Gibraltar Magazine - July 2011

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • property • history • community

g

ibraltar the

July 2011 Vol. 16 No. 09 FREE

Much Ado About Gibraltar

What the Rich Want?

Can’t Believe it’s not Clutter?

Jessica’s Wild Wild World

Royal Ascot on the Rock and much more...

...

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2007

tax planning • corporate & commercial • FINANCIAL SERVICES • funds • litigation • PROPERTY • trusts

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Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. is licensed by the Financial Services Commission, Licence No. FSC 001 00B. Services and products are not available to everybody, for instance not to residents of the US.

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july 2011

what’s inside

arts & lifestyle

features

32 42 44 46 58 62 72 74

Rebecca’s One Party Animal Victory’s Boxing Clever Mario Arroyo: A Lifetime in the Arts€

business & finance 8 9 14 16 8 20 22 24

Business & Finance Guide Companies - Why Incorporate Celebrations for Ibex

34 36 37 38

40 60 66

Where are all the Jobs?

HR Clinic: Your Questions Answered Royal Ascot at the Rock Gibraltar Woman takes on polo Gold Cup challenge

property files

34-39

The Wisdom of Buy to Let Property Directory Blind Benefits Can’t believe it’s not clutter?

food & drink

80-89

80 Cafe for Culture Vultures 82 Recipes 85-88 Restaurant & Bar Guide 89 Wine: Why did July?

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Savannah’s Outdoor Festival Jessica’s Wild Wild World Bats in Our Buildings Summer Colour What’s On July Watercolour Dreams Lush Life & Funken Tramps Much Ado About Gibraltar €

history & heritage

What the Rich Want €

sport & health 49 52 53 54

48-53

What is Sciatica?

Health & Medical Directory Men - Be Aware Children’s issues

regulars 68 Puzzle Page 90-91Around Town

information

70-71 94

City Centre Map Gibraltar Information

dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • property • history • community

26 64 76

MI7 Agent is Rock’s Detective Novelist Carley Kept them Afloat MP Fought Canadian Confederation

gibraltar the

July 2011 Vol. 16 No. 09 FREE

Much Ado About Gibraltar

What the Rich Want?

Can’t Believe it’s not Clutter?

Jessica’s Wild Wild World

Royal Ascot on the Rock and much more...

...

Photo: © DM Parody (http://dotcom.gi/photos)

Vol. 16 No. 09 July 2011

The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by

Guide Line Promotions Limited

Mailing: PO Box 1124, Gibraltar Office: 17 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 77748 Email: gibmag@gibraltar.gi Publisher/editor: Office manager: Studio:

Andrea Morton Jolene Gomez Kirsten Openshaw

Copyright © 2011 Guide Line Promotions Limited.

All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine.

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Magazine & website archived by the British Library

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JULY JULY 2011 2011 GIBRALTAR

business & finance

Companies – why incorporate?

by Ian Le Breton

Recently, while re-reading some articles on the website of the Gibraltar Magazine, I was struck by the number of references to the new Gibraltar corporate tax regime that came into force on 1st January this year. Many other contributors have, like me, been celebrating this new system and explaining why it is good news for Gibraltar.

This is all very well — and I agree with most of what has been written — but hang on a minute: most readers of this magazine are not involved in the finance sector in Gibraltar and may be asking themselves why we are making such a fuss. Surely this is just for the millionaires and doesn’t have any relevance to them?

Wrong. There are many situations where using a private company might be beneficial for all sorts of reasons. In this month’s column, I will attempt to break down some of the myths about setting up your own company and, perhaps, identify some of the potential pitfalls. I am also convinced that as this sector grows in Gibraltar and more such companies are established, we shall all benefit — but more about that at the end.

First of all, some basics. When we talk about such companies, we are not discussing large public “household name” companies such as BP, Vodafone or HSBC Bank. “Public” in this context means that the shares are publically traded on a stock exchange. For example, in London the 100 largest companies together form Britain’s best-known index — the FTSE100, also known colloquially as the “Footsie”. Daily changes in the share prices of these companies are converted into an indexed figure that moves up or down accordingly. Hence the stock market is

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

said to be rising or falling depending on overall sentiment, market conditions and a whole host of other reasons.

Back to our private companies. Typically these are owned by an individual or small group of individuals. There are normally limits as to how many people are involved and, indeed, if the number of individual shareholders is, say, 100 or more, then the underlying company is likely to be classed as a fund and regulated in a different way.

Let’s stick to the more common situation where there is one individual who is the shareholder. He or she will need to consider the appointment of a director — a position they could very well undertake themselves or, depending on the circumstances, they may choose to ap-

Under what circumstances would having one’s own company be useful, advisable or, in some cases, absolutely critical?

point a professional firm to act as a “corporate director”. However this is done, the director or directors must always act in the interests of the company — ultimately that means its shareholders or owners.

Other important roles in a company include the company secretary whose job it is to ensure that the company remains in good standing and keeps up to date with reporting and so on. Failure to do this can be serious because a company that does not pay its annual fees to government or file its returns promptly and accurately can be “struck off”. I can tell you from experience that a “struck off” company that still owns assets such as a bank account or property can lead to some very troublesome situations that can be very expensive to resolve. It is far better to ensure that the company is set up and managed correctly from the outset. This might cost a little more but the old maxim that “you get what you pay for” could have been written with the corporate services business in mind.

So much for the mechanics. Let me now return to my contention that setting up such companies is not just for millionaires but can also be of benefit to ordinary people like you and me. Under what circumstances would having one’s own company be useful, advisable or, in some cases, absolutely critical? To answer

business & finance this, let us consider the advantages to be found when setting up — or to use the correct phrase “incorporating” — a company.

The first advantage can be determined from the suffix that is generally attached to almost all Gibraltar company names — “limited”. Simply put, it is all about liability. If you set up a company today, your liability will be limited to the value of the share capital that you acquire. Even if the company goes bankrupt, your other assets should not be affected.

A second major advantage to incorporation is confidentiality. This can be especially useful here in Gibraltar where it is said that we all know each other — and each other’s business even better. Simply setting up a company and acting for yourself will not provide confidentiality because shareholders and directors are on the public record. By using nominee shareholders and unrelated — but carefully chosen — directors, however, anonymity can be achieved.

Taxation is another important issue. This is not the place for me to enter into a long debate about tax and besides I have previously written about our highly attractive new corporate tax rate of 10% here in Gibraltar. Suffice it to say that, although companies should never be used merely to hide assets illegally from the taxman, with careful planning your tax liabilities can be minimised.

There are a host of other reasons why incorporating could be advisable but as always every case is different and should be considered individually. What about the disadvantages?

The first issue most people will consider is cost. This will vary according to the personal

or business circumstances of the client but even the simplest structure is likely to cost several hundreds of pounds a year, and probably more in the first year when it has to be incorporated.

Add to that the need to prepare accounts in many cases and the issues of setting up and managing bank accounts, and this is clearly not for everyone. So what type of situation could warrant the establishment of such a company?

Firstly there are businesses where the limited liability aspect is most important. Many professionals at potential risk in the future should something go wrong in their own field will normally consider incorporating at the outset. Another reason is where an individual is setting up a business with one or more other individuals. A company provides a clear legal framework for doing this and would normally be highly advisable, if not essential.

Alternatively there may be clear tax advantages involved — buying property in Portugal,

Personal tax liabilities including charges on inheritance, capital gains and others, if applicable, are all reasons why such a route may be followed

for instance, is a popular use for such structures and there are countless other examples. Personal tax liabilities including charges on inheritance, capital gains and others, if applicable, are all reasons why such a route may be followed. Put simply, there are as many reasons to incorporate as there are jurisdictions in which to do so.

I have gone on at length in recent articles about the new Gibraltar company tax regime and I am convinced that we have a world class product that will benefit all of us. The more business we can attract to Gibraltar in this way, the more firms such as Sovereign will need new staff to administer them.

Everything in this article is necessarily general in nature; individual cases vary enormously so please seek advice before doing anything.

But my final message is this. Private companies — and Gibraltar companies in particular — are extremely useful under a wide range of scenarios. It’s good business for Gibraltar as a jurisdiction, and therefore great for all of us who live here. n

Schroders for Red Cross Schroders Private Bank held a reception at the Convent, in mid-June, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor, in aid of the Gibraltar Red Cross charity.

Right: CEO Schroders Private Bank Channel Islands and Gibraltar Julian Winser, with the Chairman of Red Cross, Eddie Davies, and Captain Jamie Allan, ADC to HE the Governor.

Left: Manager of Schroders’ Gibraltar office, Mike Bull, with Genevieve Langford who helped organise this event for Schroders. n

10

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

isolas-stones-gibmag:Layout 1 1/17/11 3:30 PM Page 1

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Trusted since 1892 We offer the stability and security of advice that only the longest established law firm in Gibraltar can do. So whatever you’re planning, wherever you’re headed, we’re right behind you.

For all your legal requirements, contact:

info@isolas.gi Portland House, Glacis Road, PO Box 204, Gibraltar Tel: +350 2000 1892 Fax: +350 200 78990 www.gibraltarlawyers.com

business moves

MRW keep moving forward, opening new doors, and expanding their services

MRW: The Journey Forward After 18 years of success in business, the team at MRW has gained solid business expertise, and is continuing to deal with customers’ requirements in an effective and timely manner, as they have always done, at their new location in the centre of town.

Now MRW has relocated to larger premises of Unit G7 Cornwall’s Centre, it has been able to consolidated all its services under one roof,

consular work, translations, and even photocopying and fax facilities also available, you can now contact MRW for all your communiand in a convenient spot just minutes from cation or courier needs. n Main Street.

MRW’s services range from a courier serv- MRW, Unit G7 Cornwall’s Centre, Gibraltar. Tel: ice to private mail-boxes and mail forwarding 200 76216 or 200 73158 Fax: 200 48679 Email: facility. With internet facilities, public phones, ops@mrw.gi

MRW has been able to consolidate all its services under one roof, and in an ideal location, in the centre of town Micro Business Systems Ltd

PO Box 661, Unit 102, New Harbours Walk, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 42723 Fax: (+350) 200 40612 Email: sales@mbs.gi www.mbs.gi

Providers of Records Management Services, Systems & Solutions since 1989 Digital Document Scanning Any document size up to A0, network and standalone access/retrival Document Microfilming Any document size up to A0, network and standalone access/retrival.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

career file

Audrey Olivares-Smith

Achievement for Audrey & Gibraltar’s Pathology Services Audrey Olivares-Smith, Deputy Pathology Services Manager at St. Bernard’s Hospital, has been appointed the first International Liaison of the American Society of Cytotechnologists (ASCT), to promote ASCT international membership. Audrey has been an ASCT member since 2005.

This prestigious organisation, founded in 1979, aims to promote and develop the profession to the highest standards for the practice of diagnostic cytology, including cervical smears. This includes updating members with current legislative and legal issues pertaining to the profession as well as supporting and promoting educational opportunities for members at regional, national and international levels.

Audrey trained in diagnostic cervical and surgical cytology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (RPMS) Hammersmith Hospital in London, England under the supervision of Professor Thomas Krausz and Ian Phillips.

Audrey is a current member of the British Society of Clinical Cytol-

ogy and the National Association of Cytologists. She also currently serves as Chairman of the Gibraltar branch of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), an organisation she has been a member since 1995 and has been actively involved with since 2006.

As part of her role in IBMS Audrey has organised educational talks and international conferences.

The most recent IBMS conference, organised by the IBMS Gibraltar branch in collaboration with the Hong Kong branch, under the umbrella of the Gibraltar Health Authority was held in November 2010.

It was a truly international event, with attendees from Europe, Africa, and Asia. n

Gaming Host Trainee Programme Following the successful training scheme launched last year (a partnership between the Ministry of Employment and Gala Casino Gibraltar), trainees who successfully completed the course are now in permanent full-time employment.

Therefore the Gala Casino Gibraltar is running another programme this year and will take on 16 trainee Gaming Hosts for a six months training programme.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

People over 18 years of age, registered unemployed or awaiting placement under the Vocational Training Scheme, who are good communicators and are willing to work shifts will be given training priority. Successful completion of course will result in employment.

For further details of the scheme contact the Ministry of Employment Tel: 20040410 Ext 256, or email jaydangomila@gibraltar.gov.gi

13

events

Celebrations for Ibex Move The official launch of Ibex Insurance Services Ltd’s new offices at 68 Irish Town took place in mid-June, with a drinks reception held at Sacarello’s restaurant across the street.

The Chief Minister, the Hon. Peter Caruana did the honours of cutting the ribbon, and congratulated John Harrison and the team at Ibex for its growth over the past 10 years and its sensitive restoration of the heritage building which now houses the spacious and modern office suites.

Ibex Insurance Services Limited now employs over 80 people and has seen continuing growth through its network of agents and via its retail offices, of which there are now 14 in Spain and two in Portugal.

Ibex Insurance Services now combines both its Gibraltar retail office and its ever expanding team of underwriters, claims, administration and management teams under one roof.

Visit www.ibexinsure.com or pop into 68 Irish Town for more information. n

14

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

events

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technology recruitment

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To find out more about our suite of recruitment services, call James Appleby on 200 52474 www.hrgogibraltar.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

15

business & finance ● ● ●

●

Report provides in-depth global analysis into financial personalities of the wealthy Report reveals link between use of financial self-control strategies & wealth Emotions tempt us to buy high and sell low and can cost investors up to 20% in returns over 10 years Those with £10m+ top list in desire for more financial discipline

what the rich want Nearly Half of Wealthy want More Financial Discipline...

Despite their wealth, 41% of high-net worth individuals wish they had more self-control over their financial behaviour, says the latest report in the Barclays Wealth Insights series. Interestingly, a need for increased financial discipline is likely to be felt most by those at the wealthiest end of the scale (£10m+), where 45% of respondents wish they had more self-control. This is despite the report showing that those who want self-control are less likely to be satisfied with their financial situation.

The report, Risk and Rules: The Role of Control in Financial Decision Making is based on a global survey of more than 2,000 high net worth individuals, and provides an indepth examination of wealthy investors from a behavioural finance perspective. It considers the different financial personality traits that exist amongst wealthy investors, and the different self-imposed rules and strategies that they put in place to deal with these traits. Emotional trading can cost investors up to 20% in returns over a 10 year period, and the report shows that those who employ high strategy usage have on average 12% more wealth than those who do not use rules.

16

Globally, respondents in AsiaPacific have the greatest desire for financial discipline, particularly in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In contrast, developed markets show less of a desire for self-control, as illustrated by respondents in Spain, Australia and the US.

Markets showing greatest desire for more financial discipline 1. Taiwan 2. Hong Kong 3. Korea 4. Qatar 5. Japan

The report shows that those who employ high strategy usage have on average 12% more wealth than those who do not use rules

Markets showing least desire for more financial discipline 1. Spain 2. Australia 3. US 4. South Africa 5. UAE

Greg Davies, Head of Behavioural Finance at Barclays Wealth said: “Many people will be surprised to see that wealthy individuals have a desire for greater financial discipline, however with increased wealth comes an increased complexity of investment decisions. The key thing that investors need to consider is how these decisions might fit in with their

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

business & finance overall investment strategy, and importantly, how they fit in with their individual requirements.”

Franco Cassar, Country Manager of Barclays Wealth Gibraltar said: “This report provides an in-depth study into the financial personalities of wealthy investors globally and gives a fascinating insight into their behaviour. When it comes to financial discipline, there is a great desire for more control when compared with other markets, which presents an interesting challenge for the wealth management industry. Clearly, more needs to be done to help clients understand their financial personality and the benefits of using financial self-control strategies.”

Emotional trading & lost returns In order to understand investment behaviour and the pitfalls that investors may be prone to, the report considers three personality dimensions; risk tolerance, composure and promotion vs. prevention.

It reveals an interesting pitfall on the theme of ‘emotional trading’, which can tempt us to buy high and sell low, which can cost investors nearly 20% in lost returns over a 10 year period.

Limitations of self-control lead to what the report identifies as the trading paradox. Globally, a third of those polled (32%) say that trading frequently is necessary to get a high return, however these respondents are over three times more likely to believe they trade too much. In total, almost half (46%) of respondents who believe you have to trade often to do well think emotions force them to do this.

This can potentially lead to the investor becoming unable to control how often they trade. Of all the personality types, the most likely to fall into this category are those with low composure, high risk tolerance and a high prevention focus.

Rules rule The use of rules and strategies in financial decision making are seen as hugely effective by wealthy respondents. They provide increased financial satisfaction, and are associated with higher wealth levels for those who report wanting more financial discipline. Comparing the group with the highest strategy us-

age to the lowest strategy usage, we see a 13% boost in financial satisfaction and a 12% boost in wealth.

The report shows that investors use many types of decision making strategies to control their decision making process, and use rules more in financial decision making (89%) than they do in everyday life (72%).

The most popular includes using cooling-off periods (91%) and setting deadlines (90%).

Delegating to others (72%) and limiting your options (64%) are less popular options, although both inherited wealth and an increasing level of wealth, lead to an increasing likelihood to rely on others and delegate financial decisions.

The report shows that a combination of strategies is most often employed as people tend to take the approach of; involving others, being more structured and/or removing temptation.

Greg Davies continues: “If we attempt to follow a fully ‘rational’ path without self-control the effects are clear — we will over-trade, and we will buy high and sell low. As a result we will be less effective and less satisfied investors. In order to prevent this we need to take steps to facilitate our efforts to exert self-control.

“This can only happen if we give something up, such as our flexibility to responding to market movements with knee-jerk reactions, or it may mean sacrificing a small amount of the performance of the ‘rational’ portfolio in order to ensure that we have a portfolio with which we’re emotionally comfortable in the short term.”

The Zen of Ageing The report also shows how a desire for greater financial discipline declines markedly with age, from over half (53%) of those aged 45 and under wanting more control over their finances, to just a quarter (26%) of over 65s. This in turn results in less need for the use of strategies. This is also associated with a decrease in stress and an increase in financial satisfaction.

Younger respondents also show a habit of deliberately avoiding information about how the market or their portfolio is performing — 82% of those aged 45 and under do this, compared to just 68% of those aged 65 and above. n

The use of rules and strategies in financial decision making are seen as hugely effective by wealthy respondents GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

17

recruitment

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Have you ever had this happen to you? You run into a friend you haven’t seen for a while and they tell you they have a fantastic new job and you think “How come I didn’t hear about that job?� The truth is that there are jobs out there that don’t make it to the job boards or into the newspaper. Here are some tips that can help in making sure you don’t miss out on those hidden vacancies.

Get the word out Many people secretly search for jobs. This means you haven’t posted your CV online, applied for jobs, or even registered at an agency. You’re not really looking for a new job, you just want to see what is out there. If anything good comes along, then you’ll consider applying. While keeping your options open is a good idea, a few minor changes may present more opportunities that might be interesting but were not visible.

While it is understandable that

you might not want to actively apply for positions or register your CV risking the possibility of your current employer coming across your details, it is recommended that you speak to a professional.

A recruiter that you feel you can trust is an excellent place to start.

A professional recruitment consultant is often made aware of new jobs before they are advertised online, they will meet and discuss with you confidentially to ascertain what you are looking for and explore your options as well as offer some guidance as to whether you are on the right track.

The best approach is a personal email directly to your consultant of choice explaining your situation.

Be sure to send them a copy of your updated CV explaining your situation and ask them if they would be able to meet with you to discuss your options. Be clear when you

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speak to them that you are not unhappy where you are currently working, but that you want to keep your options open for your next career move. This will allow them to understand your needs and be able to keep you informed appropriately.

Do the leg work Although you might not be very active in searching for new opportunities, it may help to do some research. This will ensure that you know what you want for the future as well as the best places to find it.

No one knows your career goals better than you. This can often be communicated best through specific examples. Some research into companies, skills and experience required for the next step or qualifications that are attractive to employers will help you to know where you want to be working in the future. Find out where others are working, who is happy in their current company or position and who isn’t. Find out why they are happy or not. From this research you can get a better understanding of the best options for you. Be sure to let your recruitment consultant know this information as well.

Another possibility for you is to move right into the interview process. There are companies which are happy to interview or speak to a candidate even if they might

There are companies which are happy to interview or speak to a candidate even if they might not have the perfect position at that moment 18

?

Where are all th

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

?

recruitment

ll the jobs

not have the perfect position at that moment. This can give you the opportunity to make a good impression for the future. A good consultant can help you through this process as they know their clients well and are familiar with the skill sets they seek. They will be able to match you up with a client accordingly and ideally create a new relationship between you and a well suited company for you.

Consistency is key Be sure to follow up with your connections. It’s great to do the investigation work, but it can all be for nothing if you don’t follow up from time to time. Consultants

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

by Oliver Medina, Executive Recruitment Manager (Financial Services & Banking), Select Recruitment (Gibraltar)

can get very busy and meet a lot of candidates so it’s best to help them out by making sure they remember you! New roles become available all the time, in Gibraltar it changes every day, and you will have a better chance of knowing about that role before anyone else if you take the time to refresh the memory of those who are there to help you. Send as many amended CVs as you wish, improvements

are always welcomed by a good references are up to date, it is always advisable to obtain written consultant. references from your previous two employers. References need to be Be prepared Even if you are not actively kept as current as possible.

Take the time to implement these searching it is always best to be prepared should that perfect op- steps into your personal job search portunity present itself. Have and you will set the groundwork your CV updated with all your for a great career. Finding the right relevant skills and experience to job takes time, care and good repropel your career in the direction sources. If you don’t feel comfortyou want. Make sure that your able advertising your intentions of leaving your position, then use the help of a good recruitment consultant. If you have a professional and positive experience with that consultant then please refer them to your friends. They will thank you for it. n

Even if you are not actively searching it is always best to be prepared should that perfect opportunity present itself

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human resources My girlfriend has recently been offered a job with very little holiday. She was told that the job only had one week’s paid leave. Is this legal and if so what is the minimum holiday a company can get away with?

Could I lose my job over my personal debts?

Holiday pay depends on whether the role is part time or full time and therefore how many hours the person is contracted to do a week. But as far as I know normal full time hours ie 37.5 or 40 per week attracts 15 days holiday per year by law. That is the bare minimum so anything less can be reported. n

I have rented a flat here in Gibraltar as I work in a local company. I used a local agent and have had some problems with paying rent and some bills are outstanding. The agent has threatened to speak to my HR department about it and I was wondering if they can do this by law. Could I lose my job?

human resources Bullying in the workplace takes many forms, and the bullies themselves may not even be aware of the impact their actions are having

If the contract is in your private name then the company should have nothing to do with it. I am wondering, however, how the agent knew who you work for? Did the company you work for recommend this agency or did they write a reference for you?

Technically, if you have personal problems with rent and bills it is nothing to do with your company and certainly not something you would lose your job over. However, if your failure to pay your rent or bills could have any comeback on the company you work for, then they could have some recourse. Be careful if they have referenced you or recommended you to the agency and speak to HR to explain the situation just to make sure you are in the clear. n

My company is offering voluntary redundancy and I would like to be considered but am afraid if I ask for it they may refuse and then have it in for me and try to get rid of me. What do you think?

Gibraltar’s HR Clinic Gibraltar’s HR Clinic:

Employment & Your Rights Employment & Your Rights Real Questions Answered

Real Questions Answered...

If your company is offering redundancy then

you are at liberty to ask about it. You are then

Each month Anna Moffatt, HR Consultant to HR GO Gibraltar, takes questions from the not in a position where you have to take it.

Each month Anna Moffatt, HR Consultant to HR GO Gibraltar, general public on HR related issues and gives you the benefit of her experience. This is your law you have a right to decide and if your takes questions chance from the general public about n HRemployment related issues and andBy to raise any questions related issues receive some free advice company then refuse redundancy and start to from the suitably qualified individual. make your working life difficult you have full gives the benefit of her experience. This is your chance to raise recourse to seek advice and if necessary speak any questions about unemployment related issues and receive to the tribunal who are very capable and willI am in a very nice job in a position I really and a big issue develops from it, you can refer you go early. If you have holiday owed to you, n against your notice as well. but there is a lady in ourqualified department individual. back to the notes, and it is obvious you have ing some free adviceenjoy from a suitably youto canhelp. use this who is making my life a misery, she bullies me and is always talking down to me I feel like leaving is there anything I can do?

tried to seek help.

If after investigation nothing has been done or you feel unhappy you can always apply for a transfer within the company. n

Qualified with the Chartered Institute of Personnel HR GO Gibraltar, formerly Corporate Resources LTD, one and Development (CIPD), Anna wassomething heavily youofcan Gibraltar’s ThereMoffat, is always do and longest established recruitment agencies.

I have been offered another job and they nobody should ahave involved in the set up of the HR Forum, bodyto tolerate this kind of be- want me to start immediately but I am on its always very sad to hear cases. established in Gibraltar tohaviour, help promote awareness If these you are an employee or employer and have a month’s notice can I just leave or will I There are very clear guidelines in Gibraltar now of HR procedures and legislation and to allow employment questions you would like Anna to answer be in trouble? about bullying and harassment, many compainformation sharing. Anna acts as policies a HR Consultant to please email in confidence to anna@gibresources.com. nies have to that effect.

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If possible sit down with your line manager or HR Manager and discuss with them and let them know how unhappy she is making you and try to make notes of comments conversation and issues so you have evidence and dates etc.

At least if it is documented in your HR file

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If you have passed your probation period and are paid monthly then you are on a month’s notice and as such will be expected to give one month’s notice. If you resign and discuss with your employers they may help you out by letting

Explain to your new employers that you are

Qualified with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Anna Moffatt, was heavily involved in the setup of the HR Forum, a body HR GO’s HRestablished Consultant, Anna in Gibraltar to promote Moffatt, is here to answer your awareness of HR procedures employment questions and legislation and to allow information sharing. Anna acts as a HR Consultant to HR GO Gibraltar, formerly Corporate Resources Ltd, one of Gibraltar’s longest established recruitment agencies.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

If you have employment questions you would like Anna to answer please email in confidence to anna@gibresources.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2011

achievements

2.Zero’s Winning Ways...

Young Enterprise team TwopointZero travelled from Gibraltar to York in the UK to compete in the regional finals of Young Enterprise.

They managed to take away several awards: the Sales, Marketing and Customer Focus award, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship award, and the Leadership award, which was awarded to the Managing Director of the company, James Victor.

TwopointZero will now go on to compete in the Nationals held in the Savoy Hotel in London in mid-July.

TwopointZero is a technology company and is specialist in customised USB flash drives, a fantastic corporate gift, and a unique marketing tool for marketing a

business. The young entrepreneurs have so far sold over 1,500 flash drives to local and international companies.

Young Enterprise is a UK notfor-profit business and enterprise

education charity founded in 1963 to forge links between schools and industry. It is made up of regional organisations, each operating individually. Young Enterprise’s mission statement is “to inspire and

equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.” n For more information about TwopointZero visit www.twopointzero. gi and www.gibdrive.com

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21

corporate events

Royal Ascot at the Rock Pictured are guests at the Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros, Royal Ascot afternoon, at the Rock Hotel pool in mid-June. It was a colourful afternoon of designer creations and millinery masterpieces recreating Royal Ascot’s Ladies’ Day here in Gibraltar. Champagne, strawberries, horse racing and socialising... n photos by: Sophie T Triay, Events Photography, mobile: 57863000 sophiettriay@gmail.com

22

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

corporate events

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23

challenge

Sian Wood will take part in the Gold Cup’s opening match at Santa Maria Polo Club

Gibraltar woman takes on Gold Cup polo challenge A senior legal professional in Gibraltar has been picked to train as a polo player and will debut alongside the sport’s elite at this year’s Gold Cup in Sotogrande, Spain.

Sian Wood, 37, has undertaken a challenge of a lifetime in a bid to become a polo player in just two months, ahead of the tournament’s opening match at Santa Maria Polo Club on 21st August.

