MEETING MINUTES

Minutes of meeting Monday 5th September, Hotel Ifach, Calpe

·        Welcome back – we hope everyone had a good summer!

Welcome also to our guests today from Calpe Ayuntamiento and Rainer Straubel – editor of Calper Wochenblatt.

Guest speakers from Calpe Ayuntamiento -  re: Calpe Shelter etc.

  • Antoni Bertomeu Ivars – Director for Social Affairs

  • Noelia Poquet Mut – Directora Consejalia de la Mujer

  • Lucia Martinez Caparros – Grupo Eolen (GPS mobile phone service)

  • Cristina Lomo Carasa – also from Grupo Eolen

Crysta Ayoob (WIBC member) introduced our guests, as she has been liasing with them over the summer after reading an article in the Calpe Wochenblatt (a local newspaper in Spanish/German) about the work they were doing to help abused women in Calpe.

Antoni informed us of the services already set up in Calpe.

There is a Social Services office behind the church in Calpe old town where women who are being abused can go to talk to a Psychologist. For most abused women this help is the most important.

There is also a female Abogado (lawyer) at Gabriel Miro 33 opposite the Capri restaurant who is provided by the council to help the women with all the legal issues.

Any abused woman can contact the Guardia at any time and they have a special form for abuse cases.

There is currently no shelter in Calpe as they feel their limited money is better spent on awareness, support and prevention.

There is also an emergency freephone number for the whole of the Alicante Province – 900 580 888

This is based in Alicante with a lawyer, social worker and psychologist on call at all times.

Calpe also have the same GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) telephone system as in Javea. The two conditions for abused women to obtain these mobile phones is that they are no longer living with the abuser and they have a restraining order against him.

Lucia from Grupo Eolen Servicios Sanitales, the company who provide the phones, explained more about how the system works. This is a mobile phone for incoming calls only, with an emergency button on the top which, when pressed, connects the caller to the call centre at Valencia where there is a female psychologist on call 24/7, all of whom speak Spanish and some English. All the personal details and history of the caller appear on the computer including a map showing the exact position of the caller, including the house number. The GPS coordinates are also sent to the police who normally respond within 1 minute! The police response is also important for women who speak no Spanish or English and can’t converse with the call centre.

The call button can also be used for medical attention and just to speak to the psychologist for support. The women are also contacted by the call centre every 2/3 weeks to check everything is ok with them and to check the mobile is working. It can also be used as a diary to remind her of legal or medical appointments.

Daughters over 18 can also have one of these mobiles.

The women can keep these phones for as long as the restraining order is in existence.

This system is fully funded by the government and so far there are over 900 mobiles in use in this area (from Madrid south).

There is also a similar system to this for the elderly.

How can we help?

The most important help we can give as a club is in education, support and translation.

Antoni would like to see more awareness in schools – people actually going into the schools to talk about abuse and educate the youngsters in order to prevent it. The curriculum at present does not cover this specifically.

They also need funding for awareness campaigns to inform abused women what to do and where to go. This is currently being produced in Spanish and Valenciano, but we could help fund this in other languages!

We can also help by forwarding our list of voluntary translators and trained counsellors.

Strategy Planning Session for the 2005/6 Club Season

Very few members will be able to attend the AGM planned for 17th September, either because they are still away or because it was a Saturday, so we conducted an internet poll of members to see if they would like to attend the meeting or answer a questionnaire. Out of a membership of over 200 only 5 voted to attend the meeting and 65 voted for the questionnaire.

However, this does not rule out a meeting at a later date.

Members will be sent a on-line questionnaire raising points discussed at the meeting of 11th July and any other issues raised by members. Please print a copy for any members who do not have internet access.

Rock and Roll Road Show raises €1012!

Candy attended the show on behalf of the WIBC where they raised a fantastic €1012.00 which they donated to our causes for combating domestic violence. Well done and many thanks to all you guys!

Christmas Market

Rainer told us of the Calper Wochenblatt Christmas Market in Calpe, 2nd to 11th December normally at a cost of €500 for 11 days (neg).

New Member Introduction

Welcome to two new members –

  • Savita from Calpe (used to own Sugar and Spice Restaurant) who is going to be importing Indian garments and also teach Indian cooking!
  • Emma Fry from Santa Pola who works as European client advisor for Caja Madrid bank in Benidorm.
  • She can also act as a translator for English, Spanish and French.
  • Also a warm welcome back to Edwina from Female Focus, who has had a really tough year, but is now able to attend the meetings.

Lucky Dip Draw for a bottle of Wine - sponsored by Karla Darocas!

We all put our business cards in for a draw and the winner was Lesley Ellis, WIBC Administrator (Thank you very much!)

  AOB

  • Biz-Spain (Suzanna Mace, Mary Lucas and Lesley Ellis) will be hosting a Business and Lifestyle Exhibition at the Marriott Hotel on Sunday 30th October. For more details go to www.biz-Spain.com . 10% discount on stands to WIBC members.
  • Marcia wants singers and dancers to audition for a production of Oklahoma!
  • Crysta would like to organise a Feng Shui evening at Marcia’s Dance Studio with Feng Shui colours (red, green & gold).
  • Karla will be starting her business training tutorials again this month.
  • Elisa needs an apartment to rent from Altea to Moraira.

 

·    Next Fundraiser – Auction at El Cid’s, Friday, Sept. 30th

Don’t forget to find something for us to auction – WE NEED YOUR ITEMS NOW! Please bring to the next meeting at Denia or drop off to El Cid’s. All items MUST be in by 22nd September!

Don’t forget to also put Friday, Sept. 30th, 1.30pm onwards, in your diary now and bring your guests with all their cash!!!

 

·     Next meetings:  

Monday 19th September, 2 to 4pm, Hotel Marriott, La Sella

Monday  3rd October, 2 to 4pm, Hotel Ifach, Calpe

www.WIBC-Spain.com