and collectively contribute to the growth of European football.

It is a Network for Aspiring Club of

Europe who cannot be an ordinary or associated member yet.

Gibraltar Wave FC's invitation to join the ECA Network was a pivotal moment in the club's journey. It marked recognition of the club's potential and its commitment to being an active participant in the European football community. John Gontier and Heiko Mock, the driving forces behind Gibraltar Wave FC, attended the ECA General Assembly in Berlin to represent their club on this prestigious platform.

“I have been in contact with ECA since a couple of months. I wanted to find out if it is possible to participate in their new women’s football initiative. I initially got a rejection. We were all the more delighted when I received the invitation to the General Assembly in my inbox. It was immediately

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WAVE FC

clear to John and me that we would both be there.” ,said Heiko Mock.

“We had a chance to meet so many interesting people from European Football. I had the chance to exchange a few words with Gaizka Mendieta or to talk with Nasser Al-Khelaifi.”, adds John Gontier.

“But the most iconic moment was Heiko Mock having a conversation with Nasser Al-Khelaifi (Chairman of ECA), Aleksander Čeferin (President of UEFA) and Natalie Portman (Actress and Co-Founder Angel City FC) and I took this amazing photo.”, continues John Gontier.

GIBRALTAR WAVE FC'S VISION FOR THE FUTURE At the ECA General Assembly, John Gontier and Heiko Mock shared their vision for Gibraltar Wave FC's future.

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They emphasized the club's commitment to developing women’s football, promoting football in Gibraltar, and contributing to the European football landscape.

They also expressed their eagerness to collaborate with other clubs and organizations within the ECA Network.

Through partnerships and exchanges of expertise, Gibraltar Wave FC aims to enhance its own capabilities and make a meaningful contribution to the growth and development of European football.

CONCLUSION Gibraltar Wave FC's journey from a new club in Gibraltar to an active participant in the European Club Association's Network is a testament to the power of ambition, dedication, and a strong sense of community. John Gontier, Founder and Chairman, and

Managing Director Heiko Mock have taken their club to the heart of European football in just a short span of time.

As Gibraltar Wave FC continues to grow and make strides in the world of football, its story serves as an inspiring example for aspiring clubs and football enthusiasts alike. With a commitment to girls development in the future and a strong community focus, Gibraltar Wave FC is poised to make a positive impact not only in Gibraltar but also on the broader European football stage. Their presence at the ECA General Assembly in Berlin is a clear indication that they are on the right path to achieving their ambitious goals in the world of football.

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FEATURE

ARE YOU

SAD It’s that time of year when the clocks have gone back and we are heading into those winter months, the weather is changing and the nights are getting darker earlier and the days seem shorter.

You may have noticed that your mood isn’t as good as it has been, maybe you’re feeling depressed most of the day and you notice that your energy levels have dropped and you are having problems concentrating.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern and is sometimes known as the ‘winter blues’ because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter and yes, it is a real medical condition. While it is much less common, some people experience SAD in the summer.

SAD symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include many symptoms similar to major depression. Apparently women are three times more likely than men to suffer from the condition. If you feel you have symptoms associated with SAD, it is a good idea to go to your Doctor for a consultation.

According to the NHS, the exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days of the year. Sunlight can affect some of the brain’s chemicals and hormones. However, it is not clear what this effect is. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which controls mood, appetite and sleep. These things can affect how you feel.

It’s like a form of human hibernation when the body begins to exhibit ‘vegetative’ symptoms (sleeping longer, feeling sluggish and craving carbs) before a unpreventable low mood sets in around four weeks later. This form of hibernation can easily lead to insular and socially withdrawn patterns of behaviour. People suffering from SAD may find it difficult to manage daily activities and chores, they may not want to go to school or work and find it difficult to have any social interaction with others.

In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect the production of important chemicals

in the body — such as cortisol, the primary stress hormone; melatonin, which promotes sleep; and serotonin, which is needed for mood regulation The body’s circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock, which regulates several biological processes during a 24-hour period) and which tell us when to wake up, eat and go to sleep, are set by daily light exposure. Although primarily linked to low serotonin levels and a disrupted body clock, a physical illness or trauma can trigger SAD too.

There are things that you can do yourself to help this unwelcome effect on your mental health.

Light therapy A special lightbox to use at home can mimic the outdoor light and is a common treatment for SAD. It involves exposure to a bright-lightbox for a certain period of time each day, typically in the morning. Always consult a medical or mental health professional before embarking on the purchase of a lightbox, especially as some rare conditions could make light therapy unsuitable, and make sure you buy one that provides the correct intensity or evenness of light required. Ideally you should find one with a large screen that emits at least 10,000 LUX (a measure of light intensity). Doctors might recommend that a person with SAD sits by a lightbox that provides 10,000 lux for 30 minutes each day as soon as possible after waking up.

