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UK Portugal School Exchange Programme resumes after 4-year delay.
On 14 March 5 students and 2 teachers from Wildern School in Southampton arrived at Faro airport for a 5 day stay with their Portuguese host families.
Students and Teachers at the Rotary Peace Garden at Faro Airport
The last time that the annual exchange which started in 2013 took place was in March 2020. A mixture of the Covid Pandemic and concerns over Brexit causing the gap in this valuable programme
The exchange is coordinated and funded by the Rotary Club of Silves as part of their educational support programmes.
Students spend time with host families experiencing life and culture in each other’s country. They also attend school lessons and take part in other educational activities.
The poor weather this spring did not dampen the enthusiasm of all involved. The students enjoyed the brief sunshine at Salgados Beach as well as a visit to Silves to see the castle and Archaeology Museum in Silves.
All Students together in Salgados and visiting King Sancho 1
Friendships were formed, language skills improved, and confidence grew as the days passed.
The Rotary Club of Silves members would like to thank all involved including the parents, teachers and school managers of both Wildern school in the U.K. and Agupamento de Escolas de Silves Sul here in the Algarve.
The Portuguese students will visit Southampton from 4 July for the return visit. Hopefully as in the past, the students and host families will forge friendships that will last well into the future.
Practice Rounds of the New Cooking Competition
The 22nd January saw the first practice round for the new cookery competition based at Algoz School. Team 1 presented 3 courses with drinks to 5 Judges who fed back to students following their feast. The competition runs until the 14 May and culminates with a cook off between the best two teams. The competition offers the chefs and waiters a challenge and audience for their food.
Practice 1
Team 2 presented their 3 courses on the 19 February. Seven judges enjoyed a treat. The team worked hard to present their food on a delightful table setting.
The team produced Pea Soup, Tamboril with seasonable vegetables and a cookie surprise so good the judges forgot to take a picture.
Watch this space for future rounds!
Students demonstrate their new public speaking skills.
Silves Rotary club members and guests were amazed at the confidence on display by the students who had attended the Model United Nations meeting in South Manchester UK in October.
The students attended their two-day event last October along with 300+ students from other schools around the U.K. and Netherlands. Although they were overwhelmed at first by the end of the first day, they were holding their own in the committee’s discussing such important issues as child labour, human trafficking and the global migration problem. During that time their English language improved significantly, their confidence and self-esteem blossomed and by the start of the second day they were on equal terms.
The students thanked club members for making the trip possible and said how much it had changed their lives.
The two teachers who travelled with the students were amazed by the improvement in confidence and language and hoped that the club will be able to arrange further visits in the years to come.
It was great to see the students talk so confidently in front of an entirely adult audience. Alan Winn who leads the Education Projects for Rotary Silves asked the students a few questions. Answers, Yes they would like to go again! Yes they are still in contact with other students they met ant the conference and “Fish and Chips!”
Diretor Carlos Silva of the Agrupamento de Escolas de SilvesSul, thanked members for the support they give to the school and said working in partnership and friendship has made a difference over many years to the pupils of the school.
Rotarians agreed that it was one of the best rotary meetings they have attended.
The First Biodiversity School Forest
In 2023 Escola EB 2,3 Algoz was selected to house the first Biodiversity Forest to be planted as part of RC Silves environmental projects. On 8 November, 320 indigenous trees and shrubs were planted by students and rotary club members, supported by Silves Camera President Rosa Palma
This was the first step in creating a small, 100sqm, dense woodland where a new ecosystem could exist. In the centre of the forest is a learning space and adjacent is a small laboratory. Student volunteers will care for the newly planted saplings until they are established. The students at the school will be able to observe the various development stages as the forest grows after using the Miyawaki principles of planting.
On 14 November the finishing touches were added after the planting of the two final Carvalho de Monchique oak trees by Deputy Camera President Luisa Conduto and Rotary District Governor Paulo de Taveira Sousa. The completion of this project by Silves Rotary club provides the school with a living environment to use as a source of inspiration and research as part of the saving the planet curriculum.
Club President Jim Kennedy thanked all involved for the efforts in bringing this important project to completion with special thanks to Rainer Kroth who led the project from its inception. Silves council prepared the ground, Nutriverde Algar grew our plants and trees and Sonia Soares from Floresta Nativa advised on the planting. Thanks must also go to Porches International Rotary Club for their considerable financial support.
Model United Nations Debut a Success
Earlier this month 6 Students and two Teachers from Agrupamento de Escolas Silves Sul set of from Faro Airport to attend the 24th Model United Nations meeting at Cheadle Hulme school in Wilmslow, south of Manchester.
