This page is primarily to provide notices or any other club information which has changed or become available since the last Club Newsletter.
New information is added at the top, older items are generally retained below.
We are pleased to announce that at the
March A.G.M.
a new C.A.S.A. Committee was elected.
They have now taken over as of April 14th.
CASA’s October Event: Full Throttle Fun at the Kartódromo!
A picture-perfect Algarve morning greeted our fearless CASA members who dared to test their mettle at the world-class Kartódromo do Algarve within the Portimão Race Park. Though
attendance was modest, enthusiasm filled every corner of the paddock — and the eight participants who showed up were rewarded with plenty of track time and laughter.
The first session took place on Pista 2, a twisting course that offered more than enough room for some spirited driving — and the occasional off-track detour. With few others on
the circuit, there was ample opportunity to perfect one’s racing line… or to completely miss it. Clouds of dust marked the enthusiasm (and questionable braking points) of a few of us — names withheld
to protect the guilty!
Despite the relatively tame top speeds, it proved to be a surprisingly physical workout. By the end of the 15-minute heat, everyone was ready for a breather — myself included.
Judging by the smiles and sweat-soaked grins, the feeling was mutual.
Session Two moved us over to Pista 1, a slightly faster layout that promised excitement — and delivered mayhem. This time the track was bustling, with an
additional eight karts in the mix. The result? Controlled chaos. I managed an early tangle with Paul, who courteously redirected my kart with a good-natured bump that sent me on my way, laughing and
waving as I went.
From there it was a blur of near-misses, gravel excursions, and evasive maneuvers around spun-out competitors. Let’s just say the karts’ tires got quite the workout — both as grip and as
“suspension.” Yes, I may have contributed to the dust cloud once again… or twice.
After the engines cooled and the stories were thoroughly “adjusted” in the paddock, we set off for lunch — by the backroads, of course. After thirty minutes with the accelerator pinned to the
floor, driving slowly through the Algarve’s rolling foothills was almost a challenge in itself.
Our destination was Oliver’s, a welcoming restaurant along the N266 north of Portimão. Their daily buffet was a crowd-pleaser — a spread of fresh salads, grilled meats, fried
squid and shrimp, and a tempting array of sides. Wine and beer flowed freely, and the conversation up and down the sixteen-person table was as lively as the morning’s racing. Those who managed to
save room were rewarded with dessert, capping off a perfect day of fun, food, and friendly competition.
As always, it was wonderful catching up with friends — both new and familiar.
Looking ahead, our November event at Tribulum in Almancil (Nov 19) is almost sold out, so be sure to reserve your spot soon! We’re also working on adding more events
further east in the Algarve, and we’d love your help. If you know of a restaurant that can host at least 40 people and offer a prix fixe menu (meat, fish, and vegetarian options),
you’ll earn a free meal for your effort.
After all, CASA isn’t just a club — it’s the social club of the Central Algarve. See you at the next one!
September Lunch at Sal Pica
This month’s culinary adventure took us east to Alcantarilha, where we gathered at Sal Pica—an old favorite with fresh energy under new ownership. If you’ve ever driven the EN125 (and who
hasn’t?), you probably remember the landmark: a towering three-meter shrimp sculpture. Sadly, the iconic crustacean has scuttled off to a new home—the owners sold it—so don’t bother scanning the
horizon for its rusty antennae. (Yes, I looked. Twice.)
What you will find is a restaurant that’s been thoroughly reimagined. The interior now boasts a sleek wine shop, stylish bar, and polished décor. But on this perfect September day, we were treated
to the very best seats in the house: a long table shaded by a broad tree at the front. It was the kind of setting that makes you sigh and think, “Yes, this is why I live in the Algarve.”
Turnout was light, with many members still away on late-summer travels, but the atmosphere couldn’t have been brighter. Glasses of sparkling espumante set the tone as friends reconnected, laughter
circling the table before the first plate even arrived.
The couvert was a hearty spread of cheeses, cured meats, olives, and breads—the kind that disappears faster than you’d like to admit. From there, choices ranged across the culinary spectrum:
Spiritual Codfish, a sizzling mixed pork grill (my delicious choice), and Vegetables à Brás. Plates were generous, flavors bold, and appetites well satisfied.
Dessert was handled in the most brilliant way possible: no decisions, no regrets. Instead, platters of sweets appeared down the table like treasure chests, each person free to sample a little (or
a lot) of everything. It felt like the old-fashioned dessert trolley, minus the guilt. Naturally, coffee and tea arrived to round things off.