Natural Light Try to get as much natural sunlight as possible – even a brief walk for 20 to 30 minutes can be beneficial. Make your home environments as light and airy as possible and try to sit near windows when you're indoors.

CBT Therapy Studies indicate that CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), a common type of talk therapy, may provide longer term benefits. This is usually led by a qualified therapist, and can also be effective for other forms of anxiety and depression.

By challenging and uprooting negative thought patterns, CBT helps people to identify and engage in enjoyable activities. In a recent American Journal of Psychiatry study, researchers described a trial that compared the use of light therapy alone to a combination of light therapy and CBT. Results were positive in both groups; however, after one year, participants treated with CBT were faring much better than individuals treated with light therapy alone.

The focus is simply on proactively coping with wintertime. For example, a person with SAD may tend to view winter very negatively. Talk therapy tailored to shift this perspective into proactive responses can be beneficial.

Scandinavian Hygge The Scandinavians have some of the shortest days over winter, with lower light levels. The word Hygge derives from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, hugga, meaning ‘to comfort’ or ‘to console’ – and conjures up a sense of cosiness think warm blankets, candles, comfort food and time spent with the family. So try and do as the Scandinavians do - they have conditioned themselves to enjoy the changes, rather than succumb to the dreariness of winter. A little Hygge can go a long way!

SAD causes a wide variety of mental, physical, and emotional symptoms that can get in the way of life. Make sure you live life to the full and get treatment for SAD rather than succumbing to the winter blues.

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International Hospital

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INSIGHT PHARMACY MEDICAL DIRECTORY USING THE GHA APPOINTMENT SYSTEM Same day appointments – Only when necessary: If you need a same day appointment call 200 52441 between 8:15am and 11:00am If you need an emergency evening clinic appointment call 200 52441 between 4:00pm and 6:00pm Advanced Appointments: Patients who wish to make an advanced appointment or a telephone consultation with their named or preferred GPs may do so for up to 4 weeks in advance by; Calling 200 52441 between 11:00am and 3:00pm Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre

More than 20 medical specialties to make your healthcare our priority

Other Services:

The Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre has more than 20 specialties, including these recently incorporated: • Dermatology • Paediatrics • Psychiatry

• Pediatric surgery • Neurosurgery

Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre Unit 1, Lexington, Midtown, Queensway Rd, Gibraltar

• Gynecology • Diabetes consultation

Ask for an appointment vithas.es 200 42259

Booking online via Gov.gi: By using the Gov.gi eServices app

Patients who wish to use the following services, • Over70’s Driving Medical • Blood Clinic • Well person or Sexual Health Clinic • Smoke Cessation Clinic May either a) Call 200 52441 between 11:00am and 3:00pm, b) Book online via Gov.gi c) On the Gov.gi eServices app

Other Primary Care services: Cancel an appointment - please call 200 72355 between 8:15am and 3:00pm or do so online via www.gha.gi Repeat Prescriptions – please call 200 07909 between 11:00am and 3:00pm or do so online via Gov.gi or in the Gov.gi eServices app Sick Note - please fill in the required form online via www.gha.gi or Gov.gi General enquiries - please call 200 72355 between 8:15am and 3:00pm.

For urgent medical advice, patients can call 111 at any time.

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ON DUTY PHARMACIES The Opening Hours for the Pharmacies On Duty Are: Monday – Friday: 7pm-9pm Weekends/Public Holidays: 11am-1pm & 6pm-8pm Duty Pharmacies for September: 31st Oct to 6th Nov 2023 Calpe 93 Pharmacy 93 Main Street

Tel: 200 77230

7th to 13th Nov 2023 Cumberland Pharmacy 33 Cumberland Road

Tel: 200 67557

14th to 20th Nov 2023 Morrisons Pharmacy, Morrisons Store Westside Road Tel: 200 75765 21st to 27th Nov 2023 Family Pharmacy 151 Main Street

Tel: 200 68861

28th Nov to 4th Dec 2023 Ocean Spa Pharmacy Unit 12B Glacis Road

Tel: 225 02152

Please contact our main Call Centre on Tel: 200 79700 or the Hospital Pharmacy on Tel: 200 07107 for any queries.

PRIVATE CLINICS Aria Medical Group HC Marbella International Hospital Vithas Xanit Gibraltar GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

MEN'S

HEALTH November is a month-long health awareness event focused on promoting physical and mental wellbeing among men. Men’s Health Month and is aimed at shining a light on men’s health issues and encouraging both men and boys to make healthy life decisions. Some health issues affect men disproportionality – our aim is to help drive awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection of disease.

