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RC Silves Celebrates with their Entrepreneur of Year
The Entrepreneur of the Year award is in recognition of outstanding achievements in business in our community.
Nidia is the owner and Chef de Cuisine at Restaurant D’Mestres which is situated close to the market hall in Pêra. Having transformed an old unused building in Pêra into an Alentejo themed restaurant with murals depicting her family heritage in the region. Since opening in April 2024 she has thrilled her clientele with fabulous food and great service to rave online reviews.
Silves Rotary club has been lucky enough to hold their post meeting lunches there since July of last year.
Jim Kennedy, Club President said “I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this award and I am honoured to be able to present it to Nidia on the anniversary of her opening the restaurant.”
Nidia has truly created something special taking traditional Alentejo cuisine to a new level. In my mind her success was assured with the first mouthful, add to that the warm welcome from her and her team it has proved to be a winning formula which brings high praise from its patrons. But Nidia does not forget the local community either with her generosity and community spirit.
D’Mestres restaurant is a great success and RC Silves is happy to be part of its story.
Cookery Competition the Team 1 Final
Ten judges gathered at Algoz School on the 2 April to taste the food created by the students and paired with local wines. They were to be judged on the food and the service in this first final. The students greeted the judges and lead them to their table. A vision in blue with candles and flowers.
The predinner drink of Port and Tonic was presented in a glass decorated with a flower. The Menu was interesting, and the judges were looking forward to the tasting. The first course of Shrimp Bisque was delivered in a wine glass what a good start. It was so good that the judges forgot to take a picture. The main course of Duck breast with vegetables on a green bed was served with an Algarve local wine and was followed by an orange pudding and almond liquor.
Well done to team 1! The judges look forward to the second final with team 2. It is going to be a tough competition.
Rotary Peace Garden
On 22 February 2025 the rotary clubs of the Algarve inaugurated a Peace Garden at Faro Airport in celebration of 120 years of Rotary and it’s commitment to peace. All the clubs from the Algarve were represented. President Jim Kennedy, Secretary Pam Winn and Peace Fellow Petra Vahle Francis were there to represent RC Silves. An olive tree was planted by the District Governor and representatives of Tavira Rotaract Club and Albufeira Interact Club. The Peace Pole and the plaque marked the spot.
The ceremony finished with a flash mob. All the rotarians joined together to sing “Let’s Make the World a Better Place”
Video link:- https://maisalgarve.pt/2025/02/25/rotary-jardim-da-paz-aeroporto/
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.
Best Year Ever for Christmas Shoeboxes for the Elderly
This Christmas marked the 20th year that Castelo de Sonhos has distributed shoeboxes of goodies to the elderly folk around Silves. Well over 300 boxes were collected and distributed which is the most ever received. Rotary Club of Silves partners with Castelo de Sonhos at Christmas and members contributed shoeboxes to the total. Rotary Shoeboxes are always sought after. This year with the large amount of boxes received, we were able to deliver boxes to Associação Gaurda-Chuva, Barlavento Hospital and Care Homes looking after people with no family.
The smile says it all……
Delivering Christmas Shoe boxes to Barlavento Hospital
Silves Rotary Club members Petra Vahle Francis and Alan Winn deliver shoe box Christmas presents to Barlavento Hospital in Portimao to be given to patients on the psychiatric ward who will remain in hospital over Christmas.
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.
Rotary Clube de Silves 