Picked from dozens of hopefuls, she and three other amateurs will be put through their paces as part of the Pro-Am Challenge — a gruelling training programme that will include 30 intensive lessons, coached by the world renowned Santiago Torreguitar.

The Gold Cup, in its 40th year, is the most prestigious and highly anticipated polo event of the international circuit. The Pro-Am event

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is in its sixth year and organised by Team Management International — a well-known equestrian sports sponsorship company based in the UK. Sian, who is being sponsored by Schroders,

is finding the challenge both exhilarating and rewarding.

She said: “There is no doubt this is the toughest challenge I’ve ever taken on but it is something I am embracing whole-heartedly and despite the pain really enjoying it!”

Sian’s achievement of winning a place on the Pro-Am team is made all the more remarkable by the fact polo is traditionally a very male dominated sport.

“I know I have a lot to learn and prove as polo is very male dominated. It is very much a contact sport and known for its physicality.

People new to the game are often shocked by the contact element of riders and ponies clashing together. But what really appeals to me is the thrill of the game, the competition and the beauty of the horses,” added Sian.

David Dunbar, Sponsorship Director at Team Management International, said Sian was one of only two women to get through the application process and he felt she stood out from the crowd at the beginning.

“We can summarise the qualities we look for in a Pro-Am very simply — grit, determination and the will to win. The third — the will to win, is really important — without it a candidate would simply fail to endure the physical and mental hardships of training at this speed and at this level.”

David said Sian’s experiences in a corporate environment gave her an edge in terms of understanding the importance of teamwork.

He added: “You never have a single person who can make a polo match a success. A polo field is three times the size of a football pitch — one individual can’t possibly succeed at this game, it takes the whole team. Sian really understands this and I believe she will be an incredibly worthy Pro-Am candidate. I don’t think you can underestimate her achievement.”

Nick Bennett, Director of Schroders said he was delighted to have Sian as an advocate for the company and had every confidence in her ability to rise to the challenges that lay ahead.

When he first heard of Sian’s achievement of being picked for the Pro-Am Challenge he was struck by the similarities between values upheld on the polo field and those championed by his company.

“I felt that a partnership between Schroders and the Pro-Am challenge would marry perfectly because of similarities between our company ethos and the values upheld within the sport. We believe teamwork, passion and excellence underpins everything we do as a business and those are the exact qualities needed in Sian to overcome the challenges she has in store.”

Representatives from Schroders in Gibraltar, Spain and Guernsey will be attending the Gold Cup tournament in Sotogrande to witness Sian’s debut as a polo player this coming August. n

Picked from dozens of hopefuls, she and three other amateurs will be put through their paces as part of the Pro-Am Challenge

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

technology

Kedhlow Directors Jonathan Rix and Gareth Humphreys

Passionate about Rugby & IT...

Kedhlow (Gibraltar) Ltd, an IT hardware and support company, was formed in July 2009 by two individuals, Jonathan Rix and Gareth Humphreys, with differing backgrounds, who met through their love of playing and coaching rugby.

CEO Gareth Humphreys, ex-HM Forces, had worked in the IT and Telecommunications Industry for the likes of GN Comtext and AT&T. Jonathan Rix, CFO, had spent 25 years in the leasing business working for Socgen and Barclays amongst others, before setting up his own brokerage in the UK. It was over a pint in Sutton & Epsom RFC

that the idea to set up as an IT reseller was first mooted, and after numerous, lengthy discussions, Kedhlow was incorporated in the UK, in 2008.

It quickly became apparent that Gibraltar offered an opportunity Gareth was keen to develop. Having been born here he was keen to get back to his roots, and a year on, the Gibraltar

office was opened. “It did not take long to see the huge potential here,” explains Jonathan, “and after researching the market, the competition, and the low barriers to entry, we decided this was worthwhile pursuing.”

The company quickly outgrew the first office and is now centrally located in Tuckey’s Lane. While the initial momentum was directed towards the gaming sector, where they have enjoyed considerable success, they have branched out into other areas too, such as insurance and the legal profession. They purchased an existing IT support business NetworkinGib, which gave them a route into new clients, and enabled them to pursue the vertical integration which Jonathan feels is vital to any successful business.

The company quickly came to the notice of a number of vendors and in March this year Kedhlow was appointed as an authorised HP partner. With HP’s assistance the engineers were trained and fully accredited, and are now able to provide rapid and professional support to their clients in Gibraltar.

Gareth and Jonathan were also keen to become involved in some sport-based marketing, to help promote the company, and when the opportunity to sponsor one of the teams in the recent Super IVs rugby tournament came up, it was the easiest decision they made. Consequently the Kedhlow Buccaneers sported some very smart kit and ran out tournament winners, with the cup being presented by Minister for Sport, the Hon. Edwin Reyes. “Sport is something we are passionate about,’’ stated Jonathan, “as it embodies a team of people, with complementary skills, and a common goal — much like any successful business.” n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

25

student update

Rebecca Faller

Rebecca Faller:

by Elena Scialtiel

One party animal Rebecca Faller has been politically active for longer than she cares to recall from her tidy scrapbooks, where she saves any newspaper snippet about her lobbying for Gibraltar at international liberal conferences, or local events from yesteryear Liberal Party.

Rebecca joined the then Gibraltar National Party (GNP) under the helm of Dr. Joseph Garcia in 1994, after meeting Jaime Ferro and Jonathan

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Stagnetto, who convinced her to get involved with local politics. Soon she became a staunch activist and represented her party at youth

events attended by delegates from all over the world. In 2000, she was voted Vice-President of the Liberal Youth Movement of the European Community, board, a two-year term which, among other things, saw her organise three international conferences in Gibraltar.

Meanwhile, the GNP changed its name to Gibraltar Liberal Party and subsequently formed an Alliance with the official opposition party, the GSLP, fighting their first general election together in 2000, when Rebecca was one of the election agents.

However, after each election lost and no party restructuring to counteract such blows, Rebecca started to become disillusioned with the Liberal Party and eventually left it after the 2007 elections. After 13 years, it was a difficult but inevitable choice, and the right thing to do for Rebecca: “It was very sad for me, almost like a divorce!” she says.

Attracted by its manifesto and the gender-balanced slate, she joined the PDP, where women have a voice and executive members are not necessarily experienced, but indeed are “a fountain of knowledge” on life itself, which is one must-have quality for a politician, according to Rebecca.

Even if the PDP leader still fits the stereotype that Gibraltar politics are run by young male lawyers she’s so fiery about knocking down, Rebecca is pleased to watch how he is surrounded by experts in their portfolio.

To those accusing the PDP of being the recycle bin of disgruntled GSD’s enfants terribles, Rebecca replies that most PDP members are ordinary people who have eventually found an outlet to voice their concerns and their propositions towards the betterment of their community. They work closely as a team, not only thanks to their weekly face-to-face meetings, but also by keeping constantly in touch via e-mail.

She sneers at the adversaries’ accusations there are too many women in the PDP: women make up half of the population, she argues, and must be fairly represented in any gathering of like-minded citizens who share the vision of a better future.

She accepts that the situation for women in Gibraltar’s politics isn’t rosy, actually she describes it as ‘dire’, with only one speaking in Parliament. The motivations for women to shun politics can be quite diverse, but she doesn’t believe it is just for the time and the commitment required.

She is the living example that a woman can juggle work, family and political passion, with her full-time job and four children, aged between 18 and 5, who have kept her busy for the best part of her career!

Having extensively travelled Europe, in societies where women are afforded an equal voice and taken very seriously in the field, she met several iconic women who made her wish she turned out like them when she ‘grows up’.

Making time for it indeed requires organisational skills, which are however an essential prerequisite for any good politician, together with being hardworking and open to criticism.

“A minister is foremost a civil servant, the top civil servant alright, but someone who must serve his or her flock, exactly like a priest, and be a good listener to their grievances.”

Being at the forefront of any party can attract complications in one’s professional life, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

profile that’s why not everybody is willing to stand for election. Luckily, Rebecca’s boss is very supportive, so she will be able to stand for election this time, if she’s asked to and democratically picked out of several potential candidates for the PDP slate.

And what will be top of her agenda? Housing, city planning and heritage of course, a field she’s acquired expertise working quite hands-on for a luxury developer, doing much more than nine-to-five sedentary administration.

A ministry which is a bit of a hot potato, but Rebecca cherishes the challenge and the pressure of meeting deadlines — and if she can make it on her own now, dealing with impending penalties and elite customers, she’s confident she’d be even more efficient when she holds office surrounded by a team of professional advisors.

She would also like to improve viability and give a facelift to the Upper Town, making it a prime tourist attraction, perhaps knocking down derelict buildings wasted beyond repair, and substituting them with new ones, blending modern facilities into traditional architecture.

On the topic, she praises the current government for how functional and yet well camouflaged in the skyline the Upper Town car park is.

Speaking of car parks, she supports the idea of a mid-town underground one, above which a large green area should rest. “Yes, the Rock is very green, but we need more landscaped gardens in the town centre, like most capitals have.”

And if you find car parks too expensive, the local bus service is appropriate for a metropolitan area the size of Gibraltar, although she calls for it

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

to stretch until later than 9pm for those who go downtown to spend their evening, which would also help sort the plague of drink-driving.

Raised in Southern England and Wales, Rebecca arrived in Gibraltar in 1991 during her European escapade, when she and two childhood friends boarded the ferry to France on a Christmas Eve and embarked on road trip which was supposed to last just few months, but for her lasted for ever! She fell in love at first sight with Gibraltar, because it was nothing like she expected it to be: “a boring garrison full of drunken squaddies”.

Her first love was performing, having studied music and drama — she is in fact the playwright of the acclaimed The Civil Garrison, a potted social and political history of the Gibraltarians, amongst other poetry and political commentary. n

The motivations for women to shun politics can be quite diverse, but she doesn’t believe it is just for the time and the commitment required

SGPB Hambros acquires Barings private client arm SGPB Hambros, part of Societe Generale Private Banking, has completed its acquisition of the private client investment management business of Baring Asset Management in London and Guernsey.

Effective at the end of May 2011, the transfer to SGPB Hambros of the Barings private client team reinforces the existing SGPB Hambros investment business and illustrates its ambitions to continue to grow its activities in the UK and in the Channel Islands.

The SGPB Hambros Group employs over 500 staff, with principal offices in London, Guernsey, Jersey and Gibraltar, and has a UK regional presence in Cambridge, Newbury, Manchester, Lymington, Edinburgh and Leeds.

The acquisition follows a number of years of rapid growth since Hambros Bank was itself acquired by Societe Generale in 1998 to develop private banking in the UK and the Channel Islands. The acquisition is consistent with Societe Generale Private Banking’s global strategy to expand both through internal and selective external growth in order to increase its presence in key established markets. n

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career profile

Major Stanley Prescott ED, CLJ, FCIOB, MRICS, A. Inst. L.Ex, FASI, FGIS

Intellectual Property & Letters...

by Mike Brufal

Stanley Prescott has had a lifetime of learning about local property

S

tanley Prescott has built up a highly

successful practice and is the Rock’s

most well-known surveyor and valuer,

with clients throughout Europe. As a territorial in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, excluding his six months National Service, he served for 21 years until he reached the compulsory retirement age of 42. A devoted family man he married Eileen Davidson in June 1960 and they have one son, three daughters, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Stanley was born in Gibraltar on 3rd January 1936 and his first memories are of sitting with his grandfather looking out of his study window watching the Mediterranean and Atlantic fleets enter Gibraltar Harbour, and of being taken to play in the Victoria Gardens.

Then followed the mandatory wartime evacuation to Casablanca and Rabat before his family set up in the Bristol Hotel in Tangier which was owned by Gibraltarian George Romero and his wife Carmen Carrara. He studied at the small school run by the Christian Brothers and has

28

Stanley Prescott, 75, is working even harder than he was at the age of 30 and intends to continue for as long as his health allows. He is one of those rare humans who really enjoys every minute of his work and exudes confidence and knowledge.

happy memories of being taught by the redoubtable Brother Murphy.

His family was one of the first to return to Gibraltar in August 1944 and so were able to move into the family home. Those who arrived later found it difficult to return to their homes as they had been appropriated for servicemen.

School resumed, first at the Castle Road Primary School where he was taught by Mr

His first memories are of sitting with his grandfather looking out of his study window watching the Mediterranean and Atlantic fleets enter Gibraltar Harbour

Pedroz and Mr Hermida, then one morning, without any warning, the boys were told to form up outside and were marched down the hill to the Sacred Heart School which was run by the Christian Brothers where his form master was Brother Sheeran and his other teachers included Miss Peliza and Mr Scaniglia. There he sat and passed his 11+.

He was due to take up his place in the Gibraltar Grammar School when his father decided he should continue his education in the UK and he was sent to St. Edmond’s College in Ware, where the Gibraltarian contingent included Manolo and Johnny Restano, and Richard and Pepe Artesani-Lyons from Tangier. The teaching staff comprised secular priests who were alumni of Allen Hall and lay staff. The Allen Hall seminary formed part of the complex and Ernesto Pons (later Msr. Pons) was a Gibraltarian seminarian.

Today Allen Hall seminary still exists but has been moved to Chelsea.

Stanley studied hard and did well in Chemistry and Physics; so much so he was offered a

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

career profile university scholarship by ICI. The deal was that his national service would be undertaken in the UK rather than Gibraltar (two years instead of six months) but he would be expected to sign up for a three year short service commission in either the Royal Engineers, the ROAC or REME. After a protracted correspondence between his father and ICI, he refused the scholarship and instead of a life in England, returned to the Rock.

Stanley duly joined the 18th intake of the Gibraltar Defence Force with Charlie Norton as Battery Commander, Bob Peliza as battery Captain and Domingo Collado and Paco Carreras as newly commissioned officers. At that time the GDF was part of the Royal Artillery and, after 10 weeks’ basic training, a group, which included Momy Levy, was taken up to Windmill Flats for intensive radar training under the direction of Sergeant Hooper. (This was during the lead up to the Suez crisis and it was suddenly decided radar operators from the garrison were essential, hence the urgent need to train Gibraltarian national servicemen to be available).

Once trained the group spent a number of months on ‘Strait Watch’ which meant logging everything passing through the Strait by air, and on the surface. It turned out to be a relaxed way of completing National Service. There were 128 soldiers in the 18th intake — one of the largest — and it was a wonderful way of bonding with Gibraltarians from all walks of life. Friendships made then remain to this day.

Following six months’ National Service, he was offered a job in the Colonial Service (which some years later became the Gibraltar Government Civil Service) under the overall command of the Colonial Secretary, Daryl Bates. Stanley was posted to the Labour and Welfare Department. Six years later he was sent to work at the post office.

He found, to his amazement, his job there was as internal auditor which he found boring as it did not stretch his capabilities. A chance meeting with the then Chief Secretary, John Clinton, enabled a move to be arranged. While remaining a member of the post office establishment, he was seconded to the Land and Works department as a cashier in the Housing section. Stanley became Government Ratings Officer responsible for the

Stanley receiving ED (Efficiency Decoration — awarded for long service in the Territorial Army) from Admiral of the Fleet 1970.

payment of rates, a role he found interesting, challenging and he learned a great deal about an entirely new discipline.

The City Council produced the bill and he checked the valuation and the mathematics were correct. He also had to check vacant Government properties were not included in the list as no rates were payable. This involved considerable work as he had to learn the A to Z of ratings, valuation and everything associated with this esoteric subject. His superior was so

The bills had not been sent out for more than 18 months and the Government was owed in excess of £1,000,000 in overdue rates which he was instructed to collect

impressed he suggested he go on a course and obtain a suitable qualification, so he got a grant from the John Mackintosh Education Trust and enrolled at the College of Estate Management, London University. He completed the work by correspondence and visits to the university for intensive tuition, before the all important examinations were duly passed.

In 1969 the long awaited amalgamation of the Gibraltar Government and the City Council came about. This led to his secondment to the Treasury and promotion to Rating Officer — a very welcome relief as just prior to this, due to the temporary absence of two senior officers from the department, he had spent some months acting as Housing Manager. At the time John Coelho was Director of Lands & Works. On taking up the post of Rating Officer he reported to the Accountant General, Pepe Romero.

For reasons unknown the bills had not been sent out for more than 18 months and the Government was owed in excess of £1,000,000 in overdue rates which he was instructed to collect. The existing billing system was a one-man manual procedure, so he was told to bring in a mechanised system. The next stage was to use existing legislation to issue summonses threatening prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court for those who did not pay. Pepe Romero agreed to the suggestion Stanley actually attend the Magistrates’ Court, take the Oath and present the evidence before the Magistrate. The summonses were signed by the Stipendiary Magistrate, John Alcantara. If payment was not made, Distress Warrants were to be issued. This was never necessary.

The result was that within six months most of the outstanding debt was recovered. Despite this success, he came to the conclusion promotion was slow and the immediate career prospects not at all promising. It was time to plan a career move.

In 1974 fate intervened with the arrival on the Rock of Ancram Evans who had started a company specialising in investments and property. Ancram was friendly with Eric Prescott, Stanley’s uncle, and the upshot was an invitation to join the company. During his time in government service he had learned a great deal about values of local property. The combination of his

Special Forces Company Battle Course, Brecon 1969 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

29

career profile studies with his knowledge of the local property market, made him a key member of the Evans’ team and after three successful years Stanley decided to move on.

Ernest Isola, one of Gibraltar’s long-standing estate agents, asked Stanley to join him as valuer and surveyor. 1977 saw the formation of the successful Isola and Prescott, Estate Agents and Valuers. By the time Ernest retired in the mid-’80s Stanley had built up a large customer base for his services. As a sideline he entered the construction business and together with Stanley Ball started Parkway Construction. As he was still running Isola and Prescott the work load was too much. Eventually Stanley Ball decided to return to England and by 1982 construction work for the Gibraltar Government, financed from ODA funds, began to decline so he folded Parkway Construction and sold the estate agency side of Isola and Prescott.

In 1986 he joined the Danish company which had bought the Marina Bay development from Bill White senior. This comprised Neptune House, Britannia House, the Square and the Tower. For a while he was responsible for providing the maintenance for these new buildings plus site surveys. The owner, Mr Sauer, eventually sold the development and Stanley left for pastures new.

Stanley decided to concentrate on valuations, surveys and the buying and selling of properties. At this moment Harry Posso offered him a managerial post in HPC Financial Services and during this time he learned how to sell insurance. This ended when Harry sold the business to Eurex. A short time was then spent with another insurance company which used his professional services.

In 1986 SG Prescott & Co was incorporated.

Stanley met an ex-member of the Royal Engineers, Tony Zaitzeff, who suggested he join the Guild of Surveyors in London, which was made up to a great extent by ex-officers of the three services. Stanley joined and swiftly became a Fellow of the Guild. A delegation of guild members came out for a meeting on the Rock and, as a token of gratitude for all the administrative work Stanley undertook to make the meeting a success, he was made a hereditary Freeman of the City of London. Shortly after, the guild was taken over by the Institute of Architects and Surveyors, which meant he became a Fellow of the Architects & Surveying Institute (FASI). Stanley

Stanley receiving Freedom of London Guild Hall 1990

received his Freedom of the City of London in 1989 and the following year his wife Eileen was granted the same honour.

Soon afterwards he received two letters in quick succession. The first was from the Chartered Institute of Building saying the Architects and Surveyors Institute had been taken over and he was now Fellow of the Faculty of Architects and Surveyors of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB). The other letter was from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors offering him membership as he was deemed fully qualified to join and become MRICS. In 1990 work started to come in from expatriate Britons who were buying property in Spain

As a token of gratitude for all the administrative work Stanley undertook to make the meeting a success, he was made a hereditary Freeman of the City of London

and needed valuations, surveys and feasibility studies for banks and financial institutions in London — documents key to them obtaining the necessary finance.

In 1996 Stanley heard the Government was awarding work to companies such as his. He lobbied and has been engaged as a Consultant ever since. His work has involved surveys of properties in the old town, of key properties and the old defences of Gibraltar, as well as other interesting side lines, which has involved close consultation with the museum and the secretary of the Heritage Trust.

Last year as a result of passing a number of Institute of Legal Executives examinations he found, to his surprise, he had been appointed an Associate of the Institute of Legal Executives (A.Inst.L.Ex.).

Stanley enjoyed a successful secondary career as a territorial officer in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. He was commissioned in 1957, in 1969 was awarded the ED (Efficiency Decoration), and the following year promoted to Major commanding ‘B’ Company. Following the reorganisation of the regiment in 1971, he was appointed as the first Battery Commander tasked to raise and train the soldiers to make the battery operational.

Over the following years he obtained HM the Queen’s approval for the battery to be named Thompson’s Battery in honour of Sir William Thompson the first Gibraltarian commander of the GDF battery during World War II. He also designed the battery crest, a trident representing Willie Thompson’s initials and the three elements in which the guns of the battery operated. During his service he had a number of firsts in the regiment, including commanding the first Gibraltar Regiment troops to serve in BOAR and commanding the same troops in a minor operation — the first since World War II. He was also awarded Bar to the ED. 1975 saw the culmination of his military career when he became 2nd in command of the regiment and retired three years later in 1978.

Stanley concluded the interview with these thoughts; “Most of the older properties in Gibraltar are a record of the heritage of us, the Gibraltarians. These properties are the equivalent of monuments as they are an actual witness of our history and our identity and show where we came from and what we are. Every effort should be made to preserve them for posterity.” n

The Gib Mag Will Travel The Gibraltar Magazine has been on its travels again, this time to the spectacular Eagle Point, the Grand Canyon, Arizona in the United States.

It is pictured here with Jerome, Heather, Aaron and Tony who were on a trip to visit Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Thanks for sending in the pic guys! n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

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events

Party Time:

Summer Outdoor Festival

!

This month Savannah is presenting the best combination of DJ s and sunshine, which will be staged on Leisure Island, Ocean Village — and they promise it will be the best party we have seen in Gibraltar to date!

To suit all tastes Savannah will be hosting two arenas — the outdoor Dance Arena and RnB & Hip Hop arena which will take place inside the Savannah Club.

Headlining the event will be Tocadisco, Stanton Warriors and Abel Ramos. Supporting this stellar line-up will be Lethalness, Larry Jazzz, Kuka Morales (sax), Nara D (vocals) and Jestin!

Fisherspooner. This artist’s music has been played by the biggest names of underground club music and has also been used for commercial TV advertising!

In 2008 Tocadisco released his first artist album Solo, he also wrote a song on David Guetta’s album Pop Life and achieved an MTV Award for “Best International Dance 2008”.

Stanton Warriors

Tocadisco

Tocadisco (Morumbi Records) After 15 years of being a professional DJ, over 60 international remixes, one album and more than 10 successful singles in his pocket the multi-instrumentalist and award winning super producer Tocadisco is set for a bright future.

Tocadisco has played the biggest parties in the world including a residency on the Sensation White Tour, Nikki Beach Worldwide, Ibiza and is a regular fixture in his homeland for the Legendary Berlin Love Parade.

There is no other producer and DJ on the international dance scene today that has proven his talent in so many different musical ways. Be it remixing artists like Moby, Tiga and New Order or writing successful singles with David Guetta or

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After blowing the roof off at Savannah with a recent gig the Savannah team felt they had no choice but to invite Stanton Warriors back for the Savannah Summer Festival.

So the baddest booty-shakin’, genre-mashing, beats ‘n’ bass freaks in the business are back!

True pioneers of a sound that broke all the rules back in 1998, Stanton Warriors took garage and twisted it beyond all recognition, dropping speaker shattering bass lines and massive beats... all to devastating effect.

Stanton Warriors had arrived.

Overnight, Stanton Warriors became the hottest producers around, and today they continue to stay at the very pinnacle of their profession. They produced high profile remixes for such luminaries as Missy Elliot, Fat Boy Slim, Basement Jaxx, Mylo, Freeform Five, and Busta Rhymes, implementing house, electro, hip-hop and funk elements into their sound.

And this is not forgetting the request to mix Fabric’s milestone 30th compilation, which was voted ‘Timeout Compilation of the Year’ and ‘Breakspoll Compilation of the Year’ respectively,

Stanton Warriors

Their most recent accolades include their placing as Number 1 DJs at Breakspoll and Number 1 breaks DJs in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 for the past two years in a list awash with trance and house DJs. The awards are testament to hav-

There is no other producer and DJ on the international dance scene today that has proven his talent in so many different musical ways

ing played at every major festival and super club around the world — treading an international path that few DJs can rival.

Over the course of the noughties they’ve grown into an award-winning, arena-cramming, festivalheadlining DJ/producer act par excellence. They’ve worked with top US rappers, cracked the UK Top 40, remixed everybody who’s anybody, and played all over the world a number of times over.

And this time they are bringing their wide-ranging appeal and killer tunes to our outdoor festival.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

events Expect to soak up some house, funk, breaks, electro and hip-hop beats!

Larry Jazzz (Lick FM) Headlining the Hip Hop and RnB Arena we have none other than the legendary Larry Jazzz of Lick FM who will be pumping out Hip Hop, Funk, RnB and Dance.

Larry Jazzz plays to the crowd so expect some serious booty shaking to his beats.

Behind the decks he has a no nonsense good-times policy. He plays with a house party attitude no matter what the venue. Always on the hunt for that one extra tune to add

in his already mamouth collection, Andrew De Santos from Gibraltar.

Larry Jazzz is the DJs’ DJ.

Lethalness

Jestin

With great experience DJing in Plato68 & Dreamers previously supLocal boys done good Lethalness porting acts such as Rebeka Brown, are in the lineup for the party.

Juanjo Martin and many more, no Hot on the heels of their Beatport doubt he will make you move with smash EP Sensimina, Lethalness will his house tunes! be breaking down the house for an exclusive DJ set!

Tickets are priced at £20 each, available Lethalness are a break beat, dub- from Savannah, Music Corner, Vijays step and drum and bass duo based and if you are in Spain www.ticketmasin Gibraltar, consisting of Alex ter.es. VIP tables are £200 each based Iglesias from Algeciras, Spain and on four people sharing a bottle.

Abel Ramos

Abel Ramos (F**k Me I’m Famous/Defected) It didn’t take long for Abel to establish himself as one of Spain’s most talented DJs, catching the ears of thousands along the way and winning awards such as Best National DJ from Spain’s answer to Mixmag, Deejay magazine, gaining top gigs for the likes of Sensation, Rock In Rio, Global Gathering, and frequenting places as far afield as Australia. Abel has also established his Solo event, which now attracts over 5,000 people to the yearly show.

Not content with just playing the music of his heroes to local fans, Abel started producing music, which meant his sound could now reach audiences outside Spanish borders. It wasn’t long before Abel’s hard, techy beats were catching the attention of producers and labels throughout the world, including Swedish hotshot Axwell, who signed one of his first productions, Rotterdam City of Love to his label, Axtone, after hearing the track being played in a club in Madrid. This track really opened up Abel’s sound to a generation of new producers: the groove just worked on the floor and everybody wanted a piece of the action.

Then when Abel didn’t think it was possible for things to get any better, an email arrived in his inbox from David Guetta, expressing how much he liked his work and asking him if he would be interested in remixing two of his tracks, When Love Takes Over and Sexy Bitch. Both went on to sell thousands of copies around the world, making Abel one of the most in-demand remixers in the world.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

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property issues

Gibraltar’s modern apartments are ideal for the buy-to-let purchaser

The Wisdom of Buy-to-Let...

Net yields on residential buy to lets in Gibraltar are around 4.5%. Borrowing costs for investors are similarly around 5%. Why would anyone borrow at 5% to earn 4.5%?

It cannot work. Can it?

Owning residential property as an investment remains popular in Gibraltar. Investor purchases account for some one quarter of all residential purchases at Chesterton Estate Agents in Gibraltar.

But why?

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I believe there are two distinct economic factors working in parallel which support buy to let as a sound investment: a local issue of too little supply of housing stock and a global issue of inflation. The benefits of residential buy to let in

Gibraltar stem from these factors.