Heart Disease Overall, men are more likely than women to develop heart disease. There are several risk factors that could increase your chances of having a cardiac event. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and modifiable lifestyle factors (cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet) significantly contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• By following a low-fat, high-fibre diet.

Limit the amount of salt you eat to no more than 6g of salt (is about 1 teaspoon).

• If you smoke, giving it up will reduce your risk of developing heart disease Smoking is a major risk factor for developing atherosclerosis (build up of plaque in the arteries).

• If you drink, do not exceed the maximum recommended units (14 units a week). Always avoid binge drinking, as this increases the risk of a heart attack.

• Monitor and keep your blood pressure under control. Your target blood pressure should be below 140/90mmHg. If you would like to get your blood pressure checked ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider.

• Research suggests that physical activity can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by as much as 35%. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening is a way of checking if there’s a swelling in the aorta, the main blood vessel that runs from your heart through your abdomen.

Men aged 65 or over are most at risk of getting AAAs. Screening can detect an AAA before it bursts – if an AAA is found, you can have regular scans to monitor it or surgery to prevent it from rupturing.

Mental health Men are less likely than women to access help for psychological issues and twice as likely to die by suicide when compared to women. Society’s expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to discuss their mental health problems. Men are also more likely to use coping methods such as drugs or alcohol, which can worsen the symptoms of many mental health disorders.

If you are concerned about a friend or relative, there are local resources which can help.

Local resources for positive mental health : In the event of a mental health crisis, dial 111.

Main mental health line Telephone: 200 78807 Community Mental Health Team Telephone: 20042307 Gibsams Telephone : 116123 Email: info@gibsams.gi Clubhouse Gibraltar Telephone: 20068423 Email : admin@clubhousegibraltar.com

Testicular Cancer Testicular cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in one or both of the testicles. Testicular cancer has a very fast onset. If not detected early, the cancerous tumours can grow rapidly with the ability to double in size in just 10 - 30 days. Upon reaching puberty, all men should conduct a monthly testicular self-exam. If you have any concerns or notice any changes, speak to your healthcare provider.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms of prostate cancer include : • Needing to urinate more frequently.

• Straining whilst you urinate.

• A feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown. However, the chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older. Most cases develop in men aged 50 or older. Men who have a close relative affected by prostate cancer are at slightly increased risk themselves. Additionally, obesity has been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Men aged 50 and over can now book a blood test to check for prostate cancer by simply sending an email to the GHA : prostate@gha.gi. The fast-track system means you do not need to consult your GP. If you have any concerns about the health issues discussed in this article, speak to your healthcare provider.

It can be serious if it’s not spotted early on because it could get bigger and eventually burst.

WORDS JOE ADAMBERRY WORDS BYBY ALASKA SANZ, GHA 60

NOVEMBER 2023

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

RESTART A HEART DAY GHA staff and Members of the Gibraltar Cardiac association held CPR demonstration sessions on Saturday 14th October at Casemates Square and Tercentenary Sports hall.

Photographs by Brandon Avillano

The demonstration sessions were held to raise public awareness of what to do in the situation of a sudden cardiac arrest. The sessions were well attended. A spokesperson for the GHA explained the importance of members of the public Recognising the signs of a cardiac arrest and having the right skills can save a life.

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Breast cancer is a disease which affects millions of people worldwide and occurs in different forms and subtypes. One of the most challenging subtypes is triple-negative breast cancer. This type of cancer accounts for approximately 1020% of all breast cancer cases diagnosed.

Dr. Begona Jiménez, breast oncologist at HC Marbella Hospital, talks about this type of cancer and the treatments developed in recent years.

What is Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer is characterised by the absence of oestrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. This limits treatment options, as drugs targeting these receptors are ineffective.

What advances have been made in the treatment of this disease?

Until a few years ago, the only treatment option available was conventional chemotherapy. However, in recent years, new hope has emerged in the fight against this disease thanks to the incorporation of immunotherapy for patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer in addition to the development of drugs called antibody-drug conjugates. These therapeutic agents have shown promise in clinical trials and may mark a “before and after” in the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

What are antibody-drug conjugates?

Antibody-drug conjugates are an innovative form of targeted therapy which combine the properties of antibodies with the ability to transport toxic agents (chemotherapy) di-

body-drug conjugates have been shown to be effective even in patients who have developed resistance to previous treatments.

As advances in research and development of antibody-drug conjugates continue, we may be seeing a significant shift in the landscape of treatment for metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer, providing hope to people affected by this disease.

ANTIBODY-DRUG CONJUGATES AND IMMUNOTHERAPY AS THERAPEUTIC ARSENAL FOR METASTATIC, TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER.

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy drugs harness the power of the body's own immune system to kill tumour cells.