By the end, everyone was in unanimous agreement: good food, good wine, great company—what more could we ask? Well, perhaps a bit of speed. Next month’s gathering, on the 18th, promises optional
karting at the Kartódromo before lunch at Oliver’s, north of Portimão. Thrills followed by a buffet spread—I can personally vouch that both are worth the ride. Mark your calendars!
You Can’t Hit a Home Run Every Time… But We’re Still in the Game!
Our latest adventure—Lunch at O Caseiro in Mexilhoeira—was served sunny-side up… and then some. With not a single cloud daring to cross the Algarve sky, we found
ourselves dining al fresco in what can only be described as a full-on solar embrace. Months ago, the idea of outdoor dining sounded charming. Fast forward to the present: note to self—next time,
unless there's serious shade, we’re going inside!
Despite the heat, we were thrilled to welcome 22 hardy attendees, including six fantastic new members. A big shoutout to
Oran and Mark for the excellent restaurant recommendation!
The menu offered something for everyone: grilled cod, Portuguese-style fried chicken, and spinach and ricotta ravioli—plus the usual suspects like couvert, salad,
dessert, and drinks. We’d love to say we savored every bite, but let’s be real—it was hard to focus on flavors while feeling like we were being slow-roasted. Still, camaraderie goes a long way, and
everyone made the best of it.
As always, the real joy was reconnecting with familiar faces and welcoming new ones. If this was your first CASA event, please know: we do normally get the
logistics right! Promise.
Looking ahead, we’re trading cutlery for helmets and paddles:
? Benagil Cave Boat Excursion – September
?️ Karting Challenge – October
August, in true Algarve fashion, will be a pause—too hot, too crowded, too chaotic. Stay cool, stay safe, and keep an eye out for September event sign-ups.
A Toast to New Beginnings – CASA at Tasca Do Kiko!
On Tuesday, May 13th, the CASA crew—along with a dozen shiny new members (a big, boisterous welcome to you all!)—descended on the sunny Lagos Marina for an afternoon of food, fun, and
fizzy drinks at Tasca Do Kiko.
Upon arrival, guests were handed a sparkling glass of Espumante or an ice-cold beer—because nothing says “you’ve arrived” like bubbles or brews on a sun soaked patio served up with a spectacular
couvert. Conversations flowed as easily as the drinks, and the good vibes were already well underway before we even sat down.
Once everyone was seated and sufficiently mingled, Morri kicked things off with a warm welcome, and the feast began. Whether your taste buds danced with the melt-in-your-mouth pork cheeks, dove
into the ocean-fresh seafood pasta, or luxuriated in the creamy mushroom and asparagus risotto, one thing was certain — delight was on the menu! Joao and his top-notch team wowed us with service
smoother than a fine wine and culinary magic that left us all grinning.
Now, a small confession — in all the delicious excitement, we forgot to pass around the tip basket before folks began drifting off. Oops! That one’s on us, and we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen
again at our next gathering.
Speaking of which... mark your calendars! Our next event is set for June 13th at A Casa do Avô in Guia. Check out the Upcoming Events page for all the juicy
details — menu, pricing, and more. We’d absolutely love to see you there!
Your 2025 membership may be paid in cash at any event. Alternatively, please contact the treasurer to arrange to pay by bank transfer.
The fee should be received by the end of April.
Charity Donations - Spring/Summer 2024
At the 2024 A.G.M. suggestions made by members covered three different charities. Voting at the meeting was that each should be given €500.
The three charities and the dates the donations were made are:
4 July – Nucleo Do Algarve Da Alzheimer Portugal
The Algarve branch of the national Alzheimer organisation runs a support centre in Portimão. We met
up with two representatives (Margarida & Edith) in their Lagoa office to hand over our cheque. The
donations will be used to cover some of the costs of furbishing a new ‘relax’ room for Alzheimer’s
sufferers and their relatives/carers. (Unfortunately the photos taken have been lost).
1 July – Lar De Jovens Nossa Senora Do Carmo
This residential special school in Lagos is badly in need of renovation after years of insufficient funds. A special project under the control of volunteer Steve Farmer (Picture 1, 2nd from left) has
been carrying out the work as funds become available. Our donation cheque was presented by our Chair (Picture 1, centre) and Treasurer (Picture 1, third from right) and this will go towards
refurbishing a sitting room for the residents. On the right of Picture 1 are our two members who suggested the school as recipients of our donation.