Gibraltar property market

There are no large scale residential developments currently being built outside of government schemes. King’s Wharf

was the last to complete of the property production line in recent years, namely Ocean Village, Tradewinds, Sails, Anchorage, Atlantic Suites etc. Excluding government schemes, some 1,000 new apartments have been absorbed

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

property issues into the local market, over, say, the last 5 years. That’s an average of 200 properties a year purchased by the local market, during which time the world has seen its worst recession for generations.

The recent certainty in Gibraltar’s 10% corporation tax position is providing a fillip to the incoming corporate market. Chesterton has reported an increase in enquiries from companies, predominantly (but not exclusively) from the UK, expressing an interest in relocating to Gibraltar. Rolling forward, this will mean more jobs which will mean more employees looking for residential accommodation.

With the annual supply of 200 new properties now finished, the supply and demand equation is imbalanced. This will fuel property price inflation.

With already relatively high property prices in Gibraltar, and, mortgages capped at 75% of the purchase price, it is increasingly difficult for the younger generation to get on the housing ladder.

This issue is as prevalent in the UK. Indeed, last month in an online survey of 8,000 Britons aged 20 to 45 by the polling company Populus, which the Halifax commissioned, more than three-quarters who did not own property stated that they would like to and 64 per cent considered that their prospects of ever buying their own home were nil.

Whether such a survey in Gibraltar would yield the same results is purely conjecture, however, what isn’t conjecture is that many would be property owners in Gibraltar cannot afford to buy and/or cannot fund a mortgage to enable them to buy. It is this factor that assists the buy to let investor as these would be but can’t be property owners, create a large pool of tenants in Gibraltar.

Regardless of the economic theory put forward, we seem to be in an era of inflation easily outstripping interest rates tum so the very value of it will be eroded quickly by higher inflation. Perhaps that is why the UK government and the ECB seek to maintain low interest rates (which help fuel inflation) as it results in a fall in the real value of debt.

Regardless of the economic theory put forward, we seem to be in an era of inflation easily outstripping interest rates.

Annual inflation in Gibraltar to April 2011 (it is reported quarterly) was 3.7%, whilst in the UK it has reached 4.5%, both rates at relatively high levels when compared to recent years.

Keeping one’s capital on deposit at a bank is not inflation linked and hence, by doing so, the real value of the deposit is eroded.

That is not sustainable for those saving for the future. So investors are seeking other homes for their money.

profit before his financing cost. He pays interest of 5% of £150,000 ie £7,500. His profit is £6,000 which is just above a 3.5% (before tax) return on his £170,000 capital.

Better than leaving his money in a bank — but only just.

However, the reason this buy to let investor has purchased property in Gibraltar is because his view is that with no new residential developments under construction increasing the local supply, yet a steady increase in demand from the increasing employment pool, then property prices here in Gibraltar will increase in the medium term. History is on his side as property prices have always outstripped inflation over the medium to long term.

Say the property in five year’s time is worth 20% more, ie modest growth of c 4% per annum, ie £60,000 gain on the £300,000

price. This increase belongs to the investor not the bank. Hence he has made 3.5% per annum whilst renting and £60,000 capital gain in 5 years. This equates to just shy of an effective annual return of 8% per annum each of the 5 years. If, however, growth is 6% per annum not 4%, then this investor earns an effective 11% per annum over 5 years.

He therefore achieves his objective of annual income approximately matching the bank’s savings rate and ensures that the spending power of his capital keeps up with, or in the above example, exceeds, inflation.

That is why, one quarter of Chesterton’s buyers are residential buy to let investors.

If of course, interest rates increase (adding to the cost of money) and / or property prices do not increase, then the theory is flawed. However, investors with a 50% deposit are currently able to lock in a 5% per annum fixed borrowing rate. And the fact that there are active buy to let investors in the market currently, means that there are some who expect property price inflation in Gibraltar to continue. Time will tell if they are right. n

The economics of Gibraltar’s buy to let investor

For the fortunate few who can afford to consider a buy to let investment, it works like this: The investor spends £150,000 of his money and borrows £150,000 of a bank’s money at 5% per annum to buy a £300,000 property.

He spends a further £20,000 of his own money on the costs associated with the purchase and additionally some furniture. His net yield is 4.5% of the property cost of £300,000 ie £13,500 annual

Inflation

Much of Europe and the USA are tinkering on the edge of bankruptcy due to too much debt. This debt can be repaid in one of three ways: by unpopular austerity measures which may take years to have any impact (other than civil unrest!); by simple default which would at least wipe the slate clean although would have an (irrecoverable?) negative impact on the sovereign state’s creditors; or, thirdly, by allowing inflation to erode the quantum of debt.

Perhaps the governments that publicly bemoan inflation actually temporarily endorse it. They are the ones deep in debt (USA, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain and UK). Debt is fixed in quan-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar (www.chesterton.gi) and owns MN Associates Limited, a local company specialising in Gibraltar property, funding & relocation. See www.mnassociates.gi

35

S

real estate

TRIES

NTINENTS IES

NENTS

19/2 Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar Tel: 200 74018

T: + 350 200 400 41 F: + 350 200 440 11 sales@chesterton.gi lettings@chesterton.gi commercial@chesterton.gi

T: + 350 200 400 41 F: + 350 200 440 11 sales@chesterton.gi M.B.E., E.D., J.P., F.R.I.C.S., F.R.S.H. lettings@chesterton.gi AUCTIONEER,commercial@chesterton.gi ESTATE AGENT & VALUER

Gibraltar Art Gallery 14 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 73898 Email: artgallery@gibtelecom.net

S.LEVY

For Property Advice, Contact Us 3 Convent Place Tel: 200 77789 or 200 42818 Fax: 200 42527 Email: slevy@gibraltar.gi

property directory construction

homes & interiors

Seekers Ltd Property Solutions 10 Engineer Lane Tel: 200 44955 info@seekerspropertysolutions.com www.furnituresolutions.gi

commercial interiors Bridge Solutions PO Box 598 Tel: 57185000 Fax: 200 77041 Space Interiors 6 Ellesmere House, City Mill Lane Tel: 200 73992 www.spaceinteriors.gi

transport services

property services GibCargo Ltd Unit 3 North Mole Industrial Park Tel: 200 70787 Email: tom@gibcargo.com

Portman Ltd General Suppliers

Hire & Sale of Portable Cabin Units (Office, Toilet Units etc)

marine services

Unit F17 Europa Business Centre PO Box 476, Gibraltar Tel: 200 73119 Fax: 200 45008 E-mail: portman@gibtelecom.net

TARIK

Full Bunkering & Yacht Refuelling Service Spain: 15/5a Virgen del Carmen Algeciras (Cadiz), Spain Tel/Fax: 34 56 630418 After Hrs: Gib 200 70982

Gibraltar: Tel: (350) 200 72836 Fax: (350) 200 72861 Cables: TARIK GIB TLX: 2343 TRATAR

waste management home insurance Eurolinx 21&22 Victoria House, 26 Main St Tel: 200 40240 Ibex Insurance The Tower, Marina Bay Tel: 200 44628

36 36

• General Surfacing • Building • Building Renovations • Demolition • Painting & Decorating • Roadworks • Civil Engineering • Asphalt/Aggregate supplier • Comprehensive Plant Holding For prompt & competitively priced tenders contact AMCO P.O. Box 382 Tel: 200 40840 Fax: 200 40841

Curtain Makers Home Interiors Fabrics Bedding Bring your own fabric or choose from our range The Fashion House Ltd 85 Governor’s Street. Tel: 200 52938 E-mail: thefashionhouse@gibtelecom.net Fax: 200 52988

Environment and Waste Management Service E.W.M.S. Governor’s Cottage Europa Advance Road Gibraltar Tel: 200 44220 Fax: 200 44221 E-mail: ewmsgib@gibtelecom.net

GIBRALTARMAGAZINE MAGAZINE••JUNE JULY 2010 2011 GIBRALTAR

window dressing

The Blind Benefits If you are planning to replace old and outdated curtains because they fail to prevent dust, unwanted noise, maintain privacy and filter roasting sunlight, then blinds might be the answer.

Window blinds are the perfect way to add privacy to a room, and make a contemporary style statement. Such touches are an integral part of home décor — from creating a traditional feel in the kitchen, to a sleek, modern look for the living room, dressing up a window is the perfect way to showcase your design personality.

An effective way of controlling how much light enters an indoor space, easy to clean and maintain, blinds have become the first choice for offices and homes. After a long, hard day at work, you want the privacy of your own home to relax and unwind. Window blinds are a great help, whether you live in the town area, a modern apartment or a detached house.

The same thing applies to an office environment — especially where confidential work or meetings are taking place, or one wants to be left alone to concentrate and finish work. A good set of blinds is the most subtle manner of obtaining privacy.

If you are not comfortable being in a room

because people have a good peek from outside, then installing vertical blinds (pictured) is perfect solution for you as it is very effective in maintaining one’s privacy.

With a wide range of blinds available in various designs, colours, sizes, and textures, they provide you with an assortment of thrilling choice when decorating.

Fabric blinds, however, provide you with visual elegance, with the soft folds of the translucent fabric diffusing the sunlight, while providing a view of the outer world, and a finishing touch to a beautiful bedroom window.

The traditional plastic blind has now been replaced by high quality wood or bamboo blinds, giving a very antique yet classy appeal to any room.

It is certainly worth putting considerable thought into what is used to dress windows — not only do such items serve a practical function, but they also have a huge impact on enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your home or office space. n

Easy to clean and maintain, they have in recent years become the first choice for offices and homes

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

37

office space

Creating a Clutter of Creativity?

“Mess promotes creativity by allowing you to make new connections between unlikely things — and moving into three dimensional space amplifies this effect,” says David Freedman, co-author of A Perfect Mess.

Research shows people who have messy desks spend less time hunting for things than people who have neat desks. That makes a lot of sense, because, when you have a messy desk, you’re arranging things in a way that’s customised to the way you think and work.

“It’s true that creativity is largely about making surprising connections, and a messy desk is certainly a way of mixing and matching things in sometimes interesting ways,” adds Freedman.

With famous messy desk people including Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud it is difficult

to deny that messy can be a sign of innovative thinking. Einstein extended his mess beyond his desk using walls and even hanging things from the ceiling, taking his mind into 3D mode and increasing the chances of random connections.

So can we use disorder to boost our productivity? In fact research by Eric Abrahamson at Columbia Business School shows neat people spend 36% more time searching for things.

So does this mean we can simply pile papers high and spread the chaos out? Well there is a downside to all this clutter, and many bosses will see mess as a threat. “Tidy, organised people see mess as rebellious and bosses see it as a challenge,” says organisational psychologist, Mary Sherry. “You’ll have to specifically con-

36% “ ‘Tidy’ people spend this much more time searching for items.

38

vince them that creativity is the end result.”

The other downside is that mess can be dangerous and in the UK alone over 350 people are killed each year in workplace accidents, so make sure your mess isn’t a safety hazard for you or your colleagues, or your clients.

A recent survey conducted by OfficeTeam found that more than eight in 10 human resources managers interviewed said the appearance of an employee’s workspace at least somewhat affects their perception of that person’s professionalism.

A recent survey showed that 40% of colleagues question the ability of someone who has a messy desk to do their job well.

However, piles of files on your desk are an

Your mess is perfect when it reaches the point at which, if you spent any more or any less time organising, you would become inefficient.

Eric Abrahamson

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

office space excellent way to order papers while keeping them accessible. “Accountants need mess like this,” says Sherry. “It’s what we call ‘steady state’, or order.”

“Although it has been shown to be true in many studies, it is also good common sense that when you can easily see an item that needs to be handled in some way, you are more likely to remember to do it than when it is tucked away out of sight,” says C.S. Clarke, PhD. “That is, the more ‘salient’ an object, the more attention it will get. The more attention, the more influence it will have.”

This, of course, does not extend to old mouldy coffee cups and half eaten sandwiches, and Clarke adds “I think [the desk] should have no more on it than you actually need to accomplish your daily work or current project. I just encourage you to organise in such a way that you can see what you need to do now and next.”

Messiness nowadays is much less externally visible: it has become “electronic clutter” — a computer desktop covered in files and folders.

The great thing about electronic clutter is that a good search feature can cut straight through the clutter and the visual random connections still remain.

So has the computer become the perfect hid-

“

ing place for the chaos creators or is it just an additional place to make a mess?

The key to success is knowing yourself, says Judith Ann Kirk, a simplification consultant based in Conneticut. “Getting and staying organised is personal. What is good for one person may not work for another. There is no one way or right way to organise.” n

If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to think of an empty desk?

Albert Einstein

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

”

40% of colleagues question the ability of someone with a messy desk to do their job well

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history on file

Gibraltar-born Cecil Street became a prolific author, under various pseudonyms, and is best remembered for his detective novels, writing as John Rhode

Cecil Street:

by Dave Wood

Gibraltar-born MI7 Agent is famous Detective Novelist

Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Dr Lancelot Priestley… Dr who?

No, forget Dr Who. But Dr Lancelot Priestley? Who’s he, and why is his name appearing here alongside two of our most famous fictional detectives? The answer is elementary. Priestley, given a chance, might today be equally famous. Beginning in 1924, and for 40 years thereafter, Dr Priestly solved more murders than Holmes and Poirot combined, earning the eternal thanks of the otherwise baffled police.

Famous fictional detectives invariably make celebrities of their creators, so if Dr Priestley was widely known today, we would be toasting the talent of John Rhode. But that wouldn’t get us very far because he was as fictional as Priestley himself, as were “Miles Burton” and “Cecil

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Waye” — two other pseudonyms used by the prolific Cecil John Charles Street, MC, OBE. Now, there’s no use denying it, we reach the point, very early in the piece, that every biographer dreads. He sits ready, the keyboard at his mercy, with acres of virgin paper begging

to be filled with facts and anecdotes from the life of his subject, then finds to his dismay that such information as there is, if liquidised, would scarcely fill a thimble.

For Street, so far as his private life was concerned, was to put it mildly, “reticent”, and we must piece together what little we have like a scholar working with fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The first “fact”, the one that makes him eligible to appear on these pages, is he was born in Gibraltar around 1884. His father, John Alfred Street, died some time before 1891, which explains why by that year, young Cecil had left the Rock and was living in Woking with his grandparents and his widowed mother.

By 1901 he was attending Wellington School in Crowthorne — a private establishment for the sons of British Army officers. In 1903 he became a cadet at Sandhurst, and early in 1906 he married Hyacinth Maud Kirwan in Fareham, Hampshire.

Scraps scattered like sugar on a diabetic’s bun. But the reason for Street’s reticence soon becomes clear. His military career began conventionally enough in the artillery, but during World War I he joined MI7, then a key branch of British Military Intelligence, responsible for propaganda and censorship. Its personnel (Street held the rank of Major) were shadowy figures just as members of MI5, MI6 and the SAS are today. If Street told you what he did during office hours he would have to kill you and, as a gentleman, that was something he would have deplored. So he kept his mouth shut, not just during the war, but throughout his long life.

At the end of World War I, the independence movement was hotting up in Ireland, and Street spent much of his time in Dublin, as an information officer for the Dublin Castle administration.

The English had ruled Ireland for 700 years, but the times were a-changin’ and with partition a handful of years later in 1922, it would finally be over in the south. But not yet. Standing full square against the tsunami of history, Cecil Street worked closely with Lionel Curtis, who was perceptive enough to know the days of the British Empire were numbered. By 1914 it was split into dominions (which had a large measure of self-rule) and colonies (which did not).

Significantly, in the dominions (New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, South Africa) the dark-skinned indigenous populations had been supplanted by white settlers, while in the colonies (India, the West Indies, Fiji) they had not.

Curtis foresaw a time when self-government (he probably had difficulty with the word “independence”) might come to all parts of the Empire, and looking for a mechanism to keep it together, in name if not in substance, perceived the idea of an Imperial Federation — one small step from a Commonwealth.

Whether Street shared his ideas is hard to say.

As always, he was tight-lipped with his views and saw no necessity to scribble them down for posterity. We do, however, have a few rare snippets from his days in Ireland. He considered the rank and file of the IRA “poor dupes of the designing criminals who pose as their officers” and, in the closest he would come to philosophically declare, “for propaganda to work it must be dissolved in some fluid which the patient will readily assimilate and official news is the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

rock authors best way of doing that”. This was a skill at which he was exceptionally adept, and in 1920 he resigned his commission (retaining the rank of captain) and was placed in charge of counter propaganda to the underground newsletter, the Irish Bulletin, which was being disseminated by the equally underground Irish parliament, the Dail Eireann. In this he was assisted by a former journalist, Basil Clarke.

When not in Ireland, Street was in London, but his permanent residence was probably in that hotbed of skullduggery and international intrigue, Lyme Regis. The 1911 census has him living there with his wife and a child. He was not at home on the day of the census (did his wife know where he was and what he was doing?) and no occupation is listed. Instead, he is described as living off “private means”.

After the partition of Ireland, Street either went so far underground he earned the clandestine nickname of “The Miner”, or he gave up the whole thing to devote his time to writing. Considering how many books he produced thereafter, we must assume the latter. He became so prolific he hardly had time to clean his teeth, let alone subvert foreign rebel organisations with subtly crafted propaganda. And his favoured genre was the popular detective novel.

Scholarly histories of the detective story begin in Ancient Greece and meander through a labyrinth wherein we encounter Voltaire, several anonymous Chinese, a Scandinavian or two.

It is all very confusing and, for our purposes, unnecessary. We shall begin arbitrarily with the publication of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders In The Rue Morgue in 1841, wherein we meet the first recognisable modern-style detective hero, Auguste Dupin. Describing the genre which he had all but invented, Poe referred to his stories as tales of ratiocination, a journey through logical, rational thought from chaos to a neat and tidy conclusion — generally the unmasking of a criminal — usually, but by no means invariably a murderer.

Many commentators dismiss Poe’s claim and cite instead Wilkie Collins, friend and protégé of Charles Dickens who, with his twin masterpieces, The Woman In White and The Moonstone (the first great English detective novels) set the boundaries and conventions for generations to come. But notwithstanding the immeasurable influence of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

and Doctor Watson, it cannot be denied the style achieved its apogee in the works of Agatha Christie.

Christie’s first novel — The Mysterious Affair at Styles — which marked the debut of Hercule Poirot, appeared in 1920, and a copy doubtlessly found its way to Cecil Street, who having read it decided he could do as well or better himself.

By 1925 the first of his Dr Priestley novels, The Paddington Mystery, was ready. In the novel, Priestley has a daughter, April, engaged to one Harold Merefield, destined to play Watson to Priestley’s Holmes. Called in by the police whenever the number of clues to be sorted exceeds two, Priestly obligingly solves more stubborn mysteries, generally to save the face of the hapless Chief Inspector Hanslet or, in later years, Superintendant Jimmy Waghorn.

Cecil John Street was an intelligence agent, a spook. He could hardly go publishing detective stories under his real name. Cunningly, he changed “Street” to “Road”, tweaked “Road” a little more to become “Rhode”, dropped “Cecil” and became “John Rhode”.

For 36 years Street/Rhode turned out Dr Priestley novels at the rate of two a year, culminating with The Vanishing Diary in 1961. They were successful both in England and America, where they often appeared with altered titles.

Dashing off two books a year might seem productive enough to non-writers, and even to those who labour half a lifetime to produce, if they’re lucky, the second provisional draft of a first novel. But Street was unstoppable. Besides Dr Priestley he created the crime-busting duo of Inspector Arnold and Desmond Merrion, and a

Cecil John Street was an intelligence agent, a spook. He could hardly go publishing detective stories under his real name.

Cunningly, he changed “Street” to “Rhode”

pair of intrepid private investigators, Christopher and Vivienne Perrin.

Agatha Christie used pseudonyms, but only when she strayed beyond the boundaries of her readers’ comfort zones. Most famously she became “Mary Westmacott” when writing Mills & Boon style romances. Beyond that, she was happy to acknowledge all of her sleuthing creations.

Not so Cecil Street. Perhaps due to compulsive neatness driven by his Civil Service/Intelligence background, he felt the need to cram each creation into a different drawer. Creator of the Perrins was “Cecil Waye” (a twist on “John Rhode” — this time dropping his second name and twisting “Street” into “Waye”); but it is harder to discern the derivation of “Miles Burton”, who was responsible for Arnold and Merrion. They debuted in 1930 in The Secret of High Eldersham, and continued thwarting evildoers until their final case, Legacy of Death in 1960.

The Perrins fared less well. They managed to solve only four cases, beginning with the Murder at Monk’s Barn in 1931 and climaxing with the intriguing and slightly sordid sounding tale of The Prime Minister’s Pencil in 1933. Either Street had finally reached the limits of his energy, or the public didn’t care for the Perrins and he let them wither on the vine.

So Cecil Street was prolific, popular on both sides of the Atlantic, and respected enough among his peers to collaborate on at least one novel (Drop To His Death – 1939) with the acclaimed American mystery writer, John Dickson Carr (Carter Dickson).

The critics were less kind. Julian Symons considered his writing “humdrum”, and although, compared to Christie and others, his books are now largely forgotten, they have become sought-after collectors’ items, with original copies in fine condition commanding high prices.

Start searching the attic.

Street died in January 1965. A suitably anonymous obituary ends: …Street was not an easy man to know — his reticences were such that all who met him could not fail to respect them, but to those who were privileged to enjoy his friendship he leaves memories of kindness and sensitive understanding that might surprise many of his readers.

If you want more — call in Lancelot Priestley. n

41

wildlife park

Jessica’s Wild Wild World...

by Elena Scialtiel

Not all CEOs wear pinstriped suits and carry an attaché case: meet Jessica Leaper, the manager in polo shirt and wellington boots, who spends her average working day in a cage dealing with the mess made by animals in her care.

If you reckon this is pretty much what any average manager does, please note that Jessica takes it quite literally at the Alameda Gardens Conservation Park, where she’s in charge of administration, PR, marketing, training and manning staff, but feels totally released when she can get her hands dirty with her zoological guests.

Her primary interest is in primates: she first came to Gibraltar to study the Barbary macaque, for a Masters thesis in evolutionary psychology at Liverpool University, shifting her interest in anthro-

Provost squirrel

pology one rung down the ladder.

After all, human and other primate behaviour ecology are well tied together and, a pinch of feminism added, she wanted to observe the females’ social dynamics in semiwild groups.

What better place than the Rock’s Nature Reserve, then? She spent entire days there from sunrise to sunset, watching the pack without interfering with their business and feeding times. This way, they got used to her presence as part of the scenery and didn’t modify their routine in the quest of grooming

her for yummy treats.

However, they soon approached and literally groomed her, a sign of familiarity and inclusion, when they accepted her being around scribbling notes.

She found it fascinating how their conduct changes from early morning when they ‘can be themselves’ and nonchalantly roam about, to the moment cable car and taxis start dropping visitors and they put up their ‘circus’ for tourist consumption, partly because they are disturbed by their presence, but mostly because they have been wrongly accustomed to associate humans with coveted goodies.

After a while, she could tell them apart and knew their names. Still now, when she pays a visit, she recognises her old friends from the newcomers.

Jessica felt so much at home with the macaques she has stayed in Gibraltar to work at the Wildlife Conservation Park ever since, researching its guest primates and their different behaviour in captivity, delighted to be able to experience both.

There are several projects going on with primates in the Conservation Park, starting with the two pig-tailed macaques intercepted by Customs on a ship and confiscated from smugglers over 10 years ago, the very reason the park was born.

They are mother and child, Tonta and Boss, waiting to move to the Netherlands to a bigger enclosure with others of their kind, native of South-East Asia.

Having lived with his mother all his life and unaware he is not the last of his species in the world, Boss is quite frustrated about not being able to form his own family. The park staff also fears he won’t be able to cope with solitude if Tonta, who is quite aged, dies in Gibraltar.

On the other hand, there is a family of long-tailed macaques well adapted to zoo life, awaiting the completion of their newest residence, a state-of-the-art enclosure which mimics their natural environment, for the fruition of both macaques and visitors.

Alongside scientific and conservational purposes, every biodiversity sanctuary is meant to be educational and aims to introduce schoolchildren (and adults) to exotic animals, as much as local endangered ones, and teach how to respect their right to a dignified existence, which rules out the suitability of most of them as pets.

Iguanas for instance can be quite friendly with their human companions, but are very territorial amongst themselves: two males will fight to the death if kept together in a restricted area.

In fact, several of the park guests

Jessica felt so much at home with the macaques she has stayed in Gibraltar to work at the Wildlife Conservation Park ever since Boss the pig-tailed macaque

42

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Jessica in the cotton-topped tamarins’ enclosure Inset: a cotton-topped tamarin at the wildlife park

are former pets, often with a clinical history of poor diets: a prairie dog that used to dwell in a backyard, terrapins, tortoises and even a pair of Prevost squirrels who have bred in captivity.

The most outstanding preservation venture Jessica and her team are undertaking must be the charity appeal to save, one reasonably priced square metre at the time — 50p, collection box available at the door — the Santa Catalina stretch of the Colombian rainforest, last known home to the cottontopped tamarin, a small brown monkey with a long tail and a bob of white hair.

They form a highly specialised social structure which requires large territories for new pairs to breed, otherwise the alpha-female’s GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

hormones would mute her rivals’ oestrus. The local colony’s breeding programme has been put on hold for now: there is no room for creating new colonies led by unrelated alpha-males introduced from other zoos, to keep a healthy genetic mix until they can be released in the wild. Unfortunately, the current frontier restrictions prevent the local tamarins from reaching their European counterparts and contributing to the international breeding programme, a race against the clock to replenish the meagre 1,000 left in the wild.

Tamarins are protective of their family: although they were accustomed to Jessica as their feeder, they formed a coalition against her to de-

fend a sick infant she had to remove from the cage daily to administer medication. Thus she could witness first-hand how self-preservation can make them aggressive beyond their size!

Jessica is thrilled with the little sample of rainforest which is slowly but surely taking shape in the southernmost side, where eventually two female otters will enjoy the next best thing to their fluvial habitat, and the public will have a glimpse at luscious vegetation and colourful Amazon parrots.

In the Alameda Botanic Gardens, there’s still plenty to do for the everevolving Conservation Park, which is also building a walk-through aviary to host and display birds from the Strait and local region, next to the old favourites like Babe the potbellied pig and his family, cuddly

Although they were accustomed to Jessica as their feeder, they formed a coalition against her to defend a sick infant she had to remove from the cage daily to administer medication

An Egyptian fruit bat, resident at the wildlife park

rabbits to pet and the walk-through bat cave where the night-daytime cycle is reversed for the visitors’ convenience. n The Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park is open daily from 10am-5pm. For more information visit the website at www.alamedawildlifepark.org.

43

Photo: Pipistrelle Bat, commonly found in Gibraltar

rock music

Year of the Bat:

Bats in our Buildings...

by Kirsten Openshaw

As 2011 is the year of the bat, the Gibraltar Magazine decided to investigate further into this amazing mammal. Bats are essential to our global environment and Gibraltar’s ecosystem, and are probably the world’s most misunderstood and mysterious animal.

There is no better person to ask about Gibraltar’s bats than local bat-man, Albert Yome of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS).

44 44

The UNEP Convention on Migratory Species and the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS) have joined together to celebrate the Year of the Bat, to promote education regarding the essential roles of bats in maintaining healthy ecosystems, which is of high importance as the populations have declined alarmingly over the past decades. Albert Yome, who is an elected member of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) chatted to the Gibraltar Magazine about our local bats and bat caves.

Gibraltar has three main bats species. The Soprano Pipistrelle, which is the most commonly seen, the European Free-tailed bat and the Schreiber’s Bent-Winged bat. But where do the bats live in Gibraltar? Bat caves? Albert replied, “Sadly, none of our caves are currently occupied by bats. Up until the 1970s and sadly perhaps later, Martin’s Cave on Mediterranean Steps was occupied by Schreiber’s bats. Disturbance from vandals who lit fires and perhaps the change in humidity of the cave itself led to the bats abandoning the cave.”