Triple-negative breast cancer is particularly sensitive to immunotherapy. Several clinical trials have shown an increase in survival by adding immunotherapy to conventional chemotherapy in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, as a result these therapies are now fundamental pillars in the treatment of this disease.

rectly to cancer cells. These antibodies are designed to recognise and bind specifically to proteins on the surface of cancer cells, allowing them to selectively deliver drugs or toxic substances (chemotherapy) directly to the tumour.

These types of treatments have been evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, and the results have been encouraging.

These studies have shown a significant improvement in overall survival, and progression-free survival,in comparison to standard therapies used previously. Additionally, anti-

m arb e l la

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Expert Immunity Support for the Whole Family As the winter approaches, we often seek ways to protect ourselves from seasonal illnesses such as colds and flu. What we really need to do is to make sure that we support our immune system by taking care of things such as sleep, exercise and our diet. This is particular relevant for school age children who are exposed to new viruses and bacteria.

So how do you provide immune support for your kids and toddlers at the same time as looking after the adults in the family? The nutrients that keep our immune system working well include vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D as well as copper, folate, iron, selenium and zinc.

We don’t always manage to hit our daily nutrition goals, so here are a few suggestions that you may want to add in to your daily intake to fill any gaps in your diet.

Manuka Honey Manuka honey is considered a superfood and the benefits of taking Manuka honey have been celebrated for centuries because of its anti-bacterial and healing properties. Manuka honey comes from the nectar of flowers on the Manuka bush in New Zealand.

Whilst Manuka Honey should not be given to children under the age of 12 months, not only is it safe for older children but it comes with a long list of benefits that include soothing sore throats and supporting gut health.

Take a glass of warm water and mix in one or two tablespoons of Manuka honey, maybe adding in some ginger and lemon for extra potency. Children are happy to drink this as they don’t think of it as medicine!

Manuka Doctor produce 100% pure New Zealand (it’s not mixed with variants from other countries) Manuka honey – approved and tested in the science lab.

Try Manuka Doctor Premium Monofloral Manuka Honey MGO 240 from Holland & Barrett.

Vitamin C Do you remember being given an orange flavoured Vitamin C tablet every morning before school when you were young?

That practice seems to have faded out now, and it is recommended that Vitamin C should be sourced naturally from foods such as citrus fruits, (oranges, kiwi, lemons and grapefruits), bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. If you are struggling to get your kids to eat fruit and vegetables, try them with flavoured soft chewable gummies. Holland & Barrett Kids Vitamin C Immune Support Pineapple Flavour Gummies not only taste great but they are packed with Vitamin C to help children over the age of 3 to meet their daily dietary requirements.

Vitamin D This is an important nutrient that contributes to the normal function of your immune system and helps maintain normal bone and muscle function. Even with natural exposure to the sun some people may still be at risk of low Vitamin D. Other sources of Vitamin D include salmon, mackerel, sardines, milk, eggs and liver.

Children aged 1 - 4 need a vitamin D supplement during the winter months because they cannot get enough naturally from the sun or their diet. Holland & Barrett Kids Vitamin D Gummies will ensure your kids get their daily boost of Vitamin D that will aid normal growth and development of bones and to help build up their immunity.

Adults should also consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement, especially during the autumn and winter months.

Holland & Barrett Vitamin D3 tablets can help your body absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks for strong bones. Together with calcium, vitamin D helps protect you from developing osteoporosis, a disease that thins and weakens the bones and makes them more likely to break.

Zinc Zinc is an essential nutrient found in a variety of plant and animal foods, and is found in red meat and poultry as well as seafood, nuts, whole grains, cereals and dairy products. The best source of zinc is oysters, but for those of us who don’t

eat oysters on a daily basis, supplements are the best option! Solgar Zinc Picolinate tablets supports normal function of a healthy immune system, and maintenance of strong and healthy skin, hair and nails.

Zinc is especially important to support normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence.

Vitabiotics Wellkid Immune Chewables are orange and lemon flavour chewable multivitamins developed especially for children aged 4 - 12 years to provide a comprehensive range of 24 nutrients to help safeguard your child's nutritional intake. They also contain zinc which contributes to normal immune system function.

Cod Liver Oil Just a spoonful of… who remembers the time when children were routinely given cod liver oil to supplement what was considered to be a poor diet and to combat rickets and bone growth disorders.

Portrayed sometimes in films being given to children from a communal spoon, it often elicited a grimace from those who received it!

Adults should consider taking one Holland & Barrett Cod Liver Oil tablet a day.

They are rich in essential Omega 3 Fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which help to maintain normal vision, heart and brain function. These capsules also contain Vitamins A and D. For the younger members in the family, try Holland & Barrett Kids Vegan Omega 3 plus Multivitamin gummies with no nasty fishy taste or smell.

