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Our Team....

.........Give a little, help a lot

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the heart of the community

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Bernadette Abbott

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Hi I´m Bernadette...... originally from Coventry, England, I moved to the Algarve following retirement and remained there for nine years.

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Having left university for the first time more years ago than is decent to admit, I spent a number of years teaching in Higher Education which I really enjoyed.

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Not being one for remaining in one job for my entire life I subsequently changed careers and retrained to work in Children´s Social Work Services , first as a social worker and then at various levels of management

Having worked long hours throughout the last 30 years of my working life, retirement did not come easily and it was inevitable that I would become involved work of some kind. It wasn't easy finding voluntary work with families so I was delighted to become involved in the Algarve Network for Families in Need even though it was quite distressing to learn of the poverty in an area viewed as ´paradise ´by so many people.

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As well as working with families in the community I volunteered for three years in a soup kitchen in Lagos and worked independently with homeless people, mostly in western Algarve.

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On a personal level , I have two children. A daughter who lives in England with her three children, two boys and a girl, and a son who lives in Spain who also has two boys and a girl.  Three of my grandchildren have worked with me whilst here on holiday - both in a soup kitchen and with homeless people on the streets which, I believe was a great experience for them. 

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I'm really grateful for the network we have been able to build with various associations across the Algarve and in doing so, have been able to help so many families. 

 

                                                    I am a firm believer that together, we are stronger.
 

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Nadia Cann

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I was born in Truro, Cornwall in 1976 and came to the Algarve for the first time in 1979.  We have been here ever since I completed my schooling and University in the UK where I studied French, German and European Economics before embarking on my teacher training.

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I taught French and German for eight years in a secondary school before moving to teach primary in international schools here in the Algarve.

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I have two daughters, Jasmine (20) and Kaia (9) and a number of pets!  The girls have grown up knowing that charity is a way of life and I want them to be aware of the different situations here in what seems to be an idyllic country,

Having helped out with a number of charities, Bernadette asked me to take over as Coordinator for Algarve Network for Families in Need. Having a good knowledge of the Algarve and the language, I have had the privilege of working with many families, helping to provide them with a better life.

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We have been supported by a fantastic team of volunteers who give up their free time to help our families. It certainly helps my life balance of teaching, being a mum and helping others. The network is also extremely lucky to have wonderful supporters; without them none of our work would be possible.

Volunteers

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We are always looking for volunteers and especially those that are able to assist with transport.... collection of goods from our kind donors and dropping off at our families in need.  Please send an email to Bernadette if you're able to help - we are flexible and appreciative of any effort on our behalf.

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Julie Lomax joined us at the start of the food appeal/distribution in March 2020 and she now manages the emergency food supply , storing and delivering one off emergency supplies. Julie has a number of volunteers working alongside her, but we always have space for more.  Click here to read more about Julie.

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In Lagos we have Heather Cox who has been supporting us for years, supplying all sorts of items for babies/children etc as the charity shop that she works in doesn´t sell this stuff - now she has become a named volunteer and is managing the storage in Lagos. 

 

Our latest volunteer is Ginger Lloyd who supports families in the very west Algarve and is now liaising with and working alongside Heather.

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In mid-Algarve, we have Eveline Sidenvall who assists families in this area.

 

We also have various volunteers who will help with specific tasks as and when needed.

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