My Sight

25th February 2021 1^st Zoom Meeting – Len Jackson – MySight and David Eldridge - Living in Spain

Prior to our guest speaker President Derek made some respectful comments about the recent sad death of John Spence, before we had a minutes silence for remembrance and reflection.

Our first speaker, who is well known to many of us who support the East Bridgford Drama Group, Len then joined us and explained that MySight had replaced the former Royal Society for the Blind, who had asked him in 2012 to become the President.  He gladly accepted, but wanted to really get involved, fund raising and getting their hands dirty(he mentioned that David and Jackie had been very supporting in fund raising initiatives, bringing in £20 000 over the last few years)

On his personal background he was brought up in Salford with two blind parents, thus classing him as a ‘Manchester Cockney’….born within the sounds of Old Trafford and Manchester United!  However, he felt that having blind parents widened his skills, so that by his teenage years he was good at ironing, shopping and cooking and gave him a great respect for blind people, who you should never underestimate.

Covid has brought many problems to blind people for which the news indicates that there will be additional money available to provide technology assistance with voice recognition and other software for befriending services and mobile libraries.

“Can you imagine the isolation that blind people have been going through with Covid?” Social distancing is very difficult, they cannot be involved in Zoom meetings, without the technology or skills, and consequently loneliness is increasing dramatically. We need to get them out of the house, don’t patronise them, don’t take them by the arm, let them take yours.  For any volunteers there will be training available for technology befriending service and telephone befriending service.

At 175 years old it’s probably the oldest charity and as such was recognised by Nottinghamshire County Council with an award of The Charity of the Year, which under ‘normal circumstances’ would be a good vehicle for fund raising, but now….?

They have decided to go for a major fund raising event in the form of a County wide raffle starting 1 April with a draw in July.  They have already acquired some excellent prizes: £500 1^st prize and £200 for 2^nd with A4 posters, A5 flyers and some media publicity whilst also talking to Supermarkets.

David Valentine will be liaising for our Club and Len has also been speaking to several North Notts Rotary Clubs, hoping to raise £5k to £10k.

He related a story about a blind after dinner speaker, Steve Cunningham, who talked about his hobby of parachute jumping! How do you know when to jump? They push you! How do you know when to pull the rip cord? Just count the number they tell you.  What about how do you know when you are approaching the ground?  The dogs lead goes slack! (better when delivered by Len!)

He fielded all the questions and said that people who do not like raffle tickets can simply make a donation in the collecting tins.

Steve Carson thanked Len for his informative delivery, although he had some doubts about his ‘Manchester Cockney’ claim, and took away the message please treat blind people like another human being, which was followed by the usual thanks from everyone!                                                                                                    AR

Living in Spain (Our second Speaker) David Eldridge

In 1988 Judy and David purchased a timeshare in Albufeira in Portugal and fell in love with the Mediterranean climate and way of life.

In 2002 they became involved in standing on Spanish property exhibitions in the UK sending prospective buyers on subsidised visits to view property on the Costa Blanca, and in 2005 they purchased a holiday apartment in Villamartin on the Costa Blanca with the intention of both using and letting the property, with a view to retiring somewhere warmer. In 2007, after a trip to South Africa, David became ill, and was not recovering well, so they made the decision to let their house in Reading and head for the sun. After a short while there they decided that they were going to stay and so had to learn all the rules and the understand the bureaucracy

You need to understand that your passport is not sufficient

You need:           NIE Number                                       Numeri de identidad de extranjero

Residencia                                          Fiscal Resident - In the Spanish tax system

Padron                                                 Electoral Roll

These are necessary to gain access to the Sistema Nacional de Salut (National Health Service)                

You can then get an SIP Card (Access to SNS) or otherwise rely on an EHIC card If you are not resident.

You also have to think differently

Rule 1                   The rules are always different from the UK

                                Stop thinking English...................Think Local      

Take nothing for granted...... Check everything

Understand the rules and use them to your advantage 

Rule 2                   You are not on a perpetual holiday

                                You can’t eat and drink out every night!

Rule 3                   Be self-sufficient, cash wise

                                Don’t bank on getting a job (unless you are happy with 5euro an hour)

                                Stay occupied. The devil and drink find work for idle hands(and minds!)

                                If you want/need to earn money, then set up your own business.                                                                                           David set up a business installing satellite dishes to UK residents.

The political system, both nationally and locally is very different in Europe as they use proportional representation

Most of Southern Europe operates a local government system based on nominated Mayors (normally appointed by the largest political party locally). It can work both for and against you. Each Town or Village has its own Mayor, and they are very much kings of the local castle.  Locally, they totally rule the roost.

You need to understand that it is in your interest to

o   Stay on the right side of them

o   Accept that they are corrupt and corruptible

o   The only authority over them is the Provincial ombudsman

o   Both main political parties  PP and PSOE are equally as bad

Everyone prefers cash as the Spanish have a “tax evasive” mentality, there’s no PAYE, and it’s all ‘self-assessment’.

The Euro came in 1992. The Bank of Spain estimated that in 2018, there were still 268 billion pesetas that  had not been redeemed! A lot of the older Spaniards still believe that the peseta will return.

They stayed in Spain for 8 years, eventually, settling in La Romana, which is a village about 50km inland of Alicante Town.  Marble extraction and wine growing /production are the local industries.

They became involved with a dog rescue and fostering service, making scenery for the  local drama group, and      running a Charity shop, of which Judy became the manager, which was not easy as the Spanish don’t understand  voluntary work.                                                                                AR