The public can go to the Wildlife Park at the Almeda Botanic Gardens to see Egyptian fruit bats, which are easier to keep in captivity compared to our insectivorous bats. Albert adds “The bats serve an important educational function because people have long harboured very negative and mistaken opinion about bats, fuelled by superstitious beliefs as well as their portrayal in popular fiction.”

For those who want to get up close and personal to the bats, GONHS takes part in European Bat Night, this year on Saturday 17th September, from 8.30pm at the Open Air Theatre within the Alameda Botanic Gardens. A ‘bat detector’ is used on the night. Albert says, “Bats emit echolocation calls in order to find their way in the dark and to locate their insect prey.

These calls are emitted at a frequency above human hearing, so we use a ‘bat detector’ to listen.” The bat detector acts as a receiver that captures the high frequencies and replays the calls at an audible human level.

Our bats are nocturnal mammals that feed on insects of various types and sizes. Beyond Europe, bats are important in the whole ecosystem of plant life. “In fact their seed dispersal and pollination services are crucial to the regeneration of rain forests which are the lungs and

Albert Yome is a key member of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Ba

Ba ab hu Hu fro sc e b c m

Gibraltar’s wildlife rain makers of our planet,” remarks Albert. What can we do to help conserve the bats on the Rock? “If bats are found roosting, leave them alone,” is the clear message. “Buildings, especially older ones offer a variety of roosting opportunities for bats. If you are concerned contact the GONHS.” Bats can make use of an amazing variety of roosts. Gibraltar offers disused tunnels, shutters and crevices in cliffs.

Sadly Gibraltar as a whole is doing very little to conserve the animals, even though bats are protected by law. “The habitats they need to survive are being lost to interminable developments.”

The increase of urban light pollution is also a negative factor for our bats. European free-tailed bats are dependent on the cliffs in Gibraltar. “The bats are being smothered as a result of what are euphemistically termed as cliff stabilisation works,” says Albert sadly.

Gibraltar’s wildlife protection legislation is based on the Nature Protection Act 1991.

“Even though it is a very powerful statute, politicians treat wildlife protection as somewhat of a nuisance. It often conflicts with their political agenda. Whether the threat is Spanish

the Blind: Bats Help ation vide inform hoes to pro

to Bats use ec lping them location, he (echolocation). about their k ar d in ee’ in the differently hunt and ‘s too, sound , es so ic , vo ea ar Human open all than in an a personal front of a w ed p o el ev d ve scientists ha chnique to help the n te echolocatio n to the echoes from te r blind who lis s they make with thei und out their ab n clicking so io at gain inform mouths to gs. in d surroun

“

fishing vessels or developers proposing luxury developments. These are my personal opinions and I make no apologies for speaking plainly!” added Albert.

The Year of the Bat will promote the value of bats and their importance in our environment. It will also help dispel misguided notions about these amazing mammals, which are relatively closely related to humans. Albert who has been observing animals since a boy gave reasons as to why he admires bats, “Their mysterious habits and the way they use echolocation to navigate and hunt,” he explains, and “how they have adapted over millions of years in a race for survival.”

There have been studies recently that aim to reveal how bats ‘see’ through their hearing. This study could help develop photo © David Dillon aids for blind people in the future. Bats are giving back to us in ways beyond our environment; they are also helping develop our science. To give back to the bats you can support the GONHS in their efforts to oppose threats to their remaining habitats. Albert added, “Bats, like other wildlife, need space in which to roost and forage. This is increasingly difficult in this sterile, concrete jungle.” n

Bats, like other wildlife, need space in which to roost and forage

Bats and the Law:

”

In Gibraltar all bat species and their roosts are legally protected, by both domestic and international legislation. This means you will be committing a criminal offence if you: 1. Deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat.

2. Intentionally disturb a bat in its roost.

3. Damage or destroy a bat roost.

4. Possess or advertise/sell/exchange a bat.

5. Intentionally obstruct access to a roost.

Bat Fact:

Bats, like hu mans, are mammals, having hair and giving birth to livin young and g feeding them mammary on milk fro glands. Mo m re than 900 species of bats occur worl are most ab undant in th dwide; they e tropics. B are second ats onl among mam y to rodents in numb ers mals and co mprise abo one-fifth of ut all mammal species.

Dolphins in the Strait The Strait of Gibraltar at its narrowest point, decreases to approximately ten miles wide, and toward the centre of that Strait lies the area where the dolphins and whales are most prolific. Gibraltar has three types of dolphins, the common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and the striped dolphin.

The Striped Dolphin, which is also known as the Blue Dolphin has the typical playful attitude that dolphins are famous for. They tend to swim in the wake of large ships rather than the bow of a wave and are almost always guaranteed to be spotted in Gibraltar waters.

Oddly this species usually prefers open water but in the Mediterranean they favour coastal waters.

The Common Dolphin is considered

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2011

an endangered species now due to humans. They usually move in groups of 10 to 50 members. They can, on occasion, gather in groups of 2,000 animals and will also mix with other dolphins and whales.

They are very sociable animals and they love riding bow waves of large ships and smaller sailing boats.

The Bottle Nose Dolphin is the largest of the three dolphins found around the Rock. They visit Gibraltar mainly during spring and early summer to give birth in the shelter of Gibraltar’s bay. Moving as an extended family group they mostly feed individually but have been seen feeding as a collective.

In classical times dolphins were seen as a herald to the Gods and were treated with deserved

lphin

Bottle Nose Do

respect. Now they have the constant threat of humans and water pollution as well as collusions with industrial trawler nets. In the Strait of Gibraltar many bodies have been washed ashore, some with gunshot wounds and some mutilated to the extent that

their tail flukes have been cut off.

To help the dolphins of the Strait contact The Helping Hand Trust, 10 Queensway Quay or email on helping-hand-trust@ dolphinresearch.com n

45

photos: Mario Alman

the great outdoors

Summer Colours For the last Gibraltar Horticultural Society’s monthly meeting before the summer, Lady Suzie Johns, wife of His Excellency the Governor of Gibraltar and President of the Society, very kindly invited members to a guided tour of the Convent’s gardens.

New planting schemes greeted guests as they arrived, including a checkerboard pattern around the fountain at the garden’s entrance.

Members were able to take a detailed look at the garden planting scheme. Particularly impressive where the African Lilies (agapanthus) which had great impact en masse. Guests were also briefed on measures being taken to preserve

46

some of the older trees, including a carob tree which had suffered as a result of storm damage.

The memorable visit concluded with refreshments.

Members of the Gibraltar Horticultural Society are reminded that the next meeting will be on the first Thursday in October in the John Mackintosh Library. Newcomers, as always, are welcome! n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

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Archive editions of The Gibraltar Magazine now available online at www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

GIBRALTAR 2011 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAziNE • • JUNE JULY 2011

47 47

fund-raising

Paula Does it in Pink!

In June Paula (pictured in pink) rode the 2090 miles (3364km) from Hertfordshire, England to Gibraltar, on her Harley Davidson Sportster ‘Bumble’ motorbike, to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Paula was met at the frontier by the members of Gibraltar’s Harley-Davidson Club who rode into Casemates with her.

Paula, a Mammographer by profession, has raised over £1,300.00 through her efforts, every penny of which goes to Cancer Research UK. Well done Paula! n

They did it the Long Way Last month Gary Thomson and Harvey Mason rode their motorcycles from the UK to Gibraltar to raise money for two charities, CHIEF and Help for Heroes.

The twist to their bike ride was that they took the Long Road Down (they did not use any main roads)!

The pair raised over £1,300.00, to be divided between their two chosen charities, through their ride. There was also a charity barbecue held at the Lounge, Queensway Quay to welcome them back, and they are pictured right having a well deserved beer while everyone else tucked into the food. n

Barclays Wealth colleagues take part in the Cancer Research Relay at Victoria Stadium. 15 members of staff took part to help raise funds for Cancer Research

48

The lads enjoying a well-earned beer at the welcome back barbecue hosted by The Lounge at Queensway Quay

Team GBC raising over £300 for Cancer research UK at the Relay for Life

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

health & well being

?

What is Sciatica

by Joma Ormrod (BOst.), Registered Osteopath, Atlantic Suites Health Spa

I often have patients who tell me they have sciatica when they describe pain in their leg, but most of them don’t seem to know exactly where this ‘sciatica’ comes from.

Many are surprised to find that, although they may not be suffering from low back pain, it is usually caused by an irritation or compression of one or more of the nerves that come from the lower back to form the sciatic nerve.

Because the sciatic nerve is made up of more than one nerve, the pain can appear in different areas of the legs, feet and toes. Pins and needles, numbness and, in more severe cases, weakness of the leg can also be experienced.

Irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve in the lower back can be caused by a problem with the disc, inflammation in the joint or from boney growths caused by arthritis (also known as spondylosis/spondylarthrosis). It is not uncommon for the patient with ‘sciatica’ originating from the back to not suffer with back pain. This

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

may be because the disc itself has a poor nerve supply or because an arthritic back becomes stiffer and so it cannot move easily into a position that causes pain. Episodes of pain will usually result from the inflammation caused by a ‘flare-up’ of these problems which irritates the nerves.

Another area where the sciatic

Episodes of pain will usually result from the inflammation caused by a ‘flare-up’ of these problems which irritates the nerves

nerve can be compressed is in the buttock area. The sciatic nerve runs behind a muscle in the buttock called ‘piriformis’ and if it becomes abnormally tight it can cause ‘sciatica’ pain. It can be more of problem in the few people where it runs through the muscle.

An osteopath can perform examinations to help pin-point the cause of the ‘sciatica’ and provide treatment to help alleviate any pressure on the nerve and calm down inflammation. They will also give exercises and stretches to help you manage the problem yourself.

Occasionally, and unfortunately, treatment and self-management are not always enough and you may have to be referred for further orthopaedic investigation. There are many other pain-management treatments available which the specialists can advise you on. n

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Dr. Marco Vricella, HC Marbella Hospital

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Marco Vricella, MD, is the Chief Cosmetic Surgeon at Aria Medical Group, and Director of Aesthetic Surgery at the luxury private HC Hospital in Marbella. Over the past 15 years he has performed thousands of cosmetic procedures and is a recognised expert in breast augmentation. Breast enlargement surgery enhances the size and shape of a woman’s breasts using implants, and is performed for a number of reasons varying from patient to patient, some cosmetic and some medical.

8IZ IBWF B CSFBTU FOMBSHFNFOU Typically women decide to have a breast augmentation to enhance their body contour, since for personal reasons they feel their breast size is too small. It can also correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy; or to balance a difference in breast size. It is also used as a reconstructive technique following breast surgery.

8JMM UIFSF CF TDBSSJOH With breast enlargement there are a number

60

of approaches available to keep any potential scarring as inconspicuous as possible.

Dr Marco Vricella will discuss the options with you and decide upon the best approach depending upon your anatomy. For example, the incision, to allow the implants to be inserted, might be in the crease where the breast meets the chest; along the lower half of the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple); or in the armpit, known as transaxillary breast surgery.

Teardrop or round?

In addition there is a choice of shape and positioning for the implants. Implants are available in a natural looking anatomical teardrop shape as well as the more popular round style. Positioning can be as behind the muscle or in front. Again the choice is made based on a combination of factors including the type of result you want and your personal anatomy.

8IBU LJOE PG JNQMBOUT The majority of the implants used nowadays are cohesive silicone gel because it provides attractive, soft breasts that are long lasting and safer than the ones that were used years ago.

Dr. Marco Vricella only uses the best quality cohesive gel implants that have undergone rigorous testing over the last 10 years.

When considering a breast enlargement it is important you understand as much as possible about the procedure. Dr. Marco Vricella offers free, private consultations in Gibraltar at least twice a month at College Clinic, so you can speak directly with him.

Remember, Aria Medical Group also offers free aftercare, with post operative visits in Gibraltar and free revision surgery if necessary.

For information on Marbella High Care International Hospital and to see a virtual tour please visit: www.marbellahighcare.com Dr. Vricella holds free consultations at College Clinic, Regal House, Gibraltar every 2 weeks – for dates and to book an appointment please call 00 34 952 895 088 or email: info@ariamedicalgroup.com :

www.ariamedicalgroup.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2011

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE •JANUARY 2011

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61

Madrid

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McTimoney Chiropractor

Your Family Chemists

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Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

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British Registered Optometrists

Chiropodists

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Opticians / Optometrists Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757 L. M. Passano Optometrist 38 Main Street. Tel: 200 76544

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Need somebody to talk to?

Psychologist

7 days a week 6-10pm

52 what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Clinical Psychologist Tel: +34 661 007 261 Email: vivianabot3007@yahoo.es

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

health & well-being

l

John Diaz, Chairman of the Prostate Cancer Support Group, had his life turned upsidedown by prostate cancer seven years ago

Men be Aware...

by Frankie Hatton

If you are a man or know a man over 50 years old then reading this might save a life. John Diaz has been there, done that and knows what it feels like. John is currently the Chairman of the Prostate Cancer Support Group (PCSG) here in Gibraltar. Now there is your first indicator of the subject.

John was living the life of any normal 60 year old back in 2004. No problems to speak of in fact life was just dandy until he went for an M.o.T at the Health Centre which he booked for no reason other than it felt like a good idea. One of the test was a blood test routinely carried out called a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. A normal man would expect a result of between 0 and 4.

John’s results came back and he was 95!

So what is a PSA? Basically Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. The doctor takes a blood sample, and the amount of PSA is measured in a laboratory. Because PSA is produced by the body and can be used to detect disease, it is sometimes called a biological marker or a tumour marker.

It is normal for men to have a low level of PSA in their blood; however, prostate cancer or benign (not cancerous) conditions can increase a man’s PSA level. As men age, both benign prostate conditions and prostate cancer become more common. The most frequent benign prostate conditions are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate). There is no evidence that prostatitis or BPH causes cancer,

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

but it is possible for a man to have one or both of these conditions and to develop prostate cancer as well.

A man’s PSA level alone does not give doctors enough information to distinguish between benign prostate conditions and cancer. However, the doctor will take the result of the PSA test into account when deciding whether to check further for signs of prostate cancer.

Unfortunately for John he was told by his doctor that he had cancer and it was particularly aggressive and he needed treatment for it. They

“

The most important thing here is awareness.

Awareness not only of the disease but of the symptoms, the sometimes lack of symptoms, and where to go if you have any worries

”

believed John had had the cancer for some nine months and remember, he had no symptoms but it had spread a little and this meant he could not have radio therapy immediately. As John explains. “The problem at this stage was that having been diagnosed with locally advanced prostate cancer, what was the point of having the radio therapy now when there was the possibility that it might appear in another area. For me the specialist advised I needed hormone therapy first to help shrink the tumour. Cancerous cells rely on testosterone to grow so the hormone treatment cuts this supply of testosterone to the cell and slowly shrinks the tumour as cells die.

Eventually when the tumour was small enough to be contained I received radio therapy to attack it further. I am now seven years on and still no sign of a recurrence.”

What is also amazing is John’s PSA levels are now at 0.5 — well below average for a man. So testosterone? Well I’m bald so does that means bald men (an apparent side effect of high testosterone) are more likely to develop it? Again John answers: “No, it is important to emphasise that any man can get it and he is more at risk beyond the age of 50 so get tested at least once per year.

However if you do have any of the symptoms described in the Prostate Cancer Group quick guide even if you are under 50 get it checked out, talk to your GP.” If you want to get hold of the guide then John and his friends in the PCSG Gibraltar are placing the guides in the clinics, health centres and with our GPs so they are readily available. If for some reason you cannot find one either visit the website www.prostatecancersupportgroup.gi or email John on john.diaz@pcsg.gi The PCSG was registered back in January with the official launch by the Chief Minister Peter Caruana in March. They have also made inroads to the GHA executive committee and after the launch they have expanded their membership to more than 150. The benefit of membership is you get regular information via email and if you know friends or family in a similar situation there is a support network, vital if the need arises. I’ll leave the last word with John Diaz.

“The most important thing here is awareness.

Awareness not only of the disease but of the symptoms, the sometimes lack of symptoms, and where to go if you have any worries. This disease only attacks men and we are notoriously bad at going to a doctor but once a year a simple blood test followed if needed by a biopsy in the UK and you can stay healthy and worry free for 12 months. Don’t be like me and leave it until the disease is already embedded. Seven years on and I’m okay but I might not have been.” n

53

health & well-being

Donna gets the toddlers’ attention

Babies Learn to Sing & Sign

by Donna Abbott & Aimee Hamblyn (mum who attended sing & sign classes)

Donna Abbott has been running “Sing and Sign” groups in Gibraltar for the past three years, and what a hit they have been with parents and babies. Launched in 2001, Sing and Sign is a high quality music programme developed with the help of speech and language professionals. The groups are now run throughout the UK, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

Through music the programme aims to stimulate language development and communication for all babies and toddlers. The classes are a fun mix of well-known songs like The Grand Old Duke of York or familiar tunes adapted to suit specific scenarios like bath time, eating or going to the park, to teach every day signs such as eat, drink, milk and cat. Donna uses an array of props, visual aids, pictures, toys and baby friendly musical instruments to guide the 45 minute sessions along. One mum Fiona says “I use all the songs at home; even my older son of four years enjoys them.”

There are two levels; babies from six months start at level one and complete two terms, before moving onto stage two. Stage two is aimed at babies of around 15 months and is a more active class as the babies/toddlers enjoy dancing around.

Babies have a complex job on their hands while acquiring language, they are still learning

54

it’ and started signing for eat, bird, drink and many more. As her speech has developed she has dropped some signs. For example she now says ‘agua’ and doesn’t sign drink anymore.”

Another mum, Kate, mother of two year old Isabella, has attended Sing and Sign for three terms and says “I really feel it has helped my baby communicate, which has meant less tantrums and a happier baby.”

Donna, speech and language therapist for 20 years, first came to Gibraltar because of her husband’s employment. She originally trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. As a speech and language therapist she regularly used signing with the children she worked with, both in specialist and mainstream settings. “I love to sing with children and regularly incorporated music into my work. It therefore felt very natural to link the two and teach Sing and Sign,” Donna explains.

It’s all great fun and helps the children develop language skills, she adds. “My favourite things about being a Sing and Sign teacher are being able to watch babies developing their communication skills; to be able to promote communication between parent/carer and their babies; and to watch as the babies become more independent and confident within the group.”

Donna says, “I also love the fact, so often when the groups first start the parents often don’t know each other but very quickly they begin to form friendships and the class becomes a very social environment.”

Mum Yvonne says “Nick and I as parents are very pleased that we enrolled Lara in Sing and Sign classes. Apart from both of us enjoying a fun, lively and interactive class, Lara is able to communicate her needs and feeling to us. She also communicates well with her other Sing and Sign friends at home and in her nursery. The classes have enhanced our relationship and we have made some great friends.”

Aimee adds “Donna is a natural children’s entertainer keeping the sessions really lively and fun,” but the real star of the show is Jessie; she makes an appearance and the children love her. Jessie is the Sing and Sign cat, and magically appears and disappears from a box to the delight of the children.” n For further information regarding class times and venue or training for nurseries contact Donna on 54028331 or e-mail speechtherapygib@yahoo.co.uk

so much about the world but anyone who has spent time with a pre-verbal child will marvel at how much they manage to communicate without words. We all know gesture is a natural part of language acquisition, for example many babies will point, wave bye bye, blow kisses, and hold their arms up (to ask to be lifted) before they have said any words. Sing and Sign simply aims to introduce more signs to support a baby’s communication while acquiring speech.

Gestures are not intended to be a replacement for speech and when we sign we always say the accompanying word.

Aimee, mum of Lucia, explains “Lucia didn’t start using any of the signs until we finished the first term, then all of sudden she seemed to ‘get

“

I really feel it has helped my baby communicate, which has meant less tantrums and a happier baby

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

health & well-being

by Dr. Shehzada Javied Malik

How Common is Childhood Cancer?

The term ‘childhood cancer’ is defined as tumours affecting those in the population under the age of 15 years. Childhood cancers are generally very different to those seen in adults.

All kinds of cancer, including childhood cancer, have a common disease process — cells grow out of control, develop abnormal sizes and shapes, ignore their typical boundaries inside the body, destroy their neighbour cells, and ultimately can spread (or metastasize) to other organs and tissues.

As cancer cells grow, they demand more and more of the body’s nutrition. Cancer takes a child’s strength, destroys organs and bones, and weakens the body’s defenses against other illnesses. Among all age groups, the most common childhood cancers are leukemia, lymphoma, and brain cancer. As kids enter the teen years, there is an increase in the incidence of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). The sites of cancer are different for each type, as are treatment and cure rates.

• Cancer is relatively rare in children, accounting for 0.5% of all cancers.

• In the UK around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

• Around 1 in 500 children in Britain will develop some form of cancer by 14 years of age.

• Leukemia is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in children.

• Leukemia and brain tumours account for more than half of all cancers in childhood.

In Britain childhood cancer incidence rates have increased by over 40% since the late 1960s.

The reasons for this are poorly understood, though improvements in diagnosis and registration are likely to have played a part.

Throughout Europe, childhood cancer incidence rates are lowest in the British Isles and highest in Northern Europe. .

Typically, factors that trigger cancer in kids usually differ from those that cause cancer in adults, such as smoking or exposure to environmental toxins.

In most cases, however, childhood cancers arise from non-inherited mutations (or changes) in the genes of growing cells. Because these errors occur randomly and unpredictably, there’s no effective way to prevent them.

What are the main causes of childhood cancer?

• Very little is known about the causes of most childhood cancers.

• Several rare genetic syndromes, such as Fanconi anemia and Li-Fraumeni syndrome, are associated with an increased risk of certain childhood cancers.

• There is evidence that some childhood leukemias may develop after an abnormal response to infection early in life.

• Two in five retinoblastoma (a type of eye cancer) are caused by inherited faulty gene.

• There has been much public concern about the possible health effects of electromagnetic sources, such as power lines and domestic GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Leukemia cells

wiring, but most studies have shown no evidence for an increase in risk.

• The high incidence of certain childhood cancers in some regions of the world is linked with infections by viruses such as Epstein-Barr, hepatitis B and human herpes virus 8.

• Some children treated with radiotherapy and /or chemotherapy are at a greater risk of developing a second primary cancer.

only one in 10 survived.

• N e a r l y a l l c h i l d r e n d i a g n o s e d w i t h retinoblastoma (a type of eye cancer) are cured.

• Five year survival rates for children with hepatoblastoma (a type of liver cancer) have more than trebled since the late 1970s.

• S u r v i v a l r a t e s f o r c h i l d r e n w i t h rhabdomyosarcoma (a type of muscle cancer) have doubled since the early ’70s.

• Now eight in 10 children survive kidney cancer compared to only six in 10 in the early ’70s.

• Around six out of 10 children with neuroblastoma (a cancer of the nerve tissue) are cured.

Sometimes, a doctor might spot early symptoms of cancer at regular checkups. However, some of these symptoms (such as fever, swollen glands, frequent infections, anemia, or bruises) are also associated with other infections or conditions much more common than cancer.

Because of this, both doctors and parents might How Many Children Die from Cancer? suspect other childhood illnesses when cancer symptoms first appear.

• In the UK cancer is the leading cause of death from disease in children aged 1-14 How Many Children Survive Cancer? years and accounts for just under a fifth of all deaths in this age group.

• The survival rate for children’s cancer has • Almost 300 children die from cancer each year in the UK. more than doubled since the 1960s. It is estimated there are around 26,000 childhood • Brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancer survivors in Britain. tumours are the most common cause of childhood cancer death.

• Almost three-quarters of children with cancer are cured of their disease, compared with around a quarter in the late 1960s.

• For every 10 children diagnosed with cancer, almost eight now survive for five years or more, compared with fewer than three in 10 in the late 1960s.

• Eight out of 10 children with leukemia now survive for five years or more. In the late 1960s

Thanks to many years of dedicated research, the death rate for children with cancer has more than halved since the 1960s. n To donate to Research Into Childhood Cancer (RICC) visit www.ricc.gi, email: ricc.gib@gmail.com or telephone Craig Sacarello 58009625.

55

Clive Moberley

Football, Fans & Ferguson

by Karim Corby

Clive Moberley at the clubhouse

Manchester United FC is arguably the most widely known and highly supported team worldwide. The club is said to be worth £1.13 billion, making it the most valuable football club in the world. Equally impressive is the number of supporters, which is said to be in the hundreds of millions. The Gibraltar branch numbers a little over 600 members; and if this figure seems small to you it is important to point out that this accounts for 2.4% of the population, a considerably higher figure than the percentage of Manchester United supporters in other locales.

The Gibraltar branch began in 1993, as a loose collection of about 50 fans, meeting in a number of venues to watch the games and support their favourite team. It wasn’t until 1994, when Clive Moberley joined, that the group really began to find its footing as an organised, official club. Clive came into the picture because of his work with the football club from 1962 to 1982. Having played in a number of games, he was approached because of his active interest in the sport.

The group soon grew from these humble beginnings. Starting out in a space shared with the Eagle Club; they began the process of making the club an official group recognised by Manchester United. A constitution was adopted and a branch charter drawn up, a committee was formed which today has Clive as its Chairman,

as well as lifetime member. “We want the club to be as organised as possible, annual meetings are held and everything is dealt with at a high level of transparency. Members are encouraged to speak up and question any decision the committee makes.” The Gibraltar branch now boasts spacious premises in Wellington Front, recently fitted with the latest projector technology to better view the matches on its 2.5 metre, high definition screen.

Having been a part of the group since its early days, Clive has a lot of history with the club and a closeness formed from spending years in the company of like-minded individuals. “We’re not so much a club as a family,” says Clive. “We help each other. I’m not a chairman who stays in the office and writes memos, when we have a function I help with

setting up stalls, decorations and anything that needs doing”. But about his job in its official capacity, Clive merely states “I keep the tempo of the club. As chairman my job is for the most part administrative. I make sure things run smoothly”.

When asked why he chose to support Manchester United, Clive points to his experience playing the game; many of the founding members were players. Their passion was the game, not to the teams, and plenty of members didn’t exclusively support Manchester United. Even Liverpool fans existed in their midst, and rumours still surface about Clive once supporting Arsenal. Today however, it is easy to see where his loyalties lie. There is a lot of himself in this club, one he has spent years helping to build up to this standard.

Benefits of Joining Manchester Utd Supporters Gibraltar Branch

Sir Alex Ferguson and Clive at the MUSGB inaguration

56

• Free raffle entry for a chance to win flights and accomodation on the annual Old Trafford trip.

• Viewing of about 60 live matches a season (many of which are not accessible from home).

• Opportunity to apply to obtain match tickets.

• As a One United member you’re entitled to £5 off the full non-member ticket price.

• Free admission to all home reserve matches.

• Personalised welcome letter by Sir Alex Ferguson.

• 10% discount at the Megastore (in store & online).

• 10% at the Red Cafe.

• 50% discount on the Old Trafford Tour and Museum.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

sports file As for the large following the Gibraltar branch enjoys, Clive responds succinctly with: “Success brings support”. Their match with Blackburn Rovers in May secured a recordbreaking 19th league championship, setting them ahead of their closest competition, Liverpool FC, for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson took the reins in 1986. He explains further that the team truly achieved global recognition in the ’50s as a result of the 1958 Munich air disaster. The team, nicknamed the “Busby Babes” was involved in a crash when the plane attempted to take-off in poor weather and eight players were killed. The team had an impressive number of victories under their belt prior to the tragedy, making the loss that much more poignant and support for the team grew.

One other sure way to attract support is the celebrity factor and Manchester United certainly have that aspect to spare, true also of the club in Gibraltar; which promotes Peter Caru-

Crowds welcome Sir Alex Ferguson

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

ana as its patron. Mr Caruana often joins the visits to Old Trafford and has been a considerable supporter of the group. In 2009 the club also welcomed Sir Alex Ferguson to Gibraltar to inaugurate the then new premises.