Advisory Information: Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varie d and balanced diet and a healt hy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breas tfeeding, taking any medicatio ns or are under medical supervisio n, please consult a doctor or healt hcare professional and always read the label before use.

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EXPERT IMMUNITY SUPPORT for the whole family

T & C’s Apply. Selected items only. Subject to availability.

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POLICE INSIGHT

RGP Officer Deploys to the Falkland Islands RGP Chief Inspector Paul Chipolina has become the Falklands Islands’ temporary Chief of Police, after a mutual aid request was received to cover the position until mid-November whilst the current Temporary Chief of Police travelled to the United Kingdom.

A PROMOTION

IN THE RGP

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A Royal Gibraltar Police officer has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Detective Constable Mohammed Ahammad will now become the Sergeant in Special Branch, having worked there for the past three years.

Angela Posso Retires from RGP After a 41 year career in the Civil Service, almost 35 of them spent working with the RGP, with 7 years at the old Central Police Station and 27 years at New Mole House, Higher Executive Officer Angela Posso has retired.

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PACS

A

PACS SUCCESS STORY ONE OF THE NICEST THINGS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT PACS IS WATCHING THE CHILDREN GROW. We meet them as Newborn’s at Bumps & Babies, watch them develop at our two playgroups and then see them leave us all grown up and ready for big school! Its an amazing journey to be a part of. For some children, the transition between our groups is plain sailing, but for others we can really see the importance of our work…..

In September last year, we had a little boy come through our doors who really wasn’t sure if he wanted to be there.

He’d been before as a baby as he has older siblings. Then Covid happened, Summer Holidays and time went by.

His Mum decided it would be good to start coming again as he was due to start pre school in a year. He wouldn’t walk in. He clung to his Mum’s leg and was very, very shy. She tried a couple of times but he really wasn’t keen.

We suggested that she start to come to our Tuesday group, Playsense. A requirement of thisgroup is that you

must book as we only allow a maximum of 10 children. His first session went ok, after around 45 minutes he went to see what toys we had. For

the next few weeks, we slowly saw this amazing little boy come out of his shell. He started coming to Cooking Club, made a little friend and called us

his PACS school. He now attends both of our Playgroups, Cooking and Craft Club and of course his very own PACS school on a Tuesday morning. On arrival he greets us with a big smile and grabs our hand to show us the toys he wants to play with. In fact, he doesn’t stop talking! His lovely Mum now gets to have a cup of tea and much needed chat whilst knowing that he’s happily playing. One of the things I personally love is that when he sees us in the street, he shouts our names and waves vigorously. We’ll miss him at PACS school when he’s at Pre-School but we’ll still see him at Cooking and Craft Club and we’re looking forward to hearing all about his morning. This, amongst other things, is why we LOVE volunteering at PACS. As we’ve said before, socialising your children during their early years is both beneficial to both you and your child. This story is evidence of this.

What's On @ PACS TOTALLY TODDLERS - MONDAYS 9.45AM - 11.15AM Mid Harbours Family Centre. Come join us for Storytime, craft and play.

PLAY SENSE - TUESDAYS 9.45AM - 11.15AM Play Sense from 9.45-11.15am at Mid Harbours Family Centre.

A quieter play session for those children who may find our other sessions overwhelming. To book, please email pacsgib@gmail.com BUMPS & BABIES - WEDNESDAYS 9.30AM - 12.00PM The Methodist Church. Our regular social catch up for parents to be and babies in a home from home atmosphere. This is a relaxed session where parents can meet up with their young babies to enjoy a cup of tea, make friends and talk about the highs and lows of parenting.

VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS NEEDED! always on the If reading this inspires any of you, we are always welcome, lookout for new volunteers. Any help is h of people! and you’ll be working with a great bunc

COOKING CLUB – WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY The Methodist Church. A fun session aimed at toddlers aged from 2.5 upwards giving children the chance to make and try different foods. Booking required.

SENSORY STORY TIME – THURSDAYS 12.30 - 2PM The Methodist Church. Come join us for some interactive Story Time Fun! Different themes every week!

DIDDY DISCOVERERS – FRIDAYS 9.45 - 11.45AM The Methodist Church. Come join us for free play, story time and song time fun!

MONTHLY CRAFT CLUBS Ages 2.5 upwards. Details will be announced on our Facebook page.

FACEBOOK PAGE D FOLLOW OUR PLEASE LIKE AN OUR GROUPS: DATES ON ALL OF FOR REGULAR UP R PACS GIBRALTA

Contact Us for more information!

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

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Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

PONCHO

Poncho arrived at the pound in March ‘23 and was about 2 years on arrival.

He is a very sweet dog; he loves cuddles and all the attention he can get, and he is good with the other dogs at the pound.