3 August – Casa da Nossa Senhora de Conceiçao
This residential school for underprivileged girls in Portimão is primarily run by the local camara, but is badly underfunded. While the basics (the physical structure and food) are covered, any
additional expenses have to come from charitable donations. The local lodge of the Freemasons, via their representative David Guildford (pictured trying to work out how best to assemble the new net
in Picture 3), are providing much of this support. The camara recently refurbished the physical aspects of the outside ‘sports’ area, but were unable to provide any of the extras. Our donation has
provided a new adjustable net which can be used for multiple games such as badminton and tennis, some racquets and shuttle-cocks. More sports equipment is on order and should arrive shortly. Some of
the resident girls came out to watch (Picture 4, for privacy reasons we have had to mask out their faces) while the equipment was then ‘tested’ by two lodge members and their wives (Picture 5).
Donation to 'Back to School Project' - August 2023
More information about the annual 'Back to School' project run by Castelo do Sonhos will be found
lower on this page, we are pleased to have helped with this appeal since 2017. This aims to help local families in need who are unable to afford the cost of the annual return to
school for thier childfren.
Photos below show Sue Butler-Cole (left) on completion of the purchase of back-packs and suitable contents on our behalf and these in the process of being made-up for
distribution.
Donation to Ukraine charity March 2022
During the AGM on 18th March the members present approved a suggestion to donate €500 from the current donation fund in support
of aid for refugees from Ukraine. The practical aid being provided via 'Interven e Resgate Animal' / ' Animal Rescue Intervention' (IRA) who are based in Lisbon.
An IRA bus left Lisbon for Warsaw on March 2nd, transporting medicines and essential goods for people and animals. About 2 tonnes of
humanitarian aid, 2 vehicles plus 9 IRA members representing Portugal in support of refugees from Ukraine.
The bus reached Warsaw on March 5th, and brought a total of 14 children, 29 adults/elderly and 10 dogs and cats back to
safety.
On the morning of March 7th the refugees disembarked at the Lisbon Municipal Police Pavillion at a specifically set up reception
area.
On 24th March the club treasurer (Margaret, on the right) handed over €500 to the local Algarve representative (Maria) of Interven e Resgate Animal.
More information and contact details for anyone wishing to make a private donation, will be found on the IRA Facebook page.
Donation to Bombeiros
2021
On behalf of the club membership, the committee has a made a donation of €1,000 to the Bombeiros who carry out such sterling work every year, especially during the summer, keeping the
public safe. We have this time selected the Silves Bombeiros Voluntários, our last such donation having been to Portimão B.V. in 2016. The Bombeiros have had problems for some time
when called to emergencies occurring in difficult to reach locations, such as apartments on higher floors of buildings where they are unable to make use of the lifts. The normal emergency
compressed air cylinders carried on the fire engines are bulky and weigh around 100Kg, carrying these up several flights of stairs can be a major problem! We have paid for
three smaller cylinders which can be carried reasonably easily by a single person, for example in a backpack. It is the hope of B.V. Silves to equip each of their emergency vehicles
with these smaller 7 liter 300BAR cylinders, these will literally save lives.
The photograph shows the simple handover on 23rd March to the Silves B.V. Comandante António Nunes (centre) and firefighter Álvaro Marques (right). Due to Covid-19 precautions the
'presentation' involved fewer people than normal and was fairly brief!
Visible just behind us in the extensive but packed garage is their latest large piece of equipment - obtained second hand from the Dutch Fire Service in 2020. Away in a far
corner of the garage is their oldest operational emergency vehicle - 60 years' service and still in (occasional) use thanks to the dedicated care of their own mechanics.
Donations to Charity - 2019
As no other requests were received at the AGM in March we
will again make a donation to the Castelo do
Sonhos "Back To School" Project (please see
the 2018 & 2017 items below for more information).
With the money kindly donated by attendees at the annual
CASA BBQ at the Holiday Inn we have been able to purchase a supply of assorted stationery items which Sue Butler-Cole informed us
were required.
The photo shows Lena Reitbergen from the CASA committee with Sue
Butler-Cole (on the left) who provides invaluable assistance to Castelo do Sonhos by interfacing with ACCA and other clubs and organisations.
We still have some BBQ
money left and anticipate making a further donation during August. If any members would like to make an additional contribution towards this worthy cause please get in touch with us, every Euro helps a poor family in the Algarve.
CASA Trophies
We are delighted to report that, through the extreme generosity of a CASA member, we now have a superb new set of trophies. These replace the previous set which were also donated by a member
around twenty years ago.
The new trophies are expected to make thier first appearance at the Treasure Hunt in October.