This was the culmination of five years of networking visits to Manchester. During the club’s annual trips to Old Trafford, Clive made a point of meeting members of Manchester United. A series of dinners lead to fostering a friendship with Barry Moorhouse who later became player liaison and a great asset in securing a visit from the famous manager, accompanied by Mr Moorhouse a well as Bryan

“

I keep the tempo of the club, as chairman my job is for the most part administrative, I make sure things run smoothly

”

Club patron Peter Caruana with Sir Alex Ferguson and the Premier League Trophy

pictures and mementos of the visit adorn every wall. The club is now celebrating its 18th anniversary and there are plans to outdo this celebrity visit by their 20th.

If you are considering becoming a member of the club, admission is as simple as filling in a form and it is by no means purely designed with the hardcore fan in mind. The club hosts events for fans from all walks of life; including events for children and families, Christmas parties, barbecues and wine tasting. Members are welcome to invite guests and the premises can even be rented for private parties. The club has also branched into other sports — its darts team came in second in its first ever tournament and soon it will be adding pool to its repertoire. n

Robson, Mike Phelan and as a special treat, the Premier League Trophy.

The event marked a significant change for the club, for the first time they had a real living breathing piece of Manchester United, a globally recognisable face at the forefront of a dedicated group of fans. It also cast a wider net in terms of membership. The event is still remembered vividly, the premises were filled Contact the club via the website www.manutd-gito a level not seen outside of National Day; braltar.com

57

events Calpe 2011 Conference:

The Strait of Gibraltar: Bridge or Barrier in History?

22nd-24th September, 2011 – John Mackintosh Hall

This year’s Calpe Conference will focus on the history of the Strait of Gibraltar, from its origins to the present day.

Joaquín Rodríguez Vidal, Universidad de Huelva, Spain: The Strait of Gibraltar: 5Myr of drastic changing landscape Juan Pleguezuelos, Universidad de Granada, Spain: Strait of Gibraltar, bridge & barrier for terrestrial vertebrates Jose Carlos Garcia Gomez, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain: Marine biological diversity & ecological dynamics in the Strait of Gibraltar: historical, present & future considerations Clive Finlayson, Gibraltar Museum: From Toumai to Colombus: how a terrestrial mammal conquered the oceans José Ramos, Universidad de Cádiz, Spain: The Strait of Gibraltar as bridge for prehistoric societies Darren Fa, Gibraltar Museum: Beachcombers & aquanauts on prehistoric shores: Palaeolithic hunter-gatherer subsistence economies & maritime activities along the Strait of Gibraltar Jaume Bertranpetit, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain: Re-evaluating the genetic exchange of humans through Gibraltar: how far back can we go?

Jose Maria Gutierrez & Cristina Reinoso, Museo de Villamartín, Spain: Mariners, devotees & merchants: the Columns of Melqart in the Phoenician-Punic phase of

The conference promises to hold something of interest to many and a lot to those who are keen historians and geographers. The panel of speakers has been selected to represent the top specialists in their field and the key note lecture will be delivered by Professor David Abulafia of Cambridge University, an eminent historian who has just published his latest book, a history of the Mediterranean. From 5,000,000 year old cataracts to the cold war and current immigration issues across the Strait, this conference promises to be a landmark event.

Registration is free for residents of Gibraltar who are encouraged to attend. Registration details from the Gibraltar Museum or from www.gibmuseum.gi/welcome.html. For further information contact Professor Clive Finlayson at the Gibraltar Museum.

David Abulafia, University of Cambridge, UK: Between the Great Sea & the Ocean, between Africa & Europe

Gorham’s Cave Dario Bernal, Universidad de Cádiz, Spain: The Strait, a sea of marine resources. An interdisciplinary look at the fishing & product conservation cycle.

Margarita Vallejo Girvés, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain: Contextualizing the Islamic conquest of the Visigothic Kingdom: the failure of the renewed Bizantine promise in the west?

Francisco Giles Pacheco, Freelance Archaeologist, Cadiz, Spain: 14th Century Gibraltar in geopolitical context: historical & archaeological evidence Virgilio Martinez Enamorado, Escuela de Estudios Arabes de Granada, CSIC, Spain: Demographic transfers between the Maghreb & the Iberian Peninsula through the Middle Ages: al-Andalus as result of a migration Agustin Guimera, CSIC, Madrid, Spain: The Strait, a Permeable Frontier in the Wars of Revolution & Empire (1776-1815) Larry Sawchuk, University of Toronto, Canada: The Grand Emporium at the Strait of Gibraltar Geraldine Finlayson, The Gibraltar Museum: The port of Gibraltar in the 19th Century: an analysis Andrew Lambert, King’s College, London, UK: The Limits of Naval Power: Three Sisters, Black Charley & the Moroccan Pirates.

Marcus Faulkner, King’s College, London, UK: Barrier, Key and Conduit: The Evolution of Gibraltar’s Geostrategic Position 1930-1960 Dennis Beiso, Gibraltar Government Archives: Of Gibraltar Bridges & Arab Springs: the Strait & western Mediterranean in the 21st Century

Cruise Ship Schedule

JULY 2011

DOA

Vessel

ETA ETD

Pass

Capacity From

Fri 01

Saga Ruby

0700 1400

British

665

Sat 02

Boudicca

0730 1300

British

798

Sun 03

Aurora

1230 1800

British

1975

Mon 04

Arcadia

1200 1800

British

1968

Greenock

To

Cagliari

Southampton

Tue 05

Celebrity Eclipse

0900 1600

American

2850

Southampton

Toulon

Fri 08

Grandeur Of Seas 0700 1800

American

1950

Malaga

Palma

Tue 12

Independence of Seas 0900 1600

Internatl.

3600

Southampton

Toulon

Wed 13

Grand Princess

0900 1600

American

2600

Wed 13

Ventura

1200 1800

British

3100

Sun 17

Queen Victoria

1300 1830

Internatl.

2000

Tue 19

Oceana

1300 1830

British

1950

Wed 20

Balmoral

0730 1430

British

1050

Southampton

Cagliari

Wed 20

Boudicca

1200 1800

British

798

Cartagena

Cadiz

Malaga

Palma

Fri 22

Grandeur Of Seas 0700 1800

American

1950

Fri 22

Black Watch

0730 1430

British

798

Mon 25

Oriana

0800 1330

British

1975

Tue 26

Independence of Seas 0900 1600

Internatl.

3600

Tue 26

Grand Princess

American

2600

0900 1700

Southampton

Cannes

Total Number of Vessels calling this month = 18 Approximate Number of Passengers calling in this month = 36,227

58

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

events

What’s On JULY 2011

g Daya17ythsJuly Dadanyc14in th to Sund Thurs

pionship 2011 for European Dance Cham rld Cup for groups Wo and ts due solos and place over four e and formations will tak Sports Hall in ary ten cen Ter days at the tenary Sports cen Ter e July. Tickets on sal . pm 6-8 ays ekd Hall we info E-mail: For a full programme and om or visit 1.c 201 how ces dan uro info@e om 1.c 201 how www.eurodances

Wednesday 22nd June to Tuesday 19th July Life & Legacy art exhibition commemorating the Life of Gustavo Bacarisa organised by the Ministry of Culture at Casemates Exhibition Galleries. For info contact the Ministry of Culture Tel: 20048063 Email: minculture@ gibtelecom.net Friday 1st July Breast Cancer Support Group Gibraltar’s Luna Walk 5km walk starting at midnight from Casemates Square back to Casemates Square. £5 registration on the night from 9pm. For info www.brestcancergib.org Saturday 2nd July Ceremonial Guard Mounting at the Convent 12noon. Tel: 20055083 Email: seedd851@gib. mod.uk Saturday 9th July Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Tour meet George Don Gates (at the south end of Grand Parade) 10.30am. No fee but donations welcome. Tel: 20072639 Email: alameda@wildlife.gib.gi Sunday 10th July The Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association Annual Endurance Swim from Eastern Beach to Catalan Bay. For info Tel: GASA 20072869 Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th July European Dance Championship 2011 at Tercentenary Sports Hall. Tickets on sale from Wednesday 22nd June at the Tercentenary Sports Hall weekdays 6-8pm.

For a full programme and info E-mail: info@ eurodanceshow2011.com or visit www. eurodanceshow2011.com Friday 15th July Glamour Creations 9th Annual Miss Glamour Beauty Pageant. The Alameda Open Air Theatre 9.30pm. Tickets £15 available from Blossoms, Unit F22 ICC Building. For info Tel: 54000377 Tuesday 19th July to Thursday 18th August Summer Nights every Tuesday and Thursday.

Kids activities and live entertainment for all the family at Casemates Square. For info contact the Ministry of Culture Tel: 20048063 Email: minculture@gibtelecom.net

Bodaxy 2nOd Juffilyc20e11 Satur

Boxing Association The Gibraltar Amateur of boxing, where the is hosting an evening competing against be l Gibraltar Team wil . There is a total UK Midlands Selection 7.30pm. Tickets at g rtin sta of eight fights e to £7 non-ringside, range from £25 ringsid toria Stadium Bar, Vic the e on sale outsid days 11-1pm, or by weekdays 5-7pm, Satur 88.

427 200 contacting

photo © tonyfoto.de

‘Los Mojitos’ Fundraising for Rifcom Xtreme Productions recently donated £1,022.10 to Rifcom charity from ticket sales and proceeds from a charity night held at Salsa Fuego. The fundraising team of 12, ‘Los Mojitos’, is undertaking the Rifcom 100km challenge trek in the Morroccan Atlas mountains in November.

Pictured, left-right, Christian Ignacio (Xtreme Productions), Lorraine Moberley (Rifcom charity), Stuart Allen (Salsa Fuego).

Los Mojitos and Rifcom would like to thank the full team of Xtreme productions: Joaquin Ignacio, Christian Ignacio, Lee Borg and Sean Parody for their donation and help in fundraising for this cause.

Thanks also to Salsa Fuego for allowing use of their venue free of charge.

Please visit www.rifcom.org for info about Rifcom. For donations to Los Mojitos www. justgiving.com/teams/losmojitos/

Saturday 30th July Ceremonial Guard Mounting the Convent 12 noon. For info Tel: 20055083, Email: seedd851@gib.mod.uk The O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel in conjunction with Chris King Productions presents: The Ultimate Tribute Show featuring Neil Tudor as Paul McCartney. Dinner & Show 8pm £32 per person. Pre-bookings required Tel: 20070500 Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st July XV Gibraltar International Regatta. To Register and for info contact The Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club Tel: 20078897 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

The History Society Gibraltar visits the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque at Gibraltar’s Europa Point

59

history file

A Carley float in action

Carley Kept Them Afloat

by Reg Reynolds

Thousands of people worldwide can thank an American named Horace Carley for saving their lives.

In researching the sinking of HMS Cossack near Gibraltar on 24th October 1941 I came across this report: “HMS Cossack was struck by one torpedo forward of the bridge when she was at the rear of the convoy. The explosion blew off the bow section and destroyed most of the forward section, killing the commander. The survivors (29 of them wounded) on Carley floats were picked up by HMS Legion and HMS Carnation.”

Having come across the mention of Carley floats time and again in stories of maritime disasters I decided to learn more about these life savers. I found it interesting they were seldom called life rafts and were almost always referred to as Carley floats which I soon learned was the last name of the inventor.

Recently I was able to see one of these curious craft on display in the Naval & Military Museum at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia.

Horace Carley was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts on 22nd

July, 1838, more than 100 years before his floats would save the lives of those sailors from the Cossack. At age 16 he gained work on a whaling ship. Whaling was a very hazardous business and it was during this time at sea in both the Atlantic and the Pacific (he rounded the Horn and sailed as far as Hawaii) that Horace first became interested in devising a better method of saving sailors forced to abandon ship.

Horace left his dangerous life at sea at age 23 for the even more dangerous life of a soldier in the American Civil War. He fought with the Union Army before being invalided out in 1862. He then turned his hand to painting and decorating and singing in travelling minstrel shows. His life-saving device for sailors remained only an idea in his fertile brain until a maritime disaster spurred him into action. There was also the potential of great rewards.

On 4th July, 1898, just days before Horace celebrated his 60th birthday, the French passenger ship La Bourgogne was steaming

Horace left his dangerous life at sea at age 23 for the even more dangerous life of a soldier in the American Civil War 60

through dense fog off Sable Island when she collided with the British iron cargo ship Cromartyshire. La Bourgogne, with 700 passengers and crew on a voyage from New York to Le Havre, went down in 40 minutes with the loss of 546 passengers and crew. The Cromartyshire was seriously damaged but suffered no fatalities, remained afloat and picked up survivors.

Shockingly, and contrary to the unwritten laws of chivalry, women and children didn’t come first. No children survived and out of approximately 300 women on board only one, a Mrs Lacasse, was saved and she was rescued by

her husband. Of the 75 first class passengers not even one survived.

Obviously there was a glaring lack of heroism as 95 crew survived compared to only 70 passengers. In true seafaring tradition, however, Captain Deloncle and 15 officers, all of whom survived the collision, gallantly went down with their ship.

Reports of the incident laid the blame firmly with the La Bourgogne which was said to be “steaming madly” when she should have been proceeding slowly or even have stopped altogether until the fog cleared.

Captain Henderson of the Cromartyshire wrote this description in his ship’s log: “At the time (5am) I heard a steamer’s whistle, when all of a sudden she loomed through the fog on our port bow and crashed into us at terrific speed. Our foretop mast and main-gallant mast came down, bringing with them the yards and everything attached.

I immediately ordered the boats out and went to examine the damage.

“Our bows were completely cut off and the plates twisted into every conceivable shape; the other ship disappeared through the fog; our ship was floating on her collision bulkheads. There seemed no immediate danger of her sinking.”

On top of the terrible behaviour of the La Bourgogne’s crew a subsequent law suit brought against the owners Compagnie Generale Transatlantique claimed the ship had not been supplied with enough “lifeboats, pumps, fog whistles or life preservers” and that the “fastening of lifeboats and life rafts was such they could not be loosened in sufficient speed to save lives.”

These well-founded accusations certainly would have aroused the

A Carley float being launched GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

history file art profile

Survivors being rescued from a Carley float

interest of Horace and he would have been significantly motivated to produce something when the heirs of one of the victims of La Bourgogne posted a $20,000 cash

award for a new lifeboat design.

What Horace came up with was an ‘unsinkable’ life raft made up of 35 air and water-tight copper tubes surrounded by cork and covered in waterproof canvas. Horace’s float solved many of the problems involved in life-saving at sea: it was light and easily launched — you only had to throw it overboard; it was self-righting; it wouldn’t puncture; and unlike wooden boats it could resist battering against the side of a vessel.

Sadly, due to competition and battles over patent rights, Horace didn’t win the award and never made a fortune from his float. The military began purchasing them in the early 1900s but commercial interests were less enthusiastic.

Horace Carley lived to read of the sinking of the Titanic on 15th April, 1912 with the loss of more than 1500 lives and surely he must have wished the passengers had been able to avail themselves of Carley floats rather than abandoned deck chairs.

Horace died on Christmas Day, 1918 and so never had the satisfaction of knowing about the many sailors whose lives were saved by ‘Carley floats’ in World War II. n

Sadly, due to competition and battles over patent rights, Horace didn’t win the award and never made a fortune from his float

Knitting & Nattering Every Tuesday there are the popular Gibraltar Arts and Craft Association ‘Knit and Natter’ sessions from 11am until 3pm where you can knit things for charitable organisations or just for fun!

Free to join in and refreshments provided.

The summer arts and crafts

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

classes kick off on Monday 11th July and run through to the end of August. Painting, craft, sewing, knitting, textile arts etc — something for everyone including children from five years and upwards.

Tel: 200 73865 for more information on the classes. n

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art scene

Deborah Lawson’s

Water Colour Dreams

by Sonia Golt

Gibraltar artist and tutor, Deborah Lawson, was born in Yorkshire, near the coast, and as an only child had to find things to do to entertain herself as she grew up. She developed a love of drawing and painting and it absorbed much of her time.

Her father was a very good artist and even though her mother did not particularly draw or paint she had great interest in art and would often take Deborah to nearby art galleries or on visits to London.

Deborah went on to take ‘A level’ art, but when she expressed her wish to go to art college to her parents, they were unhappy as they felt it would not end in a lucrative career, unless she suddenly became very famous, which is not often the case! So Deborah instead qualified in social work.

How did she feel leaving behind her teenage dreams?

“I did not ever think I was leaving that behind me as I always kept drawing and painting as a hobby. After studying social work I took a job in this field until both my children went to school. At the back of my mind, art college was always an option and it was then I took a large leap in my life and applied when I was in my 30s, having been inspired by a friend who was an art teacher and had done the degree herself also a lot later in life.

“I went to Bradford College where David Hockney, an important contributor to the Pop Art movement of the 1960s and one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century, had also studied. The actual course was very

62

good as the work was very hard and varied — photography, sculpture, print, textile and painting. I actually took my degree there and got a first in art and design, a mixture of practical and theoretical work that also included illustrations. My finals where in fine art textiles and painting. I really enjoyed my four years there even though it was hard with a young family still, but I had a child minder for a while and I found a way around it even though I also went through a divorce that actually happened in the middle of my studies.

“After my degree I returned to social work as my parents’ prediction was so true and money was not as forthcoming via the arts as it was with social work.”

Some years ago Deborah decided to try teaching water colour, which had become her favourite medium. “I did a City and Guild course for adults and started teaching for local authorities, but it was not paying too well, so had to keep looking for other ways of making money.” Once again she turned to social work part-time, at the same time holding exhibitions and getting some income from her paintings.

Around the year 2000, Deborah’s Civil Engineer and folk artist husband, Neil, was employed in the construction of the Millennium Bridge at Newcastle for a few years. Deborah GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

arts scene sometimes went along and would sit to paint the ongoing works. At one of these sittings she was painting a boat bringing in the building equipment, when Neil’s boss, the Managing Director for the main contractor, commissioned her to do paintings to record works and progress of the bridge during construction.

“I found this work fascinating,” she says.

“It was interesting to be part of what was a historical moment and the community was very excited about it as for them this was a very big step towards regenerating the area.

At the same time they were also building the Baltic Art Gallery from the old Baltic flour mill.

Wonderful moments.” Once the works ended she held an exhibition in Newcastle to show all the paintings of the works.

From then Deborah taught and worked parttime to cover her expenses, producing her own style of paintings. She also took on commission work, mostly portraits, ocassionally.

Four years ago Neil’s job dictated a move to Gibraltar, and she says she was thrilled to come over. “I started doing a lot of portrait commission work here, as well as buildings.

Since I have been here I have dedicated most of my time to painting. I am very busy as I have a solo exhibition coming up in November at Sacarello’s restaurant and I am preparing for that while at the same time teaching.”

Deborah has become an active member of the arts and crafts community locally. “When they asked me if I wanted to join and do some of the painting classes, I took this on and I am really enjoying it.”

Deborah’s students say she is a wonderful and patient teacher and she can get out the best of each student. Her professionalism is evident as with little strokes here and there she teaches students to make beautiful cards and paintings that somehow seem effortless and the results are good.

“Art and craft work is very therapeutic” she says. “I do not consider myself a therapist,

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

“

I can teach anybody to paint who wants to. It is because the way I teach is my own sort of system and one I have devised because it works for me and my students

”

but when people get absorbed with painting and enjoy it, somehow it takes you into different levels — it is like other creative arts, writing etc.”

Deborah believes there are a lot of very good artists in Gibraltar. “I think that in Gibraltar people are very artistic and talented in many fields like music, dance, etc and the standards are pretty high considering the size of this place.”

If anyone reading this fancied having a go... what would Deborah recommend?

“I think I will boast a little now, as I think I can teach anybody to paint who wants to.

It is because the way I teach is my own sort of system and one I have devised because it works for me and my students. I do things by demonstrating step by step all the way, because when I first started painting with water colours myself I was making the most horrible messes, so I know it is best to teach the basic techniques before you start to paint in this medium. If you have the interest, the desire and the commitment to paint, nothing can stop you,” she assures.

Deborah has in the past entered the Spring Festival and she was very happy with the outcome. “I may not have won a prize,” she laughs, “but I immediately sold the painting I entered. It made me feel good!”

So what can we look forward to at Deborah’s forthcoming exhibition in November?

“I have been doing a lot of landscape paintings for this particular exhibition as I like to paint buildings and the sea and there are loads to see in Gibraltar, so am keeping it to the Gibraltar theme. I hope it will be enjoyed by those who visit.” n

63

art file

Ernest Victory:

Boxing to Success

by Jolene Gomez

Ernest in the ring

A remarkable man, Ernest Victory has been involved in boxing for a lifetime. After being taken to boxing matches at St. Theresa’s Club by his father and uncle Patrick, Ernest was smitten by this contact sport, and has dedicated his free time to keeping young men from the streets, raising money for many charities, and coaching hundreds — all free of charge.

“I was active from a young age, always up to mischief, and was usually found walking around Laguna Estate with my boxing gloves, picking fights with other kids my age,” he explains.

“I began taking boxing more seriously, and was coached by various local greats of that time, including Pepe Soanes, and later Pepe Ocaña, my main trainer, who taught me everything I knew. I was also coached by Luis Caballero, William Zammit and Jimmy Bossino — they motivated me into continuing with this sport,” Ernest smiles.

One of the highlights of Ernest’s career, was having his brother, nephew and son involved in boxing also. “It was hard for me having my family involved in boxing — to have a family member in the ring is not pleasant as you suffer with them. You also have to make them go through tough situations to make them into good boxers,” he explains.

“However, to have brought the level of boxing in Gibraltar to a high standard as it is now,

64

and to have represented Gibraltar around the er, as well as a contributor on Sky Sports boxworld with boxers of such calibre, is the great- ing reports. This fills me with pride,” Ernest est achievement a coach can have. Lots of guys smiles.

The Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association I have trained are now boxing coaches or promoters, such as Carl Greaves, who trained with me for a year before becoming World Champion, and is now a famous coach and promot-

“

No member has ever paid a penny... I have been involved in boxing all my life, and all for nothing. I have always done it for the love of the sport, and would do it all over again

”

Helping with the helmet

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

art file was formed before Ernest’s time in boxing — other clubs had also been formed, but there was not enough demand for this sport, and this saw the demise of boxing locally for some time.

Eventually, Ernest took over GABA together with his family and friends. They became affiliated to the European and International Boxing Association, making the club grow from strength to strength, and allowing the members to participate all over the world.

“At the moment I have 80 guys in the club, but only 15 are active boxers. It is a long, hard road to becoming a boxer and not everybody is cut out for it. Most members come along to keep fit as our training methods are precise and effective. We even have a very young gentleman Jaime Bossino, still training with us and going strong!” Ernest exclaims.

At amateur level, the training consists of circuit training, jogging, hitting the sack, pad work, shadow boxing and sparring with each other. Ernest is a specialist in technical advice, and was asked by the European Federation to be part of the Technical Commission, and offer his expertise. He also has a professional boxing licence, and is the only Gibraltarian professional boxer to do so, registered with the British Boxing Board of Control.

What makes Ernest stand out from the rest as a coach, is his discipline and work ethic, for everyone who enters the club, be it member or spectator. “Everyone must respect the rules, for hygiene, organisation and training purposes. Members must be disciplined inside and out of the ring, and anyone not adhering to the rules is out. I have to set these ground rules in order for the club to prosper and be as successful as it has been for the past few years.”

The most remarkable aspect of Ernest’s career in boxing, is that everyone training at the club does so free of charge, and has been doing so ever since he formed the club. “No member has ever paid a penny, even when we have travelled abroad for a competition. I have been involved in boxing all my life, and all for nothing. I have always done it for the love of the sport, and would do it all over again.”

All equipment has been donated by local companies, and all money collected has been donated to many charities, such as Lady William’s Centre, RICC, Calpe House and many more. With a whopping £80,000 collected, it is

Ernest with his boxing memorabilia, displayed all over the club

“

I have met many people around the world, but none have made such an impression on me, as when I met Her Majesty no wonder he was commended with an MBE seven years ago, presented by the Queen herself.

“I have met many people around the world, but none have make such an impression on me as when I met Her Majesty. She shook my hand, and congratulated me on my charity work, and managing to keep kids off the streets by coaching boxing for free, and giving them an incentive. It was a remarkable experience — I could not move or speak as I was overcome with emotion in her presence.”

When he was not receiving an MBE, in the ring, working in concrete management, or playing first division football, Ernest was busy with his other passion — breeding Pyrenean

”

mountain dogs, some which became World Champions. He breeding and competed for over 30 years, and his dogs have won many competitions, including European and International championships.

“I have met many people during my dog breeding years — famous bullfighters, celebrities, and even the King of Spain! My dogs were so big everyone wanted photos with them. I even won a competition in Navarra, where there were 200 dogs of the same breed, and was on the cover of the Pyrenean Mountain Dogs Standard.”

Although he has now ceased to breed dogs, Ernest enjoys his life in retirement, just working towards coaching (still free of charge!) and training other boxers to continue the club after he retires. “I would like to leave the club in good hands, hoping the club will go from strength to strength, with plenty of tournaments organised in a safe environment, with responsible coaches who will carry on the club for another 50 years. I would like to thank my family for the unconditional support they have offered through the years; the boxers for their dedication to the sport; and the many Gibraltarians who come to support us when we hold events,” he smiles. n Anyone over 13 years old, interested in boxing is welcome to go along to Ernie at the GABC gym on Europa Road, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7-9pm from September. To give you a little taster, the GABA will be hosting an evening of boxing on Saturday 2nd July 2011, at the Victoria Stadium. Tickets are priced at £25 ringside, to £7 non-ringside. They can be bought at the Victoria Stadium bar, or by contacting 200 42788.

Pad work GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

65

Gibraltar-born MP fought Canadian Confederation

by Reg Reynolds

1st July is Canada Day but it wouldn’t be if James Fraser Forbes had had his way. James Forbes was born in Gibraltar in 1820, the son of Captain Anthony Forbes of the 11th Regiment of Foot. In the late 1830s the 11th was sent to Canada where Anthony quit the army and took up the position of customs collector for the port town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

It was there young James continued his education, earned a degree in medicine, married Sarah Jane Jacobs, worked as a physician and surgeon and went on to forge an impressive political career, which included campaigning against the formation of the country now known as Canada.

By the mid-19th Century Britain had lost interest in the huge, mostly barren, land mass of northern America and the half-dozen disparate colonies that it governed there. At the same time a group of influential men representing four of those colonies — Province of Canada (previously Upper and Lower Canada), Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia — sought independence from Britain and the formation of a new country — a confederation.

At a conference in Quebec City in October of 1864 there was general agreement among representatives from the various colonies to separate from Britain, however, several delegates from the Maritimes expressed concern that a strong central government could lead to a loss of their

66

cultural identity.

Bolstered by massive popular support and led by the future ‘Father of Confederation’ John A. Macdonald, the French-Canadian populist, George-Eitienne Cartier, and Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia, the pro-confederation lobby

Considering the terrible amount of blood and money shed over the loss of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution there was surprisingly little opposition to Canada’s bid for independence

won the day. In March 1867 the bill for the confederation of Canada was presented to the UK Parliament.

Considering the terrible amount of blood and money shed over the loss of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution there was surprisingly little opposition to Canada’s bid for independence. In fact the confederation bill passed so quickly that one reporter sarcastically pointed out that a complaint to Parliament concerning dog licences had incurred more debate.

In his book 1867, Christopher Moore wrote: “British leaders accepted that they would be obliged to protect British North America if it were threatened, but they were ready to consider granting Canada outright independence if the colonists insisted on it.”

In an effort to counter the formation of the new country the journalist and politician Joseph Howe of Nova Scotia formed the Anti-Confederation Party. Gibraltar-born James Forbes, the Liberal representative for the Queen’s District of

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

history makers Liverpool, was one of the first to sign up.