More info: www.spanishstraydogs.org.uk

JULIO

BONNIE Bonnie is around 5 years old. She gets on well with other dogs and is a very affectionate, loving dog. She forms bonds with people very quickly and she is gentle with children. She’s calm, house trained and used to living in a house before she was abandoned.

She is looking for a loving family who will keep her forever.

More info: www.ainf.gi

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AMUN

Amun is around 6 years old although he looks older as he has suffered a lot in life already. He is calm and gentle and very affectionate with people. He is professionally trained and doesn’t pull on the lead or react to other dogs. He would be best as a sole dog with someone who can bring some joy to his remaining years.

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Julio arrived at the pound in March ‘23 and was about 6 years old on arrival. He is a gorgeous bodeguero that was found abandoned in the streets.

At first, he was timid, but he now likes the attention from the volunteers and get along well with the other dogs. He is so cute!

More info: www.spanishstraydogs.org.uk

NOVEMBER 2023

GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

A VET'S INSIGHT

Caring for your elderly cat Pet cats can live to a ripe old age, with better awareness of diseases and good use of prophylactic medication we can possibly get your feline to live that bit longer so that you can enjoy its kneading on your bed sheets and the morning wake up call for an extended period.

As with all illnesses/diseases the sooner the condition is diagnosed then the better the prognosis and the more effective any medication will be. Sometimes only the smallest physical or behavioural change can be an indication that some organ is not quite functioning at 100%.

These are the most common symptoms that could indicate that something is not quite right: •A slight increase in drinking and urination, polyuria/polydipsia • Weight loss or gain •A bnormal behaviour, e.g defaecating outside litter box , increased vocalisation • Decreased vision • Difficulty eating Different illnesses can cause several of the symptoms described above, so a visit to the veterinary clinic is essential. It is our job to get you an accurate diagnosis, your pet could be suffering from renal disease, high blood pressure, diabetes , liver failure , etc , thankfully at the clinic we have a complete selection of diagnostic tools to help get your cat diagnosed rapidly and effectively . The sooner treatment is started the better the long term prognosis, we have had cats living well into their 20s thanks to this.

SHOULD I FEED A DIET FORMULATED ESPECIALLY FOR SENIOR CATS ?

Based on research, most "senior diets" have increased amounts of vitamin D and B6, calcium and fiber, with some added antioxidants and omega fatty acids thrown in for good measure.

Older cats do seem to have a reduced ability to digest fat and protein. Studies found that 50% of cats 15-25 years old are underweight.

Perhaps that is due to their reduced sense of smell and taste, decreased intestinal absorption, bad teeth or a side effect of one of the common chronic diseases of older cats. Several of these "Senior Diets" have fewer calories than those marketed for midlife. Be careful about using those if your cat is already thin.

If your elderly cat has a tendency to constipation, the extra bran fibre might be helpful. If you believe in the protective power of antioxidants, you should see to it that your pet receive them for its entire life. If your cat needs added fibre because it has diabetes, the added fibre might be helpful, however their senior formula is too high in carbohydrate for that use. Their increased glucosamine might help old cats that have arthritis. But the amount they consume

WHAT SHOULD YOU FEED YOUR ELDERLY CAT? Cats thrive on diets that are high in moisture (canned or fresh), relatively high in meat protein and fat, and balanced in essential minerals and nutrients. Pet food manufacturers and nutritionists rely on the specific research in formulating commercial diets and all brands are quite similar in their nutrient analysis.

Cats do not, by nature, thrive on carbohydrates or plant-derived proteins.

will be less than with many joint supplements.

So, if you plan to offer your cat dry diet, a “Senior Formula” is a good food. But there is not much science to back up the slight formula modifications that have been made.

Another problem with “senior” formulas is their one-size-fits-all caloric content. Many older cats tend to be too chubby until they reach about 12 years of age. After that, many become too thin. Some gain or lose too much weight somewhat earlier or later. Overweight cats need a diet formula that is less caloric while underweight cats need just the opposite.

MY CAT HAS STOPPED EATING, SHOULD I PANIC The simple answer to this question is yes.

Cat’s metabolism is totally different to dogs; they cannot go more than 3 or 4 days without eating, especially if they are obese/overweight at the start.

A cat that does not eat for a few days is prone to developing fatty liver, a potentially fatal disease if not For more diagnosed early information please and if not treated aggressively. phone Gibraltar This is a condition Vetinary Clinic on commonly seen in 200 77334 the elderly obese cat that may go off its food for another problem (but can affect cats of any age), but the anorexia then results in the liver developing serious disease.

In summary your elderly feline may require a lot of tender loving care as the years progress, be aware of any small changes in behaviour or feeding habits etc as they may be a warning that not all is well.

