A couple of replies

I asked on this blog about where we could pass on donations to charity in Bigastro:

Sheila Rowlands replies-

Torrevieja Christian Fellowship collects for Reachout, the homeless in the area and HELP, for which I am a volunteer, also collects for the needy in the locality. If anyone has a problem passing on donations, I can take them to church any Sunday morning or pass on to HELP. CARITAS, as you have said, also is very happy to receive goodies.

Muchisimo gracias Sheila.

One of my Spanish readers Stephano also replied to my item about rising electricity prices:

Have you thought about charity shops ? I feel sorry for immigrants like you who move to our country and then they cannot afford to live. I know, as I also have no job. Let us hope that 2013 be better for you.

Thank you for that. As it happens, my wife and I are the lucky ones. We were both teachers in England before we retired to move to Spain, she was an infant teacher and I was an Assistant Headteacher in a secondary school so we both have pensions. In addition, we are both now over 65 and so receive state pensions from England as well.

However, I do feel sorry for those who moved to Spain without adequate provision and of course for those like Stephano who are out of work. As I have said, my wife and I are lucky to have never been in that situation.