Howe was hugely popular in Nova Scotia where his followers feared that their relatively little province would end up a junior partner in the new confederation. Moore wrote: “The old established province (Nova Scotia), once the richest of the British North American colonies, still saw itself as the senior colony, the most cultured and best endowed with higher learning.”

But when loyalist Howe took his case for Nova Scotia to Parliament in London he and his delegation were dismissed in such a cold manner that he became permanently disillusioned by Britain and its lack of regard for what he termed “the smaller colonies”.

Journalist and businessman Walter Bagehot best explained the popular view amongst British Parliamentarians “…dissidents must perforce give way. For purposes like these, the four provinces… must be taken to be one, and in that view the federation has been voted in… by 3,800,000 to 200,000 * (See note). No plebiscitum [sic] has ever been more free or more decisive.”

Despite the rejection Howe took the Anti-Confederation Party into the first Canadian Federal elections of 1867 and incredibly the party won 18 of 19 seats in Nova Scotia. James Forbes won the riding of Queens, beating the Conservative candidate 844-271. The Conservatives, however, won the only other seat available in Nova Scotia and went on to form the first Canadian Government with a total of 100 seats out of 180 (the Liberals captured the other 62).

James Fraser Forbes was more pro Nova Scotia than anti Canada and it didn’t take him long to embrace his new country. With the demise of the Anti-Confederation party he returned to the Liberal fold and won re-election in 1872 and 1874. He lost in 1878 to the wonderfully named Conservative — Silas Tertius Rand Bill — but regained the seat in 1882. Forbes also served as coroner and health officer for Liverpool and

Queen’s County for 26 years and in 1874 was elected President of the Bank of Liverpool James Forbes died in 1887 but his children carried on the family tradition of patriotism and public service. His son Francis Gordon Forbes (1857-1941) gained a law degree and, as a Liberal, was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1891. He resigned in 1896 to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps as a collector of customs. James’ daughter Sarah trained as a nursing sister and served with the Canadian contingent during the Boer War. Ironically, it has turned out that Howe, Forbes and their Anti-Confederation supporters were justified to fear centralized government. Today there are 308 seats in the Canadian House of Commons of which Nova Scotia has just 11 (8 fewer than in 1867) while Ontario has 106 and its capital city Toronto is the financial and cultural centre of the country.

So it would seem that the Gibraltar-born Forbes, possibly blessed with some insight into the importance of localised government, may have been right after all. n

When loyalist Howe took his case for Nova Scotia to Parliament in London he and his delegation were dismissed in such a cold manner that he became permanently disillusioned

by Britain

James Forbes was born in Gibraltar in 1820

* Note: The Canadian census for 1867 estimated the population to be 3,463,000. On 1st July Canada will be 144-years-old. It is made up of 10 provinces: the four from confederation in 1867 — Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; plus Manitoba (15th July, 1870), British Columbia (20th July, 1871), Prince Edward Island (1st July, 1873), Saskatchewan and Alberta (both 1st September, 1905) and Newfoundland-Labrador (31st March, 1949). Add on the three northern territories — Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut — and Canada is the second largest country in the world but with a relatively small population of approximately 35,000,000.

What is AKIN? The Association for Kids In Need (AKIN) is a charitable trust dedicated to stamping out the suffering experienced by underprivileged children around the world and to secure a happy future for as many of them as possible. AKIN works to address many issues facing children around the world including: hunger, poverty, disease, illiteracy, and abuse.

AKIN provides direct and indirect financial assistance to specific projects that the Board of Trustees have approved. Administrative costs are kept to a minimum so all funds collected go to where it is needed most... the children.

AKIN was founded in Gibraltar six years ago by Les Roberts and Leslie Bruzon to help children to realise their true potential through education and self-belief.

AKIN has helped build schools, orphanages and community centres; helped find relatives and families for children orphaned by natural disasters; supplied basic living essentials for orphaned children whose parents have died from AIDS and other diseases; and provided education sponsorships ensuring each child completes their educational requirements up to secondary school. In addition, AKIN has a commitment to continue to support highly merited students who want to study further and make a difference in their communities.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

A chance to drive away in a brand new Renault Clio for just £5.00

Grand Raffle for Kids in Need...

Local charity, AKIN (Association for Kids in Need), is launching a grand car raffle in early July. All proceeds from the tickets (priced at £5.00) will be in aid of AKIN’s Sierra Leone school project.

The draw will be held on 21st December and the prizes will be as follows: Four-door Renault Clio car supplied by Rock Motors; Honda 125cc motorcycle donated by Bassadone Motors; Toshiba laptop donated by iComms & Netgear; Philips LCD 37” TV donated by Hammonds; £300 D&H Ceramics voucher; £200 restaurant vouchers donated

by Anglo Hispano; £175 Eye Studio voucher; £100 Gibraltar Crystal voucher; £100 CEPSA

voucher; £100 Peacocks voucher; £100 Lord Nelson voucher; £100 Casino Chargrill Restaurant; £75 Dolphin Adventure family trip voucher; £50 Ipanema Restaurant voucher; £50 Biancas Restaurant voucher; £50 Ristorante Pizzeria voucher. The cost of the printing has been sponsored by GIBUNCO. n Anyone interested in purchasing tickets for the raffle should contact Jimmy Bruzon on jimbruzon@ hotmail.com or call him on mobile 57631000.

67

puzzle page

by Alan Gravett

SUDOKU

Across: 1. Gentle; not hard (4) 3. Island part of Tanzania (8) 9. European country, Capital Vienna (7) 10. Frank..., former heavyweight boxing

champion (5) 11. (A boat for example) loaded (5) 12. A planet (6) 14. Made a home, like a bird might (6) 16. Used a 4) for example (6) 19. Someone who lives outside his home

country (6) 21. Characteristics (5) 24. Name of a book or a member of the

peerage has one (5) 25. Income (7) 26. With no clothes on (8) 27. Where soldiers eat

Win a lunch for two at

The Cannon Bar

Send completed suduko to: The Cannon Bar, 27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar.

One entry per person.

Closing date: 20th July 2011 Last month’s winner: D.Rose, 20-2 South Barrack Road

Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar.

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

One entry per person.

Closing date: 20th July 2011 Winner notified in next issue of The Gibraltar Magazine.

Last month’s winner: Ian Petfield LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Roast Potatoes, Monopoly, Avon, Beatles, Skate, Spite, Procure, Loan, Duckling, Henry the Fifth. Down: Solo, Escort, Opposed, Stays, Attack, Reporter, Exploded, Tenure, Edits, Cricket, Note.

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Down: 1. Film star, Sylvester ……… (8) 2. A bomb would be this to explode; and

so might electrical plugs (5) 4. An old counting instrument (6) 5. Striped quadruped (5) 6. Scent of wine of a bunch of flowers (7) 7. Tuber; basis of a word; cheer (for) (4) 8. Old country house (6) 13. Senior person working on a news paper (8) 15. Indonesian Island (7) 17. Set of eight notes (6) 18. Panic (6) 20. Hellenic (5) 22. In a musical and film, the 24) instructs

her to get her gun! (5) 23. Inventor of the lift (4)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

gibraltar connection

John Wilson Carmichael (1799-1868) A large Second Rate passing through local small craft off Gibraltar. Sold through Christie’s for £73,200 in 2006

Carmichael Painting Shows Gibraltar’s Beauty & Power

by Reg Reynolds

As maritime painters go John Wilson Carmichael was one of the best and his depiction of Gibraltar is my all-time favourite of the Rock.

Carmichael’s A large Second Rate passing through local small craft off Gibraltar (oil on canvas 50cm x 70 cm) shows a Royal Navy Man-O-War, believed to be the 84-gun HMS Asia, sailing west through the Strait. The sea is rough with white

caps splashing over the little boats and the Rock appears at its foreboding best with enough light to show its beauty and enough edgy darkness to express its power.

John Carmichael was born in Newcastle on

9th January, 1800. He spent much of his childhood down at the docks where his father worked as a ship’s carpenter. Young Carmichael apprenticed to a ship’s builder before becoming a full-time painter. Aged 23 he studied under, and shared a studio with, the outstanding landscape painter Thomas Richardson (1784-1848).

Intrigued by the yarns told by the old salts in the local taverns and wishing to expand his knowledge of the arts and the sea Carmichael developed a strong desire to travel. He subsequently toured slowly and extensively through Holland, the Baltic and Italy, painting seascapes and landscapes along the way.

It was on a voyage to Italy that he saw Gibraltar for the first time.

In 1847 Carmichael returned to England and set up his own studio in London. By this time he was recognised as a premier maritime painter and his works were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy and the British Institution to Promote Fine Arts.

Gibraltar entered Carmichael’s life again in 1854 when he was enlisted by the London Illustrated News to provide engravings of the Crimean War. His painting of Gibraltar and HMS Asia was completed in 1858 so it is likely he drew his inspiration from stopovers on the trips to and from the Crimea.

Carmichael continued his prolific painting through the late 1850s and early 1860s and wrote books including, The Art of Marine Painting in Watercolour (1859). His brilliant career came to abrupt end* [see note] in 1862 with the sudden death of his young son. None of the biographies I found explained how the boy died or his age but it must have been quite traumatic as Carmichael retired to Scarborough where he died in 1868. n

Note: All of the bios of Carmichael I came across intimated that he stopped painting after 1862 but his painting of the ghost ship the Flying Dutchman is signed and dated 1867.

New Facility for the Visually Impaired...

The Gibraltar Society for The Visually Impaired (GSVI) has opened a superb new facility at 1 Bayview House, Line Wall Road (next to the old Amar bakery and Casino Calpe) Tel 20050111.

There are special screens to enlarge documents, publications or other material such as bank statements so they can be easily read, and the viewer has privacy to read sensitive documents. There is also a library of CDs and tapes available.

Everything is free including a soft drink or coffee and is open to registered patients or other visually impaired people, from 11am - 1pm Monday to Friday. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

69

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295 MAIN ST Tel: 200 74254

Accountants Durante Carboni Jardim..............X3 ESV Hassan & Co........................ I4 Business/Financial Services AI Couriers (DHL)......................K3 Barclays...................................... M4 Jyske Bank.................................. L4 Phoenix Solutions........................ J4 Sovereign Trust...........................N4 STM Fidecs.................................H7 Business Services Global Business Centre................S3 Waste Management......................a6 Business Supplies Beacon Press...............................N6 Image Graphics...........................N3 Stitch Design................................P3

Motoring & Car Sales A. M. Capurro & Sons Ltd ........ N6 Computers & Cableing Image Graphics........................... N3 Newton Systems.........................M5 PC Clinic..................................... U3 Food & Drink Amin’s The Office....................... K5 Buddies Pasta Casa..................... Q4 Cafe Rojo.................................... K5 Café Solo..................................... G3 Casa Pepe.....................................Z6 Final Whistle............................... N3 Get Joost...............................H4, S4 Get Stuffed.................................. A3 House of Sacarello.......................L5 Just-a-Nibble.................................I4 Just Desserts..................................I4

Lord Nelson................................. H2 Picadilly Gardens.......................... b4 Pickwicks Bar...............................R3 Saccone & Speed...........................J4 Smiths Fish and Chips................. V4 Solo Express................................ H4 Star Bar........................................ K5 The Three Roses.......................... Q2 Verdi Verdi................................... N3 Waterfront.................................... Y7 Hair & Beauty Salons Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Joya’s Gents Hairdressers............ N2 Renaissance Beauty.......................J4 Roots.............................................T4 Jewellery Sales/Repair Beau Jangles.................................M4 Jewellery Repairs..........................L4

Matthew’s Jewellery......................I3

Steiner Chiropractor.....................K7

Leisure Complete Fitness.......................... R3 Dolphin Safari.............................. A3

Pet Services / Supplies Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic..........H4

Legal Services Hassans.............................................

Isolas.............................................E4

Property Sales / Estate Agents Chesterton........................................

Seekers.........................................L3 Solomon Levy . ...........................U3

Medical / Health Bell Pharmacy.............................. N3 Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Dr. Crump, Steven, Chiropractor I4 Health Food Store........................ O4 Louis Pharmacy........................... H4 McTimoney chiropractor..............L4 John Miles - Chiropodist.............. K7 Specialist Medical Clinic...............I4 Sport-On - Sports Therapy........... K3

General Services Art Gallery...................................R4 Balban (electrician)......................H2 Balloqui . ..................................... P4 LP Borge......................................X3 Denville Designs.........................M3 Fashion House Interiors............... P2 Greenarc.......................................X5 Larbi upholstery...........................R3 Queensway Quay Laundrette.......X7

Z6 Seekers........................................L3 Space Interiors.............................I3 Shopping — General Gallery Mosaic...........................M5 Sakata.........................................M4 Shopping — Fashion/Clothing Marble Arc......................................

Recruitment Career Finders.................................

Corporate Resources....................J4 ERS..............................................I4 RecruitGibraltar......................... O6 Quad Consultancy...................... U3 Transport / Marine Services Gib Cargo................................... B8 Tarik Oil..................................... C8

M4

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

71

events

DJ Eric’s

&

Lush Life Funken Tramps

by Kirsten Openshaw

DJ Eric playing at the Lounge

DJ Eric’s friendly smile and charming charisma are part of his popular easy listening Jazz and Blues set. He is known around town for being the ‘top cat’ and smooth talker of Gibraltar’s DJ circuit. It’s not uncommon to find at least one member of the audience sitting with Eric suggesting songs.

From Upper Marlboro, Maryland State on the East coast of America to Gibraltar, DJ Eric first arrived on the Rock in 2005 when he was in the US Navy. “I landed on the Rock, and went to my flat in Four Corners. I put my bags down and closed my door. I landed up being locked in my room for seven hours. I had to climb out the window. This was my introduction to Gibraltar.” Eric said with a smirk. “I also landed on National Day, 10th September, so I missed most of the celebrations.”

In 2008 Eric decided to leave the US Navy after eight years of service. He went to Virginia, Norfolk to be discharged. “Before I left Gibraltar I hurt my toe. It turned out to be broken and they wouldn’t discharge me until my toe was healed. I was stuck in Virginia for nine months,” remarked Eric. “Once I was discharged I bought a ticket straight back to Gibraltar.”

Eric has a unique love for Gibraltar, “There’s a sense of community here, and people have time for one another. There was a large opportunity for live entertainment and I saw a chance to be creative and DJ. I knew it was possible with the help of my social network.”

This is when DJ Eric started to emerged. “I

72

worked in a bar in La Linea as a bartender and sang on occasion. The owner would let me bring in my own CDs and I developed into being Eric the DJ.” Eric’s love for music began when he was seven.“I was playing with my parent’s old records. I picked out three, which I thought had the most interesting covers. They were Herb Albert, Earth Wind and Fire and of course Stevie Wonder’s album, Hotter than July,” added Eric. This is when Eric decided he wanted to be a musician. In 1998 he graduated from Howard University with a degree in Music Business. After graduating he

“

We were leaning against a car... waiting for a gig to start. We laughed about the fact we looked like tramps but we were funken

”

worked in a restaurant in George Town called Huston’s, waiting tables. “It was fantastic money, but I had no real future in the industry. Although it was great for a job just out of university.” His family decided he needed to move on so pushed him in the direction of the military. “I thought that if you joined the military it meant you had failed in life somehow. I couldn’t have been more wrong. And that’s how he came to Gibraltar. Joining was the best decision I had made.”

Eric was a front singer for the ‘Funken Tramps’, which was his first musical experiment in Gibraltar. When asked how he came up with such a colourful band name, he replied, “We were leaning against a car smoking cigarettes waiting to start a gig. We laughed about the fact we looked like tramps but we were funken.” The ‘Funken Tramps’ made Eric consider being a full time musician, Eric said, “I started to think about taking music seriously. I wanted to move on and do what I was truly passionate about, I didn’t want any regrets.

“I had my first real DJ gig in the Star Bar every Saturday, which lasted two years. The manageress Dee gave me a break and it was

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

entertainment a great transition to get to know the market.

I had overwhelming support from friends,” commented Eric. This is how Eric created what he calls ‘Lush Life’ a format he uses to develop an atmosphere with the great Blues and Jazz set he is well known for locally.

“I play a similar set for all crowds and age groups. It’s a combination of music you would play at home and the music my parents raised me on,” added Eric. “Some cats will ask for a song but don’t know if it’s allowed to be played, I don’t mind. It creates a

‘Lush Life’ is a format he uses to develop an atmosphere with the great Blues and Jazz set he is well known for locally smooth, comfortable atmosphere and I get to know the audience personally and develop a friendship.”

You can catch DJ Eric at popular Gibraltar spots. He plays every Thursday and Friday evenings at Fifty-Five private members’ club, starting at seven o’clock (you can make a reservation for dinner during July and August without being a member Tel: 200 79655). On Saturdays he can always be seen playing at

The general public can catch DJ Eric on Saturday nights at the Lounge, Queensway Quay

the Lounge, Queensway Quay Marina, again from seven o’clock. “The Lounge has a great atmosphere, the yachts, the people. I enjoy the sun and the social community the bar attracts,” commented Eric.

DJ Eric is well known for his Jazz and Blues knowledge and creating an easy listening atmosphere. When asked how he starts an

evening, Eric replied, “Stevie Wonder is my favourite musician to start the night but ask me tomorrow and it might be Marvin Gaye.”

DJ Eric is available for personal parties or events. Ask him for his details. “I don’t have business cards, it’s impersonal. I like to write out my contact details.” Or you can email him on thompson_952@hotmail.com n

Kids Learn to Bowl

Due to its popularity in previous years King’s Bowl will be offering bowling coaching by qualified instructors for youngsters on weekdays from Monday 11th July to Friday 26th August.

Morning group 11am - 1pm (7-10 year olds). Afternoon group 2 - 4pm (11-13 year olds). Wear GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

comfortable clothing (and socks ideally!).

The cost is £20 for first week, £10 for consecutive weeks.

Unlimited squash and mini trophies included in cost.

Contact 20077338 for phone booking, information@ kingsbowl.com for e-mail booking .

73

what’s on

Catherine Tate and David Tennant as Beatrice and Benedick

photos: Johan Persson

Much ado about Gibraltar

by Karim Corby

The works of William Shakespeare are arguably the epitome of great British writing; though what is most emblematic of his work is how they leave an audience so wonderfully divided. Some will take the Bard’s word as written, citing lines word-for-word with all their “thous and thines”, inevitably, others find they get lost in the florid prose and dense imagery, unable to follow the plot. More still would fondly remember Rowan Atkinson punching Shakespeare in the face proclaiming “That is for every schoolboy and schoolgirl for the next 400 years.”

Yet regardless of any individual’s perception of the man, one thing is universally acknowledged; Shakespeare understood emotion and the human condition. It is no wonder his plays still run over four centuries later, and are still found relevant and adaptable enough to be brought into the modern day — Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet and Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet being the most memorable examples.

The West End is now featuring the latest adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing starring the dynamic duo from Dr Who’s 10th incarnation; David Tennant and Catherine Tate as Benedick and Beatrice. The play features enough comic twists and turns to pique the interest of the most disillusioned Shakespeare critics, and for those who aren’t entirely sold yet, it is being set in Gibraltar.

Director Josie Rourke transports the play to the ’80s so expect to see Rubik’s cubes,

Catherine Tate on stage

74

“

The parts are so brilliant, they’re coveted roles, roles that you hope one day that you’ll play

”

and disco lights, though, hopefully not as much hair and spandex as I can recall and in case you were wondering; there isn’t a bare-bottom Barbary macaque in sight.

Rourke decided on this setting and time period because of the historical context of the performance; in Shakespeare’s original the characters are returning from war. Which nicely translates to Gibraltar because of the naval presence here during the Falklands war.

Rourke is no stranger to Shakespeare, having worked on King John and Believe what you will with the Royal Shakespeare company, as well as Twelfth Night and Taming of the Shrew with the Chicago Shakespeare Company. This isn’t even her first time on Much Ado having directed it with Sheffield Theatres. Her experience and familiarity with the text is sure to shine through in this adapted version of the play, and tickets have already begun selling out for the Wyndhams Theatre performance.

That said, in the run up to production, it seemed they were fraught with challenges to overcome, fortunately this has worked to their advantage. The play opened on 16th May, just days after a more traditional take on Much ado opened at the Globe theatre to rave reviews. A situation akin to Judi Dench and Keira Knightley showing up to a premiere in the same dress;

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

yet what could have been disastrously bad timing has instead allowed the theatre audience to see the best of both worlds, as written in the Telegraph by Charles Spencer: “Purists will no doubt baulk, but there is an outstanding traditional production of Much Ado now playing at the Globe and Rourke’s production has a freshness and wit about it that is often irresistible.” The Guardian’s Michael Billington found Rourke’s version “more socially specific and sexier”.

The next possible pitfall came in the form of casting; working as a foil to the biting, sarcastic Beatrice and Benedick, are love-struck dreamers Hero and Claudio, played by Sarah MacRae and Tom Bateman, and this will be the West End debut for both the young actors.

Despite the dangers of having “newbies” on set, it is still an excellent decision; giving exposure to new talent and placing them alongside Tate and Tennant, two veterans who began their careers in theatre. This also serves to heighten the level of contrast between the couples, and so far, critics have nothing but good things to say about the two young actors.

Long-time fans of the Dr Who series will buy a ticket for the chance to see the Doctor and Donna re-united. Some have even taken to using the moniker Much ado about Doctor Who. This phenomenon can improve sales, but also create false expectations of the show. On the other hand it is apparent that Tate and Tennant have a great working relationship and are good friends off set.

Having that level of familiarity often translates into great chemistry in a performance.

Catherine was keen to point out that their

“

what’s on

There’s a natural desire to see that energy between us being recreated.

I trust people have more sense then to assume it will be the same

”

on-stage partnership would be different. She explained in a recent interview: “Benedick and Beatrice are similar to the Doctor and Donna in some ways, there’s a lot of sparring, but this is a romantic relationship, which was never the case in Dr Who. Of course, there’s a natural desire to see that energy between us being recreated. I trust people have more sense than to assume it will be the same.” David added: “Hopefully audiences are excited to see you doing something different, rather then expecting to see you do something the same.”

However, it is clear the duo chose to pursue this play because it was something they believe in; as Catherine stated in a recent interview: “It has always been my favourite comedy. The parts are so brilliant, they're coveted roles, roles that you hope one day that you'll play.” n Performances run until 3rd September 2011. Book well in advance by contacting the box office +44 207 812 7498 for overseas calls or check out the website www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk. Wyndhams Theatre is at 32 Charing Cross Road, London.

David Tennant on stage in naval uniform

Dogs of the Month Four female puppies found dumped at the side of the road with mum, who couldn’t be caught. They are approx 6-8 weeks old and will be medium sized. Really friendly, wormed and frontlined, but will need jabs. Donations towards vaccines welcome. They are ready for their new homes now. Normal puppy training needed.

“We need good homes!”

If you are interested in adopting call the GSPCA on 540 19968 or 540 29927 Note: dogs that have been kennelled for a while may need patience with house training when first in their new home

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

75

Mario Arroyo:

A Lifetime in the Arts

by Jolene Gomez

Every once in a while, there is an artistic soul brought into the world to make a difference – a pioneer in their field who in the face of adversity, is often misunderstood and many times rejected, but their determination to bring a positive change is too strong to falter. Gibraltar can boast of having an individual of this calibre among them, as Mario Arroyo, through his work in the arts, helped local youngsters develop into artistic leaders of today.

Mario Arroyo has dedicated his life to the arts

M

ario, however, is of a humble disposi tion — “although I think I was born

an artist, I am not a show off. If I

have to take the limelight and I can, I will, as I have always wanted to share what I can do with others — not show off. The limelight hurts my eyes,” he explains.

It is difficult to ignore the fact Gibraltar has a thriving arts community, with shows staged nearly on a weekly basis, and talent overflowing in all fields of the arts. Together with other celebrated artists of the time, Mario was one of the forefathers of local arts, setting the foundations of work for the many art, dance and drama graduates Gibraltar can boast of nowadays.

Mario’s father had a great collection of ‘78s’, which gave Mario an eclectic musical taste.

From opera and flamenco, to popular music from the UK (which was called light music at the time!), music would always be playing at home, and Sunday afternoons were filled with dancing with his mother and aunt. “Sunday afternoons were always sunny. I would not miss a verbena, and although I am a shy person at times, dancing was a social exercise, which helped me let go of my inhibitions,” Mario recalls smiling.

His parents exposed him to a variety of performances, in theatres in Gibraltar and Spain.

From The Platters, to Lola Flores, to Brazilia, he was immersed into a world which wonderstruck him, but where he also felt he belonged.

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Creative from a young age, Mario was always involved in the arts, through painting, performance and puppetry. He would organise puppet shows with his sister, and charge one pence per entry, for his friends and neighbours, which could be described as Mario’s beginnings in directing and theatre.

It was Cecil Gomez who took an interest in Mario’s budding talent, and who gave him his first formal acting classes, and introduced him to free movement. The Technical School lacked artistic subjects and Drama was not included in the curriculum, so Cecil would work with Mario after class on acting and movement. “I enjoyed languages at school, everything else was monotonous. But nothing was wasted.

My knowledge of technical drawing became useful when designing costumes, and woodwork classes helped with making props later in life. Within the limitations of the artistic subjects there were in school, I managed to make

“

I would not miss a verbena, and although I am a shy person at times, dancing was a social exercise, which helped me let go of my inhibitions

”

the most of it.”

His first participation in the Drama Festival, playing a cockney character, earned him the Best Actor Runner-Up trophy. “The adjudicator came asking for the whereabouts of the cockney boy when the festival ended, and was

Paulette Finlayson in Pieces of Dreams GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

shocked to hear I have never been to the UK, but had picked up the accent from listening to stories on the radio. He was convinced I was naturally cockney, but with a surname like Arroyo, it was highly unlikely,” Mario chuckles.

“I have always enjoyed acting, and worked many times with Cecil and his theatre group, Group 56. Funnily enough, I always got the part of the prince, lover, or the handsome one.

I always wanted to play the bad guy, perhaps because it was more challenging for me — I’m not a devious person at all. Also, evil characters are generally more interesting than the heroes.”

Cecil prepared Mario as a director, and taught him all his methods of teaching and techniques. Very quickly, he mastered how to maintain a controlled environment without being a ogre, through discipline and respect.

Mario began directing Shakespeare and Ibsen, which although terrifying and daunting, wasat the same time fascinating.

Although uncommon at the time, Mario decided he wanted to study abroad, and after being given a grant in 1967, Mario travelled to Trinity and All Saints in Leeds to study English Literature and Fine Art. Being only the second year intake, everything was very new, modern, and hardly finished.

On his first day there, Mario realised he had been included in the drama section, which he did not want to take part in. But in the end he was convinced, and during his first lesson, the teacher responsible for dance approached him. “He started talking to me about pioneering work in drama and dance within education, and all of a sudden it all made sense to me. I wanted to be pioneering, and a part of this movement. I was a sponge, absorbing everything that was thrown my way during this exciting time of change in the UK.” Eventually, Mario graduated in Dance, Drama and Speech with flying colours, the highest grade of his intake. “I never thought I was better than anybody else, but I gave time to everything. I had another side to me where I wanted to socialise a lot, and experience life in Leeds. I went to see some of the best dance companies in the world, such as Nederlands Dans Thea-

A striking set and choreography

“

He started talking to me about pioneering work in drama and dance within education, and all of a sudden it all made sense to me. I wanted to be pioneering, and a part of this movement

”

tre, and the celebrated Margot Fonteyn. I was in my element,” Mario smiles.

Mario was chosen by the university for a bursary to continue his studies for a fourth year, however, he was not given the necessary funding by the government, and was unable to continue his studies. “These were hard times for me, as it came as a shock to my system.

However I recovered fairly quickly, and my mentor in all things educational, Brother Jerry Ryan, told me to stay in Gibraltar, and that it would be paid to me tenfold. I didn’t understand this at the time, eventually it all became clear.”