We are now running a Senior Wellness Plan for our older patients at the Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic. With advances in veterinary care we are able to help the older sick animal but the earlier the diagnosis the more we can do.

Don’t feed your cat generic or house brand because their low price dictates that their ingredients be low quality. Mid or average priced cat foods tend to have better quality ingredients and most brands market top-of-theline premium formulas that are likely to be a bit better. Those are the brands I suggest.

WORDS BY MARK PIZARRO GIBRALTARINSIGHT.COM

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CAINE

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KIT

Caine is the most gentle of boys. He’s so loving, although initially shy, with the sweetest of natures. Caine is an incredibly endearing cat. A healthy boy at 14 years old and originally from the street, Caine would benefit from a peaceful home where he feels secure and loved.

Sweet “Kit", the kitten who lost his meow. Found on the street in an emaciated state, this incredibly loving circa 6 month old boy is now blossoming! He's a true survivor....and a very cute one at that. Yet to meow, we're hoping Kit's forever family will be the ones to hear his voice for the first time. Could that be you?

More info: (Facebook) @SaveGibStreetCats

More info: (Facebook) @SaveGibStreetCats

NOVEMBER 2023

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HOROSCOPES

YOUR FUTURE IN THE STARS

NOVEMBER WITH KATE MCHARDY

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 23)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 - Dec 21)

Life may seem to present you with too many choices this month, Aries. The best way to go is to listen to your intuition and go with it. Don’t second guess yourself just do it. If you feel stuck or unsure then take a deep breath and trust yourself.

You are being reminded that you don’t have to struggle so hard, Leo, for the things that you desire. Simply align your heart with the actions you take and allow the Universe to provide for you every step of the way.

Possibly the most important thing we can practice, Sagittarius, is gratitude. In this seemingly unstable world, we can bring inner stability by giving thanks every day for the simplest of things. Being grateful for our ‘daily bread’ is more powerful than we can imagine.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21)

VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 23)

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 20)

You will be called upon to stand in your truth this month, Taurus. This will be challenging for you as it may feel like you are letting someone else down by doing so.

However, we are all here to learn and to love and truth, gently told, is love in essence.

Miracles are real, Virgo, and they do happen every day. When we are ready and open to receive, with faith, miracles happen. They do not always appear in the way we imagine, but when we can hand over our idea of what should happen then we can receive something much, much better.

Whatever you are working on at the moment, Capricorn, it may be a project, an answer or a decision to be made, you must set your thinking mind aside and go into your feeling mind. Two different things. The answer lies somewhere beyond ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and beyond ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Take the risk...

GEMINI (May 22 - Jun 22) There is no harm in pleasure, Gemini, and this is a fine time to indulge yourself in the pleasure of creativity. Whatever you are drawn to creating is just right for you and will bring about healing in important areas of your life. Give yourself permission to create.

LIBRA (Sep 24 - Oct 23) If you have been struggling to make ends meet, Libra, then it is important that you relax your mind and clear the toxic energy that is building up. Remind yourself that you are spiritually and financially abundant and that any challenges you are experiencing are merely distractions from your path.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19) Now is the time to look at what really matters to you in your life, Aquarius, and at what you truly value. You may have to bravely defy all external expectations in order to be true to yourself. This is truly aligning with your soul and allowing it to speak.

CANCER (Jun 23 - Jul 22)

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22)

PISCES (Feb 20 - Mar 20)

You need some time alone, Cancer, for clearing your mind and having a clearer view of your way forward. You have been dealing with other peoples’ issues of late, and now it is time for your own to be honoured. Make the space.

There may be a sense of jealousy around you at the moment, Scorpio, and this is most uncomfortable. You may or may not know who is feeling this towards you but, either way, simply consciously radiate the glow of feminine love and power to all and this will bring the necessary healing.

The Universe really does give us endless possibilities, Pisces, it is us who create the glass ceiling. You are being reminded that even if you think that your secret dream is impossible (and you do), it isn’t. Trust in what you believe about yourself. Trust what is within you. Have faith!

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

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FEATURE

Authenticity then, is about being real, being genuine. To be true to one’s genuine self. Something that is becoming more and more difficult in today’s world. So many people are clinging to the residue of the life they had or thought they had.

Like clinging to a raft at sea when you have been shipwrecked, but not knowing where you are headed. Many people are feeling shipwrecked in life at the moment and clinging to strands of that which feels familiar. All the while trusting less and less in the people and the world around them. It seems that, at every turn, there is a new rule, a new way of doing things. We are bombarded with messages that we are not good enough. Life revolves around modern technology, smart phones and apps … and the separation from fellow humans grows daily.

It is almost impossible to keep a true sense of self in these times, when the messages we are being given are contrary to what we have grown up to believe as truth and have brought up our children and grandchildren to believe as truth. Family values, integrity, being in touch with and staying true to your inner self, loyalty, friendship, honesty and so on. It takes conscious effort every day to hold to these values and stay sane in a world which is seemingly based on exactly the opposite.

