The Craziness Begins

Today is the first day when campaigning can start for the local elections on Sunday 28th May.

As many of you may know this is the only election in which non Spanish residents can vote and impact the people who, for the next four years, will manage our municipality. It is therefore really important that if you qualify to vote eg lived here and on Padron for more than 2 years, that you exercise your right to vote. If you are unsure just call into the Town Hall and ask.

I have had the honour to serve on our local council in various roles over the past 16 years. I have worked with many different colleagues and developed an in depth understanding of the complexities of managing a small Town Hall such as ours.

It is because I know most of the candidates standing for this election that I will be endorsing the PSOE party led by an eminently knowledgeable , hard working effective person who I have known and worked with for many years - Noelia Garcia Jimenez (Noe to friends). She has been indispensable in our recent work to put our finances in a healthy position, to develope good ideas and plans for the future as well as manage our team.

We will shortly announce our plans for the future and how we will communicate that to all non Spanish speaking residents. Watch this space for updates. 

Dearth of Posts

 Sorry about the lack of posts lately but everyone has been manically organising stuff for the upcoming elections!!

No one is allowed (by law) to start electioneering prior to the 12th May.

So unless anything urgent occurs, between now and then, the next posts will be about the election. There is quite a lot to explain but will do so when allowed. 

Presentation Meeting

The meeting at which all candidates on the list for the upcoming election for the PSOE party will be presented to the public as below.

This is your opportunity to meet and hear from the party which I recommend you support. It is an excellent group of candidates under the new leadership of Noelia Garcia (Noe) who has for years served in different roles in the previous administration. 

At the Renfe building, Alfoquia at 7.0pm on Thursday 4th May. CHANGE OF VENUE NOW TO BE HELD IN THE THEATRE IN ZURGENA

Below is Noelia’s statement.

Neighbours!

After twelve years working for our town as councillor of the Government Team, for the next municipal elections I decided to face the challenge of presenting myself as a candidate for mayor. I face this challenge with great enthusiasm and with enormous responsibility, managing a municipality like ours is not an easy task, but I feel prepared to do it, together with the team of brave and hard-working people, who on the 4th I will present to you all at the Cocherón of the Renfe at 7:00 p.m. Needless to say, you are invited to meet first hand the candidacy presented by our party!

Healthy Gentle Organised Walks

 "For a million steps" is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Consumption of the Junta de Andalucía, whose purpose is to promote the practice of physical activity in the population as a whole, through the organisation of group walks .

Why not join in and make or take a few friends for a bit of healthy exercise!

The project is intended for associations and groups of people, and its implementation is at the local level. Our City Council is going to collaborate with Magdalena and Concha, the nurses from our office, whom we thank for their involvement, and who will help to achieve this challenge!

We will try to take at least one million steps in a month. By adding the steps of all the neighbours who are participating in this initiative?

This challenge is intended to encourage people who are sedentary to start a more active life and those who are already sedentary to maintain healthy lifestyle habits.

In a first phase, it means assuming the challenge of taking at least one million steps in a month, by adding the steps of the members of the association who participate in this initiative.

We will carry out this activity every Tuesday during the month of May at 9:30 a.m.:

Day 2nd May Departure from the Town Hall

Day 9th May Departure from the School of Alfoquía.

Day 16th May Departure from the School Juan Andrés de Toledo in Zurgena

Day 23rd May Departure from the Medical Office of La Alfoquía.

We will wait for you!

Doctors Surgery Reopens

We are able to announce the reopening of the renovated doctors surgery.

As from tomorrow, the Zurgena Medical Office will reactivate their services.

 This morning we received a visit from the territorial delegate for Health and Families, Juan de la Cruz, and those responsible for the Northern Health Area of ​​La Inmaculada Hospital, who, accompanied by our mayor, councillors and our nurse, Magdalena, have been able to see firsthand how good our office is after the full renevation work that has been carried out with the Town Council's own funds, and that it is now ready to return to service form the municipality.

 We appreciate the collaboration of the North Health Area, which has provided the medical center with new furniture and has collaborated with the installation works.

 We appreciate the collaboration of the La Alfoquía office to carry out the care for the users who of Zurgena town during this period of adaptation of this office and of course to all the neighbours for their patience.  The wait was worth it!

A Great Get Together

 Many of you will remember our food get together, of years gone by, when local ladies demonstrated and let us enjoy their traditional dishes. Due to Covid these were stopped but we have organised another similar event.

It is to be held in the Renfe Building at 1200 hours on Saturday 29th April.

You will have the opportunity to taste local dishes prepared by chef Cesar Perez but there is a price to pay! We are asking that all attendees bring along an example of a dessert dish from their home land. This will ensure you get to taste a variety of flavours from different parts of Europe. 

I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed these events in the past as, not only does it teach us about our area and it’s culinary history but it is a wonderful way to share food. I must also admit that I did take an occasional bottle of wine along and not yet sure whether any drink will be provided! 

So if you fancy going please give Paco a call on 610 194 264. He doesn’t speak much English so if you can manage a bit of basic Spanish and say,” Quiero asistir a la reunion en la Renfe el veintinueve de April. Mi nombre es …. y habra … (number) de nosotros.” He should manage but any problems or if you don’t fancy trying your Spanish then drop me an email message to jimszurgena@gmail.com and I will inform him. 

Have fun

Neighbourhood Watch Update

I have been asked to send out the following message on behalf of Zurgena Neighbourhood Watch:- Zurgena 

Neighbourhood Watch has a new Facebook page to raise awareness about this scheme 

 If you live within the areas of Zurgena and its surrounding villages, click on the link below for more information about your local Neighbourhood Watch. 

 Please like the page and click on the email link if you would like to join.

Zurgena NHW Facebook page