A few years later, Mario went to the Laban

Centre, UK, to continue his work in dance, together with one of his students, Paulette Finlayson. “I was the only teacher who had a student at Laban, and it inspired people to see us there together. I am very fond of Paulette, and to see her still pursuing the teaching of dance is extremely fulfilling.”

Upon returning to Gibraltar, he started teaching at Lourdes school, and eventually taught Drama. He would show the pupils the black and white films on diving and gymnastics, and would look at body alignment and posture. “These were the beginnings of drama within the curriculum, and even with the limited resources we had, we gave the children something to work towards.”

Mario was also one of the founders of the Gibraltar Youth Theatre (GYT), an exciting and dynamic group which aimed at introducing theatre, dance and the arts to young people.

“Humbert Hernandez, an intelligent man for whom I had great admiration, phoned me and asked me if I wanted to start a theatre group.

There were already budding actors out there who could be worked on, and although hesitant at first, I took the plunge. I soon discovered that what Brother Ryan had told me years before had come true,” Mario smiles.

The group started working with improvisation, relaxation, breathing and articulation exercises, and later moved on to script work.

Performing various pieces, including Job: A Masque for Dancing, L’apres midi d’un faune and the iconic Rite of Spring, one still mentioned among the dance community in Gibraltar, the GYT’s reputation as a solid performance group soon grew.

“When I started on the Rite of Spring, Pat Bonifacio, who also worked for the Youth Theatre, had just worked on El Maleficio de la Mari-

In rehearsal GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

77

history on file

The cast of Job: A Masque for Dancing - Mario is in the centre at the back

posa. She had prepared the dancers by asking them to perform like insects, so it was easy for me to explain to students the animalistic and primitive movements required for the Rite of Spring. Somehow, when I arrived, the children were ready for it. I would have never thought of doing the Rite of Spring, as it takes courage to do so. The music is very overpowering and choreography needs to be the same. However, the work progressed and the results were very positive, and I hold fond memories of that performance.”

Many students from the GYT moved on to working professionally and studied abroad, such as Alfred Ramirez and Adrian Galliano.

“So many people have achieved and taken so much from what GYT was, that it is fulfilling to this day. Everybody said the atmosphere backstage was a religious experience, as there was a work ethic and a commitment to deliver a high quality of work to the community. The Gibraltar Youth Theatre was never about me — it was about the dancers and bettering them.”

“The ’80s were a dynamic time in Gibraltar, and there were lots of projects going on at the same time. I worked with many people, and from the initial meetings I made some of my best friends. Janice Kania who took on the Junior Youth Theatre, Jennifer Psaila, Lorraine Nichols, Amelia Segui, William Gomez, Cecil Gomez and Lionel Perez who had the Alpha Group, another great performance group at the time. Although we were very different, I respected his work and he is still a dear friend I’m very fond of,” Mario affirms.

Highly auto critical of his work, and a perfectionist by nature, Mario delivered spectacular pieces with GYT, some which are still mentioned within the dance community today. “I can’t bear to watch the first videos of my work, as sometimes it is difficult to find satisfaction in your own work, and it becomes battering psychologically. It is also very difficult to work towards pioneering work in a small place like Gibraltar, when people are all too quick to form stereotypes. Everyone suffers a lot, especially the parents. My mum did not understand how I was going to cope with the repercussions of taking up dancing for example, and they lasted

me a lifetime. But you need to be courageous in Gibraltar to take on anything which is different. I would rather be a creative person and challenge the things I do, than to be bland and boring,” Mario states.

With regards to dance nowadays, Mario believes there has been a development in Gibraltar, as the amount of dancers nowadays is immense. “Children have another sensibility nowadays — they are much more exposed to what is out there through media and the internet, and they have so many more options. I wish there were more boys taking up dance,

“

The Gibraltar Youth Theatre was never about me — it was about the dancers and bettering them

”

as I remember I had so many in GYT, but for men it will always be more difficult to take up dance, as there are stigmas that society does not let go of,” Mario explains.

“Although there are many new styles I do not understand, there is a huge difference between people who know what they are teaching, and others who don’t. Choreographies need to be worked on and made interesting, as all too often the work gets boring. Just one minute of dance can be pedantic. Nowadays, ability can be worked on, but creativity is something else.

Performance is something you cannot teach someone. Stars are born, not made,” Mario concludes.

With the Gibraltar Youth Theatre, Mario dreamed of a premises with a library on the arts, as a resource for the community, where the GYT could meet and work on ideas. He also wanted a sprung floor, but after finding obstacle after obstacle, he eventually lost interest in the idea. “Nowadays, a flexible theatre is needed in Gibraltar — flexible so it can be used by all art forms. A centre for the arts would

Group in rehearsal

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2011

the arts be ideal, where projects can be worked at together. A friend of mine, Eric Massias, formed an Arts Centre in the UK, which could be used a template for something similar in Gibraltar. However, the ideas were brushed aside, and nothing has been heard. It is a shame because it would have helped develop arts in Gibraltar in a huge way.”

There came a point in his life when Mario decided he would publish some of his poetry, after some encouragement from some of his former students. “As there were many children during the frontier closure, I had to find an outlet for them to make the most of their free time, and organised literary circles. We would discuss books over tea, and my students encouraged me to publish some of my work. Writing was not a problem, it was the publishing process which took forever.”

“

Eventually, Profiles was published in 1994 — a series of bilingual meditations on love, loneliness and death.

“My poetry is very honest, and from the heart. I have always written what I liked, and never took it seriously or had a diary.

I don’t write for therapy, but because I enjoyed writing in English and Spanish. I was exposed to Spanish literature, as my father would bring him books by Lorca from Tangiers, when they were banned in Spain. I now realise the effort and trouble my dad went to to get these for me, and for that I will always be grateful,” Mario explains.

“Everything I’ve done in my life has been because I was passionate about what I did, and to make my parents proud. They are still very present in my life, and I am eternally grateful for what they taught me, and how they raised me.” n

Everything I’ve done in my life has been because I was passionate about what I did, and to make my parents proud

”

Duet from Job: A Masque for Dancing

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

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opening

The Studio: The Cafe for Culture Vultures Newly opened in Gibraltar’s cultural heart, the John Mackintosh Hall, the Studio Cafe is cool and trendy and serves the perfect combination of snacks, full meals and coffees, frappés, shakes and smoothies.

photo: Peter Boucher/Upon This Rock

Chantal and Colin are the hosts at this delightful little place and they have everything on the menu from baguettes, jacket potatoes, curries, pies, soups and salads. Try their sweet chilli chicken, or the Thai beef curry, or the Cornish pasties.

And if it’s just a coffee and something sweet you are after then you’ll love the apple pie, bakewell tart or the yummy cheesecake.

Everything is available to eat in or take-away, and Chantal and Colin say they even prepare packed lunches for the beach.

The Studio Cafe, John Mackintosh Hall (at the south end of Main Street, towards the Cable Car). Tel: 200 65222. n

Saturday Chill Out with DJ Eric from 7pm

Contemporary Mediterranean Dining

Grand Casemates Square Tel: 200

80

44449 for reservations GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

events

Happy B’day Lois...

Lois celebrated her 30th birthday with good friends at Cafe Rojo on Irish Town recently.

Many happy returns Lois!

Christmas Comes Early in Gibraltar, Australia!

Christmas Comes but once a year... except in Australia! Baubles, fare and festivities — it’s Christmas in July at Gibraltar Hotel, Bowral, New South Wales, Australia.

Gibraltar Hotel is opening its doors and inviting ‘Highlanders’ (Bowral is the largest town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales) into the warmth — it’s winter there! — to celebrate Christmas in July with “Australia’s best loved musician, Geoff Harvey” and his troupe of merry elves.

“Every Saturday night in July, Gibraltar will be full of Christmas cheer, fun and festivities. So bring your friends and family and share

a glass of gluewein to soothe away a visit to the kids by Santa (well the mid-year stresses... Sounds like he can’t be doing much else at this time of year can he?). n a great offer to us!

Geoff Harvey and his Elves will entertain everyone by singing all the most-loved Christmas carols.

But the Gibraltar Hotel promises visitors that the festive pinnacle of the evening will be Chef Jonas Ottoson’s traditional Christmas dinner with all the indulgent (and over indulgent) fare that goes with it and — of course — there is even

Forget the Diet... shape up while you’re walking!

If you have been overindulging in some of Gibraltar’s finest restaurants through the winter and spring, and your gym membership has slipped by the wayside, you’ll be thrilled to learn that M&S might just have the answer!

Introducing the new toning footwear collection, M&S Step-Tones are the perfect way to shape up whilst you stroll.

With new nature-step technology the soles are designed to mimic the contours of the foot allowing more natural movement with each step whilst promoting calf toning activity. Research from a leading sports

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

science university has also proven July. Prices start from £29.50 for that with nature step technol- classic patent to £35.00 for the beogy muscle activity is increased in jewelled style. comparison to the market leading equivalent.

So set your feet free this summer and give them the holiday they deserve while toning up for yours!

Casa Pepe Open: Mon-Sat 11am-late 18 Queensway Quay Marina Tel/Fax: 200 46967

Available in store and online from

81

Full of Freshness

by Fifty-Five Chef Scott Casey

As the summer kicks in, we have a refreshing selection of recipes for you to enjoy. A tantalizing summer herb salad to start, stuffed barbecue lamb loin with potatoes, and soothing granita for dessert.

Salt & Pepper Fried Haloumi, Strawberry & Cucumber Salsa, Summer Herb Salad, Honey Mustard Dressing

vegetable oil into a large non stick pan and heat gently for about a minute. Meanwhile in a bowl combine the plain flour and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and about 1 Serves 4 tablespoon of sea salt. Mix well and then coat the haloumi cheese on all sides in the seasoned flour, Haloumi: patting to remove any excess. Fry the cheese for 250g Greek haloumi cheese cut into 8 even about 1 minute on both sides or until golden slices and crisp on the outside. Remove from the pan 100g plain flour and place on some absorbent paper to rest. For Sea salt the salsa simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Check seasoning and set aside.

Freshly ground black pepper For the dressing once again simply combine all Vegetable oil for frying the ingredients in a bowl, check the flavour, it may need more honey or mustard depending Strawberry and cucumber salsa: on your palate. Set aside. For the herb salad, 200g fresh strawberries, washed and carefully toss all the lovely herbs in a bowl to

finely diced 1/2 medium size cucumber, washed, seeds mix and combine well.

To assemble, fan the haloumi cheese slices

removed and finely diced nicely in the centre of a large plate. Top with 1 medium red onion, finely diced the strawberry and cucumber salsa, drizzle with 1/4 cup finely shredded coriander some of the dressing, top with the herb salad 1/4 cup good quality olive oil and finish with some more of the dressing and 2 tbs caster sugar some fresh cracked black pepper. n

100g toasted pine nuts Salt and freshly ground black pepper Butcher’s twine Lemon and thyme potatoes: 1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 4 tbs fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped 2 lemons, juice only Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper Summer herb salad: 1/2 cup Mint 1/2 cup Basil 1/2 cup Chervil 1/2 cup Chives 1/2 cup Baby rocket leaves

Barbecue Lamb Loin stuffed with Feta and Pine nuts, Lemon and Thyme Potatoes, Smoked Aubergine Puree, Tzatziki

For the Honey mustard dressing: 8 tbs Greek yoghurt 2 tbs honey 2 tbs wholegrain mustard

Lamb: 600g

200g 1,300g

First of all place about 15 tablespoons of

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Serves 4

lamb back strap, trimmed of excess fat, butterflied (butcher can do this for you) good quality feta, crumbled baby spinach, stalks removed and washed

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • July 2011

recipes Smoked aubergine puree: 2 large aubergines, pricked all over with a

fork & roasted in 180° oven until cooked 5 tbs tahini 1 clove of garlic 4 tbs chopped parsley Salt and black pepper Tzatziki: 1 3 2 1 tbs 1 tbs

medium sized cucumber cloves of garlic cups thick Greek yoghurt red wine vinegar good quality olive oil

and place along the inside of the butter flied lamb loin. Roll over the top flap of the lamb and tie in regular intervals (about every 1cm barbecue it over a medium heated charcoal barbecue (not one that is raging at 500 degrees) for approx. 15-20 minutes, turning regularly.

Once cooked set aside in the coolest part of the barbecue to rest for a further 10 minutes.

To serve, slice the lamb into 2cm slices, put some of the potatoes on a plate beside the lamb, top with some of the aubergine puree and tzatkiki and enjoy. n

Grey Goose Vodka & Watermelon Granita, Stem Ginger Syrup, To make the Tzatziki, finely grate the cucum- Shredded Moroccan mint

ber and place in a strainer. Push it down with a saucer and let sit for 10-15minutes for alot of the excess juice to run away. Then place it in a bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix well, season to taste and set aside. For the smoked aubergine puree, once the aubergines have cooled enough to handle, peel the outer black skin away so your just left with the inside flesh. Place this into a food processer with all the other stuff and blend until it a lovely puree consistency. If it is too wet simply add some breadcrumbs to absorb some of the excess moisture, Season to taste and also set aside.For the potatoes, put everything into a large bowl, add about 1 cup of water and roast at 200° for about 1-1 and a half hours, checking regularly to make sure they are not drying up to much.

For the lamb mix together the feta cheese, pine nuts and baby spinach. Season the mix well

Serves 4

this mix with a fork for about 5 mins to roughly mix, let sit in the fridge for an hour to macerate, then remove, place in a Muslin cloth lined sieve, squeezing as much of the liquid out as possible. Transfer the juice mix into a large baking tin and freeze for 4- 5 hours, scraping with a fork every half hour or so to produce a rough sorbet, shaved ice effect.

For the ginger syrup, combine all the ingredients in a heavy based saucepan over a high heat, bring to the boil reduce and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside in the fridge until cold.

To assemble, in large whisky glasses place some of the chopped fresh watermelon, top with the frozen granita, then some ginger syrup then finish with some of the shredded mint. n

Granita: 750g fresh watermelon flesh, roughly diced 100g caster sugar 200ml Grey Goose vodka Some more diced watermelon to serve Stem ginger syrup: 100g caster sugar 20g fresh ginger, peeled with a fork and

roughly, finely chopped 2 pieces of stem ginger, finely chopped Some nice big sprigs of Moroccan mint, as finely shredded as possible

For the Granita combine the chopped watermelon, sugar and Vodka in a large bowl. Smash

Modern

Relaxed

Dining

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H ev appy ery Ho e 25 5pm ven ur co % of -8pm ing mp f d r ca lime inks na nta pé s ry

e hre er t have d r O s& s a tap Pimm a us on

•VIP Bar •Restaurant •Private Dining Room

The perfect place to escape or impress Open: 10am - late Closed Sundays + Saturday lunch

Open for morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Irish Town Tel: 200 51738 to reserve

July and August Only

Fifty-Five is now open on Monday-Friday evenings for non-members to come along to sample the cuisine and ambience of Gibraltar’s finest restaurant and bar.

Reservations only *number of visits strictly limited before membership is necessary

Open 11.30am - late lunch, bar snacks and fine dining Monthly members events, individual, couples & corporate memberships.

Contact Louise at 200 79655 or louise@fifty-five.gi

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summer something

Refreshingly Tasty Summer has finally arrived in full force.

Air conditioners are on full-blast, public pools and beaches are overcrowded, and families are making day-trips to the closest water parks.

The higher temperatures we experience in summer can quickly break down the body’s normal responses, causing dehydration, fatigue and heat exhaustion.

Every day, our bodies lose water naturally through urine, the intestines, skin, and lungs.

The key to staying hydrated and enjoying the summer is drinking plenty (around eight glasses of water) before you get thirsty. By the time you’re thirsty you are already dehydrated, so it’s important to drink at regular intervals.

But did you know water isn’t the only way

Watermelon is one of the best fruits to keep you hydrated in the summer, when you’re outside playing at the beach, parks, and picnics during the summer heat

to keep your body full of fluid? Certain foods can keep you hydrated as well, in a much tastier way.

In fact, a whole fruit can supply nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C and fibre, as well as assist with hydration, because the majority of a piece of whole fruit (around 80%) is water.

With their high antioxidant vitamin content, tasty apricots can be taken as snacks, as a treat after a long day, or after a good workout.

Mangoes can keep you cool during the whole summer, with their ideal fibre, vitamin C, and vitamin A content. The vitamin C content in plums is very high, providing your necessary nutrients.

Watermelon is one of the best fruits to keep you hydrated in the summer, when you’re outside playing at the beach, parks, and picnics during the summer heat. Due to its extremely high content of water, it will balance the loss of fluids of the body. Also rich in vitamin A and C, this fruit should be an essential part of your summer diet.

Any type of berries are great to keep you cool in the summer — whether you like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries.

These tiny fruits have fibre and vitamins, and will help give energy in these tiring days.

But for those of us who prefer vegetables, there is also a range of veggies which can keep us feeling cool and hydrated during the next few months. Beetroot, hot peppers, cucumbers, and salad greens are all tasty alternatives to keep you fresh during the summer. Surprisingly, pasta salad is also a hydrating food. So get creative and make your fresh snacks a priority this summer! n

Keeping it Cool There’s no doubt summer is here — and with it, the perpetual quest to stay cool.

But your melting ice cream and soaking brow aren’t the only indicators of the new season’s arrival — getting too much heat can make us miserable, and dry us out. So here are a few ways to keep cool this summer, and make the most of the lovely weather: • Drink plenty of water – To stay on top of hydration, drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day at regular intervals. Carrying a water bottle around also makes drinking water convenient and easy. If you struggle to drink water, add a few drops of lemon If you struggle to drink water, add a few drops of or lime juice, a slice of orange or lemon or lemon or lime juice, or a slice of orange or lemon some fresh herbs, such as mint or lemon balm. It gives a refreshing flavour and may entice you to drink more.

• Drink cold water – Cooler water absorbs key electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, • Spread the water intake over a day. You into the system more readily, and the coolphosphorous, sodium and calcium, this is a could have a glass of warm water with ness can be felt travelling throughout the great alternative to water during the heat. a slice of lemon when you wake up, then body. two glasses of water over the morning, one • Drink herbal teas in moderation - Herb tea Aside from all these tips, keeping your presglass at lunch, and two glasses over the afnot only rehydrates the body, but it also sure points cool, and wearing a hat outdoors ternoon, one glass at dinner and then a final contains disease-fighting antioxidants. particularly between 10am and 3pm, can help glass in the evening. It makes it much easier • Coconut Water: With more potassium than you enjoy the long, lazy days of summer, feelto manage in small steps. most sport drinks, and containing all five ing revived and refreshed. n

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Traditional Pub Serving Traditional Pub Fare, Bass Beers, Wines & Spirits

Visit us and step back in history

Casemates Square Tel: 200 72987

Full menu served inside or on our terrace including British Fish & Chips, Jackets, Salads, Burritos, Homemade Pizzas, our special Fresh Local Mussels and much more.

Visit us and buy yourself a souvenir, T-shirts, beer glasses, lighters etc Live music every evening, join our Jam Sessions on Wednesday or Sunday.

GLMS Music Venue of the Year.

Official Home to Gibraltar Rugby Club Free WiFi

10 Casemates www.lordnelson.gi Tel: 200 50009

• Pizza • Pasta • Salads • Fresh Juices • Cappuccino • Ice Creams

DAILY SPECIALS Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449

restaurant bar guide & turn to pages 86-89 for full restaurant and bar listings

SMITH’S

U4 FISH & CHIPS HADDOCK W4 PLAICE • COD FRESH FRIED IN CRISPY BATTER

295 MAIN ST Tel: 200 74254

Get Stuffed!

Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006 Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special EveryDay salads, quiches, pastas, pies, muffins, all home made Open 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711

BUDDIES pasta casa

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house 15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

Award winning breakfasts from 7.30am Great meals & snacks all day Evening Steak House menu Med Golf Clubhouse Tottenham Hotspur HQ Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924 GIBRALTAR 2010 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JUNE JULY 2011

now also in Casemates

Just A Nibble Licensed Cafeteria Let the ‘A’ Team serve you up a snack or a meal.

Daily Specials • Varied Menu

Open from 9am First Floor ICC, Main Street THE PLACE TO MEET

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Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828 Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable.

Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating. Well worth a visit, or two!

Open: 12-8pm. Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.

restaurants l Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449 Modern Italian eatery set in the lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing, or king prawn, mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream) to salads (eg: Vesuvio spicy beef, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions; and Romana chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Good daily specials menu on blackboard. No smoking inside. Free WiFi. l Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738 Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Red comfy arm chairs in separate area for a relaxing drink or coffee. Brunch menu (10am-12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts (chocolate mousse in a must). Lunch 12 - 3pm and dinner 7-10pm includes Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry; Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pasta dishes such as Langoustine, Lime & Coconut; Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese; and Creamy Mixed Seafood; and salads such as Warm Goats’ Cheese, Fresh Spinach & Chargrilled Aubergine; and Roast Duck, Chorizo & Pancetta Salad.

Open: from 10am. Closed all day Sundays, and Saturday lunch.

a month 55 opens for traditional Sunday lunch and holds a variety of culinary themed evenings i.e. Thai/Japanese Fusion. The main bar offers a full bar snack menu and is the perfect place after a long day at work. On Thursday and Fridays you can relax to the mix of Soul & ’80s music by 55’s resident DJ, take advantage of Happy Hour and enjoy the sushi menu from 6pm.

Special occasions or important business clients can be entertained in the Private Dining Room (up to 10 people). Afternoon tea Thursday to Saturday -6pm. For info on membership or to make a reservation for lunch or dinner so you can enjoy the 55 experience contact Louise by phone or email louise@fifty-five.gi Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay For a reservations Tel: 200 76501 E-mail reservations@caletahotel.gi Overlooking the Mediterranean from Catalan Bay, Nunos’ Spanish chef with Three Star Michellin experience offers a variety of Italian cuisine. The restaurant has now moved from its location on the lower floors and can now be found at the reception level of the hotel. A quick peak at the menu reveals the chef’s celebrated Salmorejo is on the menu, as are his baby squid burgers (Insalata di Calamari). From the main dishes you can choose from a variety of fresh fish and meat dishes. Or you could go for the house speciality of fresh, home-made pasta where you can choose from a wide range of options. Open: Monday to Saturday 19.30 to 22.30 and lunchtimes for group bookings.

Casa Pepe 18 Queensway Quay Marina.

Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe.gib@gmail.com Casa Pepe is a delightful bar/ restaurant in the prestigious Queensway Quay Marina. A wonderful location for business meetings, engagements, weddings, anniversaries etc.

Specialising in a broad range of raciones (plates to share) with a very comprehensive a la carte menu. Daily specials may include fresh fish caught locally and a selection of Argentinean beef. With a menu including dishes such as Caracoles a la Llauna Snails, Rabo de Toro Oxtail, Carrillada de Cerro Iberico Iberico pork cheeks, large rib steaks from Avila and special to order Savannah Lounge whole suckling pig.

Open: Monday-Friday: lunch and evening meal, 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 www.savannah.gi Saturday: evenings only, Sunday: lunch only.

Aimed at Gibraltar ’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and Fifty-Five Private Member’s Club style in mind. Offering contemporary European 267 Main Street Tel: 200 79655 Gibraltar’s premier Private Member’s Club cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor where members can enjoy fine dining and and good music. The venue hosts regular events impeccable service in luxurious surroundings. with invited DJs and shows from abroad.

Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday also offering a daily Business Lunch menu. Once and Saturday midday-5am.

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The Waterfront Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 45666 Website: www.gibwaterfront.com The Waterfront is a very popular long established restaurant located on the quayside at Queensway Quay Marina. Serving drinks, snacks and A La Carte menus. There are different areas for eating; inside the main bar area or within a large chandelier light covered terrace, or formal and informal dining on the water’s edge. A newly extended bar area, featuring the new Balcony Bar upstairs offers plenty of relaxing, warm, cozy space to enjoy bar snacks and drinks. The seasonally inspired menu brings you market fresh dishes from the land and the sea. The classic winter warmer dishes are ever popular as the weather changes and dishes that remain firm favourites in Gibraltar are always available. Waterfront also specialises in aged steaks; this in house dry aging process involves wrapping the meat in muslin cloth to draw out the moisture over a period of 21 days, resulting in a more concentrated flavour and fantastically succulent, tender steaks. A wide range of Movenpick ice cream and scrumptious homemade desserts is also available.

Open: 9 till late 7 days a week, year round.

informaleating Amin's The Office 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932 Sit down, informal and friendly restaurant.

Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine.

Open early for breakfast at 7am right through the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs.

Open: 7.00am to midnight.

Bistro Madeleine NEW LISTING! 256 Main Street.

Bistro Madeleine is a newly furbished bistro serving organic and homemade food to eat in or take away. From snacks to a delicious three course menu to tempt any palate. The vegetarian dishes are exceptional from potato gnocchi to homemade spinach, ricotta and pine nuts ravioli, but this is not a vegetarian restaurant and you will also find delights such

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

as pork rosto (a traditional Gibraltarian dish served with fresh penne pasta) and salads such as tender slices of carpaccio beef fillet on a bed of crispy rocket with parmesan shaving and honey mustard dressing. Those who like fish should try the line-caught monkfish in a crispy tempura batter with pont neuf potatoes and side salad. The pumpkin, coriander and carrot soup served with crunchy garlic croûtons is delicious.

And for dessert lovers the selction of delightful dessert trios (such as banoffee pie, homemade mint chocolate ice-cream and Eton mess) should leave you more than satisfied.

Open: 9am - 11pm Monday - Saturday.

Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627 Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread to calamari. Main courses include spinach caneloni, spaghetti alla carbonara, fusilli al salmone, and peppered steak to name a few.

Tasty desserts and variety of wines.

Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, Sat 11am-4.30pm Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006 Take-away, sandwich bar and hot food. Serving all homemade sandwiches, salads, quiches, pasta, pies, muffins, plus hot and cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day.

Outside catering for corporate parties.

Open: 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. Just A Nibble 1st Flr ICC Tel: 200 78052 Full licensed cafe serving English breakfast, vast range of toasties, rolls, and snacks. Meals include, Bob’s famous chicken curry/chilli con carne, and a great new range of pies (from Bob’s chicken and leek to steak and kidney plus a whole range of tasty alternatives) plus all the old favourites; jacket spuds, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, and daily specials. Ideal meeting place.

Open: Monday - Saturday from 9am.

Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014 Bright and airy, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All home-made food including daily specials, vegetarian options and desserts. Eat in or take-away. Try their daily roast with everything on or their all-day breakfast. Non-smoking restaurant with terrace smoking area. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed with sensible prices.

Open: 8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 50022/33 Good Indian cuisine for eating in or taking away, from snacks such as samosas, bhajias, and pakoras to lamb, chicken and fish dishes with sauces such as korma, tikka masala, bhuna, do piaza... in fact all you would expect from an Indian cuisine take-away. Large vegetarian

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

Open: 8am-6pm Monday-Friday. Breakfast from 8.

Solo Express Grnd Flr, International Commercial Centre & Eurotowers Solo Express, located right next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a good variety of salads and baguettes (white, brown & ciabatta) filled with a wide deli selection of things such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or hummous, avocado and roasted red pepper.

The salads are fresh and tasty and include Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta, etc and are great value. Jacket potatoes, quiches, tea, coffee etc plus cakes (such as flapjacks and muffins) are also available throughout the day.

Eat-in available. Soups in winter. Free Wifi.

selection. Halal food is available, as is outside catering for parties and meetings. Sunday specials include all Mumbai favourites such as Dosa and Choley Bhature.

Open: 7 days a week 11am to 3pm, 6pm -late.

Munchies Cafe 24 Main Street. Tel: 200 43840 Fax: 200 42390 A great sandwich bar/cafe offering an unusual range of sandwiches on white or granary bread, plus salads, baguettes, soups, desserts, homemade ice-cream and hot/cold drinks.

Business lunches, parties and kids parties also catered for (for party and office platters phone or fax order by 5.30pm day before - minium orders for delivery £12).