Dance has long been used as a metaphor for life. Why? It has been said that dance allows people to be more active, to socialize and develop creative and physical skills. Just a few of the benefits and increased exercise dancing can give you are; reduced stress levels, improved relaxation, stronger bones & muscles, weight control and a healthier brain!

I love this quote by Louie Marin, (Broadway dancer and teacher).

“I think at the end of the day, for any dancer, whether beginner or advanced, having a sense of oneself in relation to one another (in a class) is key to any sort of life challenge. For me, dance is a metaphor for life, and that's what we'll be doing in this class.” (Louie Marin).

AUTHENTICITY and the Dance of Life.

The dictionary tells us that to be authentic is to be “real, not false or copied”. True to self (whoever that is).

Dance is a journey of meeting and parting and finding each other again. Minute to minute and day to day. Dance, as a metaphor, evokes connection, freedom, creativity, improvisation, beauty, emotion, and meaning. We move individually and yet together. There will always be a leader and a follower and they may switch roles from time to time but the best dancers, dance from the inside, and will always know their true role and how to compliment each other. Apart and together.

As we dance and twirl through life, we recreate our issues, our dramas, our experiences. When we think we’ve learned one of life’s tough lessons it pops up again in another guise and off we go again! In reality, we write and rewrite scripts to keep ourselves from stepping up and being truly seen.

In dance, when we are learning new steps, we practice them until they are natural and with the merest guidance from who is leading, we slip the steps effortlessly into place. Life is the same …we all have an inner leader who we follow. Too often this leader is our ego who, invariably, helps us to feel unsure, confused and guides us to get things wrong or repeat the same old mistakes. These steps also become effortless – but we wonder why because, deep inside, we know better.

As spiritual beings living in physical bodies, it is easy to become confused and to lose sight of our authenticity. Just as the sun never forgets to rise, the moon to set or the flowers to grow, so we must never forget that we are divine beings, made of exactly the same stuff as the sun, the moon, the flowers. We are all made up of vibrating energy and that energy understands us so much better than we understand ourselves. Our ‘thinking’ mind gets in the way and we over analyse. The ‘feeling’ mind gets overlooked and we get ‘doing’ in order to control outcomes rather than just be and allow the process to unfold. We believe that we have to be in control and that technology will set us free. It won’t … only we will set us free by reclaiming our authenticity and being true to the divine energy of who we truly are.

I believe that to free myself up – my focus and my energy is to be of true ‘service’ to humanity and to our planet. Of true service to the Divine Source from which we all came and are one with. It’s about taking responsibility for why you are here, on earth, at God’s will and committing yourself in service to God by removing the earthly distractions that we all hide behind, rather than be our authentic self and shine brightly, as intended.

We must be authentic in the four pillars: Physical Intellectual Emotional Spiritual.

For example: We allow abundance by being spiritually authentic and honouring our divinity. Clear all debts and pay your bills on time each month – release feelings of unfairness in the world. Rise above the injustice and the greed and the corruption as these are manifestations of the ego run wild and have no relevance to our higher purpose. It is about bypassing those negative aspects (don’t feed the illusion) and thereby creating the mental and emotional space for personal and global healing. This then allows for mental clarity and emotional stability.

Your Light is bright – Let it Shine.

KATE MCHARDY MA(HONS) PGCE MSPH. SPIRITUAL COACH, TEACHER AND HEALER. The University of Light Group www.thehealingretreat.net katemch@gmail.com • +44 7712889534

WORDS BY KATE MCHARDY

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MARRIED

on the

Rock

YEHONATAN & JORDAN, MARRIED IN GIBRALTAR ON 31 AUGUST 2023 PHOTOGRAPHER JENNA BROWN

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Take the time to seek

serious advice

BMI Group are an established and a leading real estate agency with a strong presence in Gibraltar. Over the past three decades we have successfully played a key role within the local property market and acted as consultants for major residential and commercial developments such as, Atlantic Suites, Kings Wharf, Buena Vista Park Villas, The Sanctuary and The Anchorage to name but a few.

BMI offers sales, lettings, commercial, management and consultancy services to a wide portfolio, including banks, law firms, accountancy firms, gaming, high net worth clients and private clients.

BMI GROUP ESTATE AGENTS info@bmigroup.gi

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BMI Group Limited, Unit 7 Portland House, Glacis Road, P.O. Box 469, Gibraltar 76

www.bmigroup.gi

WORDS BY RICHARD CARTWRIGHT # B M I G ro u p NOVEMBER 2023

# Le a d i n g Ag e n t s

# G i b ra l t a r

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