They joined over 330 students at this event to play the roles of delegates to the United Nations and to represent 61 different countries in their teams of 6.
The students aged 13 formed the Portuguese delegation where, in the General Assembly, they reacted to a world crisis in which all communication systems to Australia were disrupted and the threat by terrorists to extend the disruption if their demands were not met.
In committee they debated such important topics as modern slavery, child internet safety and environmental issues of the day.
Older students from Cheadle Hulme school were the organisers of the meeting and played the roles of UN General Secretary, senior UN officials and Committee Chairs.
The trip was organised and funded by the Rotary Club of Silves through their fundraising, to provide educational opportunities that can make a difference to individual pupils’ success in the future or impact the local community. Club President Jim Kennedy said that access to events that extend and develop a wide range of skills in young people provides them with the confidence to succeed in their later lives. Working together, debating, writing resolutions and amendments, learning the Portuguese Government’s position on the topics covered and making those views heard in the meetings were just some of the skills acquired along with improving their English language and growing in confidence.
We hope to repeat the experience next year.
Students Set off for Model United Nations in UK
Rotary Club of Silves is invested in the education of our local students offering them opportunities that they would not ordinarily have. This year for the first time we have entered 6 students from Agrupamento de Escolas de SilvesSul in a Model United Nations Conference in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire in the UK. They are supported by two teachers and a long time member and past president of RC Silves Alan Winn. They set off on Friday 4 October from Faro very early in the morning but the excitement is still visible. We wish them a safe journey and good luck. We thank members of rotary and the community who have attended events to raise the necessary funds to sponsor this experience. More news as we get it.
Back to School Project Supports 90 Children
Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Castelo de Sonhos “Back to School” supporters, this family charity has been able to distribute 90 filled backpacks to disadvantaged children within the Silves area. This project started nearly 20 years ago and 2024 marks a RECORD number of children helped.
Each backpack was filled with all the school materials needed for the start of the new term.
RC Silves members have always supported this charity and are happy to join other charities as they strive to support this project. This year Lagoa International join us with a generous donation of 240€. Many other charities are involved in supporting Castelo de Sonhos in this en devour and special thanks must go to all of them.
Peace & Harmony Masonic Lodge
Kristen & Patricia from “Need a Charity for All”
The Monchique Golf Club
Charles & Maggie (for fund-raising)
Clube de Caminhada Algarve
DEKA (German Speaking Lutheran Church)
Mango’s Golf Society Carvoeiro
Nada Offner (poster design & publicity)
And of course thanks go to all the kind members of the public who donated school materials.
As you can see from the photo the children were delighted to receive their filled colourful
backpacks.
Castelo de Sonhos needs your Help!
Castelo de Sonhos have started up their annual Back to School project. Silves Rotary Club always supports this project and members help where they can. This year Castelo de Sonhos have 70 children who need help with back packs and stationery to get ready for school in September. The poster below shows the things needed and where you can drop them off. Every little helps even if you can only give a few items, it all counts.
The First Sala Sensorial Especially Designed for Infants is Officially Opened.
The Sala Sensorial Infantil at Escola Silves Sul in Armacao de Pera was officially opened on Monday 22 January by the President of the Camera de Silves, Rosa da Palma, Diretor Carlos Silva, President of Silves Rotary Club, Rainer Kroth and an organiser of the walk Alan Winn.
The equipment for the room, which is the first specially designed for children as young as 3 who suffer from Autism or Downs Syndrome was funded by the Rotary Club of Silves.
Eight members of the club and two friends walked 120km of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela from Valence do Minho on the Portuguese border. The walk took place in September 2022. Along with a concert held at the Teatro Mascarenhas Gregorio in March last year over 14.000,00€ was raised by the club to purchase the necessary equipment for the school. Rainer Kroth the current President of the Rotary Club of Silves would like to thank all those who participated in the walk and for members of the public who sponsored the walkers and attended the concert. Without their support it would have not been possible to meet the needs of the school.
Unveiling the plaque
Caminho walkers with current RC Silves President Rainer Kroth
Back to School
Castelo de Sonhos have started up their annual Back to School project. Silves Rotary Club always supports this project and members help where they can. This year Castelo de Sonhos have 60 children who need help with back packs and stationery to get ready for school in September. The poster below shows the things needed and where you can drop them off. Every little helps even if you can only give a few items, it all counts.
Rotary Clube de Silves 