Open: Mon - Fri 8.30-7, Sat 9 - 4, Closed Sun. Picadilly Gardens Rosia Road. Tel: 200 75758 Relaxed bar restaurant with cosy garden terrace just across the road from the cable car. English breakfast, churros, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or take away. Menu of the day only £6. Open: early to late.

NEW LISTING! The Studio Cafe John Mackintosh Hall. Tel: 200 65222 This delightful cafe, opened by Colin and Chantal in the John Mackintosh Hall, is cool and trendy and the perfect spot to enjoy coffees, teas, frappés, shakes, smoothies and the Studio signature hot chocolate! There is plenty of tasty food on the menu from baguettes, paninis and wraps to jacket potatoes (with filling like sweet chilli chicken, Thai beef curry and tuna mayo), quiches, soups, pies and salads. Try the Cornish pasties, or empanadas (beef, chicken or veggie).

The sweets include scones and flapjacks for those after a snack, to cheesecake, bakewell tart and apple pie for those in the mood for a more hearty dish. Full menu available to eat in or take-away and catering available for events at the John Mack Hall, or even packed lunches for the beach.

Open: Monday - Friday 10am - 7pm.

The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town.

Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321 Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken, kebabs and everything else you can think of! Try the quiches, tortillas and jackets spuds with all l Sacarello Coffee Co. kinds of fillings. This little place gets busy with 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625 Converted coffee warehouse, ideal for coffee, those popping out from the offices for lunch so homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus menu get there early. including excellent salad bar, specials of the Open: Monday - Saturday. day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, Verdi Verdi toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Art 44 Cornwall's Lane. Tel: 200 60733 exhibitions. Available for parties and functions Verdi Verdi offers morning and afternoon coffee as well as all home-made vegetarian and vegan in the evenings. dishes, fish, fresh baked bread and desserts.

Open: 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri. 9am-3pm Sat A wide selection of freshly made sandwiches to eat in or take away. Try the light and fluffy Smith’s Fish & Chips homemade pizzas, or the falafel feast. Daily 295 Main Street. Tel: 200 74254 Traditional well-stablished British fish and specials always on the board (the sups are chip shop, located on Main Street opposite fabulous and filling). Delicious coffees. Ask for the Convent, with tables/seating available or Idan's hot homemade chilli relish — sweet and take-away wrapped in newspaper. The menu scrummy. Delivery service available. includes old favourites cod, haddock or plaice Open: Mon & Fri: 9am - 3pm, Tues - Thurs: in batter, Cornish pasties, mushy peas etc. Also 9am -3pm & 7-10pm, Sunday 6-10pm, Saturday closed. curries, omlettes, burgers.

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bars&pubs All’s Well Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987 Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area.

Named for the 18th century practice of locking the Gates to the city at night when the guard announced ‘All’s Well’ before handing the keys to the watch. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast served all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod and chips and steak & ale pie are complemented by a range of salads and filled jacket potatoes. Large terrace.

Karaoke every Monday and Wednesday until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm.

Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288 Jane is still there and still packed out with tourists and regulars! Word has it that she nearly managed to escape, but wasn’t allowed to. The famous fish and chips, the odd French speciality, there’s always something happening in the Cannon! Located between Marks & Spencer and the Cathedral just off Main Street.

Quiz night on Tuesdays, get there early as it is definitely the place to be on a normally quiet Gibraltar Tuesday.

Attractive bar/brasserie in historic Casemates building. Done out to represent Nelson’s ship with cloud and sky ceiling crossed with beams and sails. Spacious terrace Starter s& snacks include fresh local mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, Lordy’s potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses cover a range from chilli con carne and chicken and mushroom pie, to crispy aromatic duck burrito and British fish and chips. Try one of the salads or Nelson’s platters. Jacket potatoes, The Final Whistle burgers and children’s menu. Credit cards ac4, Cornwall’s Parade Friendly sports bar with six screens. If it’s live, cepted. Live music Venue of the Year, with live it’s on, and often more than one game on at a music on stage every night. Free Wifi. Open: time for full sports coverage. Fun atmosphere from 10am till very late. with special offers during premier matches. All The Lounge sports fans welcome.

Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118 Open 10am until late, 7 days a week.

Stylish lounge bar right on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonably priced The Gibraltar Arms drinks and light bites from 10am until late.

184 Main St. Tel: 200 72133 Free WiFi, popular quizzes on Sundays (from www.gibraltararms.gi Good food served all day at this typical pub 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... right on Main Street. Everything from all day always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. breakfast to Irish fillet steak roll, burritos, and Events (matches etc) covered on large screen the popular fresh local mussels. Draught lager, TV. Great place to chill out. Open: 10am from bitter, cider and Murphys plus free WiFi. Ter- Monday to Saturday until late and from 12pm race seating right on Main Street to watch the on Sundays (get there early if you want a seat world go by. Open: from 8am (10am Sundays) for the quiz). until late.

O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888 Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports cover10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 age and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from www.lordnelson.gi 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salE-mail: reservations@lordnelson.gi

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ads, jackets, beef and Guinness ale pie, Molly’s mussels, drunken swine, Boxty dishes (potato pancake wrapped around delicioius fillings), sandwiches, rolls, Kildare chicken and much much more. And just like in Ireland there’s no smoking inside, so a great atmosphere for all.

Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 Aimed at Gibraltar ’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad (see ad for details).

Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am.

The Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Reputedly the oldest bar in Gib, this small cosy bar opens early for breakfast (English or toast & cereal). Lunch/evening menu includes fillet steak, fish and chips and salads. Home of Med Golf and Tottenham Hotspur FC supporters club. Outside seating.

Open: from 7am every day. Located: first right off Main St (walking from N to S).

The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446 The Three Owls is a traditional bar serving best of English beers. Three separate bars/floors: ground floor — big screen TV, pool table, poker machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor ‘Hoots’ bar, two match pool tables, poker machines, dartboard, bar, open from 5pm daily.

Second Floor the ‘Nest’ — American pool table, poker machine, card table, bar — open from 7pm daily and also at weekends for the Rugby Union matches. If you are looking for a sociable game of pool or darts this is the place to be.

Wembley Bar 10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004 Popular bar for hot and cold bar snacks, function room, in south district. Fridays 10am for breakfast. Air conditioned. The home of the Real Madrid Supporter’s Club.

Open: from 11am - midnight Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 1am Friday, and from 11am - 1am Saturdays.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

wine column

Why did July

?

Well, you may not have told a specific untruth but the impression I had was that you were warm, kind and promised a holiday. You then turn out to be sweaty, relentless and busy. What persuaded me to look forward to seeing you? And how can I manage to survive the full length of your visit?

It is only human to complain; and no-one wants a return to the rain and occasional cold of winter. But it would be pleasant if the climate remained roughly the same all year round. On the other hand there would then be no need for different wines for different seasons. So let us make the best we can of hot weather and consider the possible methods of mitigating its effects.

Note, incidentally, the correct use of ‘mitigate’.

It is often confused with ‘militate’. The latter (from military) means to fight for, or to seek to increase. So to say that: ‘Giving to charity militates the poverty of the developing world’ is to say the precise opposite of what you mean.

Other false friends include discrete/discreet, principal/principle, interested/disinterested and pour over/pore over. Occasionally, the confusion can create a completely new word.

The splendid Sarah Palin (from whom, Lord, preserve us) recently came out with ‘refudiate’, presumably getting mixed up between refute and repudiate. It is fun for old pedants like me to spot these errors (the beloved Chronicle is a rich source and even this esteemed magazine has been known to slip) and wonder whether the writer is simply unaware of the difference, careless or plain silly; or, as in Sarah Palin’s case, all three put together with rather terrifying results.

Sometimes, the same confusion can apply to wine. This usually arises not from the similarity in sound or spelling between words but from a misunderstanding or misapplication of a jargon word used to describe wine.

Burgundy and Bordeaux are both red and from France therefore they must be pretty much the same thing. Muscat and Muscadet are both white wines and therefore must be similar. ‘Fullbodied’ may be applied as a description of e.g. a Beaujolais. Chardonnay is hugely improved

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

by being ‘aged in oak’ for as long as possible.

And so on.

This pleasant digression has led us away from the question how to deal with July. As mentioned last month, a decent cup of tea is often the most refreshing beverage but, if you have bothered to read as far as this, that is not the information you are seeking. So back to the substance.

A light Italian white, well-cooled but not frozen, will usually provide an ideal antidote to the heat. A Soave (about £5 from Morrison’s), while not normally a recommendation of mine, will at least go down pleasantly at a reasonable price.

Equally good — or unexceptionable — at the same price, are the other Friuli-Venezia region whites with good old Pinot Grigio to the fore.

These are all inoffensive, 12% alcohol at most and so will not produce too muddled a head too quickly, and do not require any thought or consideration as you sip them: they are not great wines worthy of respect and care while drinking.

So they are ideal for a hot afternoon.

Moving upmarket, champagne can and should be opened at any time for any purpose.

This requires a limitless purse and so needs rationing. While a special reason is not required, it nevertheless seems wasteful to open a bottle

Burgundy and Bordeaux are both red and from France therefore they must be pretty much the same thing. Muscat and Muscadet are both white wines and therefore must be similar

to those of us (most of us) who need to husband our resources with a little care. Sparkling wine is supposed to be a substitute but, I fear, isn’t.

Cava, in particular, should be uncorked, poured carefully into a tulip glass and then thrown away as good for nothing.

However, some sparkling wines can be refreshing. A crémant d’Alsace or de Loire — especially méthode champenoise — (about £10) can become palatable by adding them to a small amount of cassis to make a kir royale.

The sweetness of the cassis takes away the often rather unpleasant bite of the original wine and the whole can be enjoyed on a warm evening without the pang of guilt sometimes felt when a bottle of champagne is opened just for fun. And it is something of an improvement on (and better for the teeth than) a glass of fizzy Ribena.

With all these suggestions comes the problem of keeping them cold. If a refrigerator is nearby — you are at home or in a bar — then fine. But the cooled bottle taken on a picnic to the beach will soon become less cool, and finally tepid, even with the modern technology of cool bags and boxes. And the wine poured into the glass will warm up with remarkable rapidity, so that while the first few sips are delightful, the Soave tastes like an unpleasant medicine by the last few.

This militates (note correct usage) against taking white wine on such occasions. Take a decent Rioja, chill it a little before departure, and enjoy it both cool and, later, a little on the warm side.

It still tastes reasonable at both temperatures and, apart from keeping it out of direct sunlight, you do not have to worry too much about letting the air get to it.

At the end of July you can celebrate by opening a bottle of champagne (Louis Roederer at £25 from Anglo Hispano). That will make the prospect of August bearable. n

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A ro u n d To w n .. .

Fifty-Five members aboard MY Sirius in Marina Bay

You can tell the summer is finally here when Summer Nights in Casemates begins. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 19th July until 18th August the square is full of fun and entertainment for all the family until late. But before all that the energetic amongst you will be keen to take part in the annual Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association Endurance Swim from Eastern Beach to Catalan Bay. We will be waving you on from the shore for that one! And don’t forget the popular Luna Walk (5km — but you can take your time) on Friday 1st July from Casemates Square. Register for £5.00 from 9pm and give your full support to Gibraltar Breast Cancer Support Group and this year for the first time, Prostate Cancer Support is also represented.

Foodies’ Delight This month we announce two fabulous places for food which have opened in Gibraltar. Firstly the Studio Cafe in the John Mackintosh Hall which is severing some great food and coffees etc for anyone who fancies a bit of culture at the southern end of Main Street — congratulations to well known local faces Chantal and Colin on this great little cafe. And secondly Bistro Madeleine has opened at 256 Main Street and is serving up some super food from 9am - 11pm Monday - Saturday. There are some fabulous vegetarian dishes but there’s also plenty of homemade meat dishes to tempt every palate.

The food here comes highly recommended and is well worth that extra few steps down Main Street. Take away or eat in. Yum yum.

Car for Kids Jimmy Bruzon has told us all about the spectacular raffle AKIN (Association for Kids in Need) will be running over the coming months. The prizes are many with the top prize being a brand new Renault Clio — you would not be disappointed with any of the other great things on offer too though from a motorbike to a 37” television, 100s of pounds worth of restaurant vouchers, and a laptop just to

This page: guests at the opening of the Ibex offices on Irish Town

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2007 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

This photo and right: Happy 80th birthday to Anita Rugeroni!

name a few. The tickets are just a fiver from Jimmy (57631000) and all the money will go to AKIN’s Sierra Leone school project so well worth it. The draw will take place on 21st December so some lucky people will be getting early Christmas presents this year!

Many Happy Returns There are lots of birthdays this month, particularly Sonia of the Lounge, Queensway Quay gets in an early celebration on July 3rd, Red House Willie celebrates on 6th as does Sonia Golt, James Lasry gets a year older on 13th, Douglas of 55 celebrates on 27th, Naomi Quigley won’t look a day older on 31st. Director of Urban Dance, Darion Figueredo, celebrates his birthday on 14th July... Many happy returns to you all and to everyone else who celebrates during July.

Congratulations Congratulations go also to the team from TwopointZero who did amazingly well at the Young Enterprise regional finals in the UK last month. The youngsters came away with some of the top awards and will now go on to compete in the Nationals held in London in mid-July. Good luck guys!

The opening of the Yellow House in Parliament Lane

Getting Crafty If you are looking for something creative to do this summer give the Arts and Craft Association a call on 200 73865 to find out what classes they are running this year — there is everything from painting and textile art to knitting and crafts. So there‘s no excuse for not learning something new this year.

Well that’s it for this month. We hope you enjoy reading this edition which is packed with interesting features and photos, and we hope you will get involved with our August edition by sending in your news, forthcoming events and pics for all to see!

See you on Main Street. n Dancers from Urban Dance at Calentita!

And baby came too! Coffees at All’s Well in Casemates GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2007 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

The opening of the Art Current exhibition in Casemates galleries

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clubs&activities Arts & Crafts The Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Rd. Art classes for children (5-6pm Mon, 5-6.30pm Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon - Tues 6.30pm-8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm9pm). Tel: 200 79788.

The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm, 4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am - 2pm.

Arts & Crafts Gallery (next door) opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer) -6pm (winter), Sat 9.30am - 3pm.

Exhibition Vin’s Gallery at the Rock, The Rock Hotel. Original paintings, prints, and souvenirs

by Vin Mifsud and her pupils. Monday - Saturday 9.30-11am and 8-10pm.

The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society Affiliated to the UK NADFAS organisation meets third Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK to talk on Art etc. Contact: ChairmanClaus Olesen: 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros. com. Membership Ian leBreton: 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com Board Games Chess Club meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues.

The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet at the Rock Hotel on Mondays at 3pm. For further information please ring Vin at 20073660 or Roy at 20075995. All welcome.

The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7.30 - 11pm.

Dance Adult Dance Classes Wednesday evenings at the Youth Disco Room, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Cha-Cha, Salsa and Merengue. Lessons £5 and all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or dance@trainingtm.net Salsa Gibraltar Salsa classes held Tuesdays at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm, £5 per lesson. Intermediates 8.30-10pm, £6 per lesson (all profits going to the charity Help Us To Help Them). Contact: Mike 54472000 Email: info@salsagibraltar.com website: www.salsagibraltar.com Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing Mondays Catholic Community Centre 8.30pm (beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome.

Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday.

The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvio@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome.

Senior Citizens Teatime Dances at The Youth Centre, Line Wall Rd on Mondays 2 - 5.30pm.

All senior citizens welcome for coffee, tea and biscuits. Entrance free.

Classical Ballet classes for children 4+, Spanish dance and hip-hop at Liza School of Dance, 3rd floor, Methodist Church, 297/299 Main St. Classes Weds & Fri from 6pm at Chiltern Court (4Cs). Tel: 58111000.

Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop & Flexibility classes held weekly at Urban Dance Studio for Performing Arts, No. 2 Jumpers Bastion. Contact Yalta (54012212) or Jolene (54015125).

History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844.

The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association Dedicated to preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles.

Members/vehicles meet 1st Sunday of month, Morrison’s car park from 10am. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643.

Music The Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Tuesday & Thursday 7.30 - 9pm at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

New singers always welcome. Tel: 54831000.

St Andrew’s Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc. Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@hotmail.com Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an exciting self-development Programme available to all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves,

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Don’t be bored... do something fun! their communities and the world. To date over 5 million young people from over 100 countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of voluntary and challenging activities. Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818 Quizzes Cannon Bar quizzes are held on Tuesdays starting with a warm up, then two other quizzes, including a theme quiz. Starts at 8.30pm, all welcome and prizes are given. Free entrance but a donation to charity is requested. Tapas served after the quiz.

The Lounge friendly quizzes take place on Sundays from 8pm right on the quayside at Queensway Quay.

Social Clubs Scots on the Rock: Any Scots visiting the Rock can contact Charles Polson (Tel: 200 78142) for assistance or information.

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/month, 8pm. Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm. Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm. Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm.

Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm.

Special Interest Clubs & Societies Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, John Mac Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome.

Gibraltar Philosophical Society devoted to intellectually stimulating debate. Frequent lectures and seminars on a range of topics. Contact 54008426 (after 6pm) or email gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk for further information.

The Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc.

Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www.hdcgib. com UN Association of Gibraltar PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108.

Creative Writers Group meet every Tuesday at the Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm. The workshop is run

by Carla, Tel: 54006696 and is aimed at learning to write fiction and non-fiction, for pleasure or publication. Each session is £5.00.

Sports Supporters Clubs The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check the game is televised. Great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For info call Mario on 56280000.

Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club meet on match days at the Casino Calpe (Ground Floor).

Gooners of all ages welcome. Tel: Bill 54010681 or Dion 56619000. Website: www.clubwebsite. co.uk/ArsenalGibraltarSC/.

Gibraltar Hammers meet on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or e-mail gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association club for beginners, juniors and squad at Bayside School in evenings. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661.

Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions throughout year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium.

Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to IBA & EBA) has leagues and training for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753.

Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441.

Billiards & Snooker: Gibraltar Billiards and

Snooker Association (member IBSA) round leagues and competitions at various venues.

New members welcome. Tel: Eddie 200 72142 or Peter 200 77307.

Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory (200 75513 w, 200 42788 h).

Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000.

Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket Association (member ICC) runs leagues/competitions at Europa Point/ Victoria Stadium. Junior/senior training. Tel: Tom 200 79461 or Adrian 200 44281.

Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359.

Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competitions.

Tel: Darren 54027171 “Secretary”, Dyson “Youth Rep” 54024149, Justin “President” 54022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages October-May. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515, Junior Tel: Richard 58654000, Women’s Tel: Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel: Richard 200 70320.

Golf: Med Golf tournaments held monthly. Tel: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates. Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps. Tel: Bernie 200 78844.

Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults and juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730.

Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front.

Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225.

Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd). Tel: Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259.

Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse, 41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908.

Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211.

Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior / junior leagues. Tel: 200 41795 or 200 41874.

Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrien Ave. New members welcome. Tel: 200 70929.

Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings. For more information contact Sally Tel: 200 74661.

Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training sessions for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans.

Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct - April. Tel: James 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847.

Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers (members FIPS-M & CIPS) Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tel: Mario 200 72622 or Charlie 200 74337.

Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation (over 14s). Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973); clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Fidel 200 71990).

Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association. State of art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive roller blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provided within excellent rink (when not used for roller hockey training). Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5).

Snorkelling & Spear Fishing: Over 14s for snorkelling, over 16s for spear fishing.

Tel: Joseph 200 75020.

Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association,

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/coaching.

Tel: 200 44922 or 200 73260.

Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs.

Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 200 44606, Noah’s Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, 888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944. Commercial sports diving schools also available.

Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon - Fri 7-8.45am, 12- 4pm, 8- 9pm. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo (Rebecca 200 72869).

Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000.

Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142.

Tai Chi: Children’s fun Tai Chi at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range, Saturdays 11-12am. Beginners Tuesdays & Thursdays at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre. 6.30-8pm. Adults £5, Children £2, all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or rocktaichi@traningtm.net Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions. Tel: Frank 200 77035.

Ten-Pin Bowling: Ten-Pin Bowling takes place at King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. To have a go call 200 77338 to reserve your lane. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Contact Charly on 56014000 or Paul on 54029749.

Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union (members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847.

Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W & EVF) training, leagues, competitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000.

Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome.

Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street E-mail: gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www. geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meet 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.

Theatrix: Contact Trevor and Iris on Tel: 54006176 or email theatrixgib@yahoo.co.uk

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

support

events

Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs, 11am Saturdays at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774.

A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church.

Mummy and Me Breastfeeding Support Group for mums who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee, chat and support.

Partners and older children welcome.

Meets first Wednesday of every month at Chilton Court Community Hall at 1.30pm.

Enquiries and support 54014517.

Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 6pm - 10pm.

Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge.

Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Info and advice is free, confidential and impartial.

COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month.

Contact Sue Reyes Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For info Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465.

Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August.

Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717.

Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service).

Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817.

Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group for compulsive overeating problems. Tel: helpline for meetings info 200 42581.

Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and granchildren.

Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602.

Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623.

SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. E-mail olivero@sapphirenet.gi With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Tel: 54007181 or 200 79957.

Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

The colourful finale of Urban Dance’s Summer Fiesta ­— the culmination of a thoroughly entertaining show.

Apprentice Scheme – Trading Role The Government of Gibraltar in partnership with The BetClic Everest Group is offering a 12 Month training opportunity for Gibraltar residents looking to move into sportsbook trading.

Trainees will receive a monthly remuneration and quarterly bonus funded directly by the company.

This apprenticeship will suit people with a passion for sports and good numerical skills.

BetClic Everest Group is looking for people above the age of 18 who can offer the following skills and experience: • Be passionate about sports and the betting industry • Fluent in English; other languages

a bonus • Strong numerical skills • Proficient in Excel and computer literate • Willing to work weekend and evening shifts • Excellent time keeping skills and reliable

& Sunday School 10.30am. Bible Study Tues 7.30pm.

Evangelical Bretheren Assembly, Queensway Quay. Sun 11am, Tues Bible Study 6pm, Thurs Prayer Meeting 6pm.

Hindu Engineer’s Lane Tel: 200 42515.

Jehovah’s Witness 6 Europort Avenue Tel: 200 50186.

Jewish 10 Bomb House Lane Tel: 200 72606.

Methodist 297 Main St Tel/Fax 200 40870 email minister@methodist.org.gi Minister: Revd Fidel Patron. Sunday 11am Morning Worship, 8pm Evening Service. Prayer meetings Monday+ Wednesday to Friday

7pm and Tuesdays 8pm. Communion celebrated on 2nd and 4th Sunday mornings of the month, and other special occasions. Alpha Course: held Thursdays 8pm. House Groups meet for Christian fellowship, prayer and study on a regular basis Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Sunday School meets Sunday mornings alongside morning worship.

Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, 215 Main St Tel: 200 76688.

The Cityline Church 13 Castle St Tel: 200 75755 email: citylinegib@yahoo. com. Meet: Tues 8pm, Sundays 11am.

Details can be obtained from Jaydan Gomila at the Ministry of Employment, Tel: 20040410 Ext 256, email – Jaydan.gomila@gibraltar.gov.gi

Paddle Tennis for Calpe House Sports and Leisure have been named as the winner of NatWest’s second Paddle Tennis Tournament which raised over £550 for the Calpe House Trust.

Pictured: Karen Duncan and Lorraine Gillingwater of NatWest presenting the cheque to Charles Marfe from the Calpe House Fund.

Religious Services Baha’i Faith Tel: 200 73287 www.gibnet. com/bahai email:bahai@gibraltar.gi Bethel Christian Fellowship Tel: 200 52002. Queensway. Sunday service 11am.

Church of England Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Tel: 200 78377. Sung Eucharist, Sunday 10.30am. Sunday School.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Suite 21a Don House, 30-38 Main Street. Tel: 200 50433. Sundays 10am.

Church of Scotland St Andrew’s, Governor’s Pde. Tel: 200 77040. Worship

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information

A

dmission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites - St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and Moorish Castle). Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults £10, children 5-12 years: £5, children age 4 and under free, vehicles £2. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times, tours available by taxi/mini bus. The Natural History & Heritage Park is also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm). 50p per person to walk with no entrance tickets.

T

he flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered to be of great conservational value. It’s a perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa, but botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna is found at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society’s information centre at Jews Gate.

St. Michael’s Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall.

A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an auditorium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used. A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael’s Cave and can be visited with a guide.

The Monkeys’ Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey’s Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary Macaques and Europe’s only free living monkeys. £500 fine for feeding the monkeys - don’t do it!

The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to any man who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. It was a Sgt. Major Ince who suggested tunnelling and there are now over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside the tunnels.

of the earliest British building on the Rock.

Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still visible, the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castle: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, spearheaded from Gibraltar in 711AD by Tarik-ibn-Zeyad (“Gibraltar” is a corruption of the Arabic words “Jebel Tarik” - Tarik’s mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu’l Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain.

Natural History & Heritage Park Walks: Med Steps is a stunning walk with the steep climb at the end rewarded with spectacular views of the Rock and Spain.

Another recommended walk is St Michael’s Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit for both. It is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Brochures available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens: Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into disrepair but are currently being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms, and see many of Gibraltar’s native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environmentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds.

Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.

Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free of charge with Nature Reserve ticket.

Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).

Parson’s Lodge: Rosia Road. A narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of underground tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Once housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a

unique sandwich of armour plate and teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’. TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. Flat Bastion Magazine Flat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar. To visit contact: F. Gomez Tel. 200 44460, P. Hodkinson Tel. 200 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm - 2pm.

Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Road, open 9am - 7pm daily (admission free).

Business Information

Gibraltar Financial Services Commission ......Tel: 200 40283/4 website: www.fsc.gi Chamber of Commerce.......Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business.Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry...............Tel: 200 78193

Useful Numbers

Airport (general info.)..........Tel: 200 73026 Hospital, St Bernards..........Tel: 200 79700 Weather information.................Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update.......Tel: 200 42777

General Information

Gibraltar Museum.............Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane Open 10am - 6pm (Sat. 10am - 2pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery.

Registry Office...................Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours of arrival. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.

Rock Tours by Taxi............Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, Gibraltar taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa Point and other sites of interest. It is the best way to see the Rock’s major features in a short time.

Emergency Services Emergency calls only: Fire/Ambulance.......................Tel: 190 Police...............................Tel: 199/112 Emergency Number...............Tel: 112

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock’s many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays information on the development of Gibraltar’s military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of the civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one

History Alive

Every Saturday morning the Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.

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Gibraltar Bus Company Routes

Tourist Board.....................Tel: 200 74950 Gibraltar Tourist Board, Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square, Gibraltar.

UK Tel: 0207 836 0777 giblondon@aol.com John Mackintosh Hall.......Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends.

Bicycle Racks Bicycle parking is provided at the following locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road.

Public Holidays 2011

Gibraltar & United Kingdom New Year’s Day Mon 3rd January (in lieu of Sat 1st January) Commonwealth Day * Mon 14 March Good Friday Fri 22 April Easter Mon 25 April Royal Wedding Fri 29 April May Day Mon 2 May Spring Bank Holiday Mon 30 May Queen’s Birthday * Mon 13 June Late Summer Bank Hol Mon 29 August Gibraltar National Day * Mon 12 September (in lieu of Sat 10 September) Christmas Day Mon 26 December (in lieu of Sun 25 December) Boxing Day Tues 27 December (in lieu of Mon 26 December) *Gibraltar Only Spain Fixed: New Year’s Day 1 January, Epiphany 6 January, St Joseph’s Day 19 March, Labour Day 1 May, St John 24 June, St James 25 July, Assumption Day 15 August, National Day 12 October, All Saints 1 November, Immaculate Conception 8 December, Christmas 25 December Moveable: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station..........Tel: 200 75728 Police...............................Tel: 200 72500 Gibraltar Services Police: Emergency Nos: ....Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, 1st Floor 113 Main Street, Gibraltar.

Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

Natural History & Heritage Park

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2011

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