Donations to Charity - 2018
As no other requests were received at the AGM we have again
made a donation to the Castelo do Sonhos
"Back To
School" Project (see 2017 item below for more information). According to a 2018 survey the average annual cost to families of one
childs school supplies is now €487, beyond the reach of poorer families. (See pages 18 and 20 of the 25 August 2018 edition of The Portugal News for more information).
With the money kindly donated by attendees at the annual
CASA BBQ at the Holiday Inn we have been able to purchase 20 teenager back packs and assorted stationery items. These were delivered
to the charity on 30th August where they were addded to 30 other backpacks and 50 gymbags etc. donated via various organisations.
The photo below shows Lena Reitbergen from the CASA committee with Dra. Liliana Rodriques who runs Castelo do Sonhos. Behind Liliana is Sue Butler-Cole who provides invaluable assistance to Castelo do Sonhos by interfacing with ACCA and other clubs and organisations. We would also like to thank ‘The Golf Shack’ who kindly supplied the backpacks to us at a discounted price as their own
contribution to the “Back to School” project.
The 50 filled backpacks collected via A.C.C.A. (including the 20 from CASA) have been delivered to Castelo do Sonhos and they started handing them out to the schoolchildren on 10th
September.
GDPR
On May 25, 2018, a new European Union (EU) data protection law, the 'General Data Protection Regulation' (or GDPR), took effect. The GDPR gives all individuals
resident in the EU more control over how their data is used and places certain obligations on all organisations that collect, hold or process information of those individuals.
Please see the last item on the 'Legal' page if you require more information.
Donations to Charity - 2017
At the 2017 AGM there were no proposals made for donations to charity this year. The committee was recently aproached by
member Sue Buter-Cole on behalf of Castelo do Sonhos, the Silves based childrens charity, in respect of their annual “Back To School” project.
Whilst the Portuguese state provides free schooling with staff, text books etc. it does not provide the 'consumables' such as notepads, pencils etc. that children need. This must be supplied by their families and for the poorer families this can be a significant problem and many children start school after the summer holiday without these items.
The Back To School Project was originally started by Castelo de Sonhos for the poor children in the Silves area and for many years Celia & Dave Mossman (who have since returned to the UK) were the main organizers. When ACCA (the children's charity from Almancil) became involved the project just grew & grew. This year ACCA have donated 50 (empty) backpacks to Castelo de Sonhos who now need to fill them.
C.A.S.A. has purchased and donated €100 worth of these materials for distribution in the ACCA backpacks.
You can obtain more information, including contact details, for the project and ACCA from this item on the Portugal Resident website: http://portugalresident.com/back-to-school-appeal-to-support-needy-children
The photo below shows the previous C.A.S.A. Chairman Margaret Brito (right) presenting the purchased materials to Liliana
Rodriques who runs Castelo do Sonhos.
Online Digital Security
Following difficulties with sending e-mails to some members early in 2017, now resolved, we have made improvements to the security of this website and to club
e-mails. This should not impact your use of the site. If you do experience problems please contact us using the contact page or the contact
information in the latest Club Newsletter.
From 5th June 2017 when you access this site you should always see the 'locked padlock' symbol to the left of your browser address bar. This indicates that the
communication between your browser and the web-site is encrypted by using the 'HTTPS' communications protocol so that the contents can not be seen or interfered with by any third party.
Donations to Charity - 2016
As was arranged at the 2016 AGM two charitable donations were made during the summer of 2016, the larger being to the Bombeiros who carried out sterling work
over the 2016 summer.
Donation to Encontrar Sonhos
In response to the proposal by Do Eves at the AGM the sum of €160 has been donated to this charity and used by them to purchase food supplies for the coming term.
This is a very worthy cause that helps local over 18 year olds with mental disability.
The money represents the value of 'vouchers' issued to members during the last 12 months but not used.
Donation to Portimao Bombeiros
As the Bombeiros have been very busy recently doing a superb and vital job it has proved a little difficult to arrange the
presentation. This was finally completed on Wednesday 24th August. Portimao Bombeiros have used the €1,500 donation to purchase 160 new 'BOMBEIROS' red sweat-shirts as modelled by the two
gentlemen on the left and right of the photo below. The cheque was presented to Dr. João Nuno de Figueiredo Mergulhão (Vice
President) by Margaret Brito (Chairman of CASA Social Club) assisted by João Brito acting as the Portuguese interpreter for the club.
Standing between the Bombeiros in red in the photo, from left to right are:
Filipe A.T. Pinto (Deputy Command)
João Brito
Margaret Brito
Dr. João Nuno de Figueiredo Mergulhão
Celeste (Treasurer)
Mário A.F.B. Freitas (Director)
These exceptionally brave men and women work relentlessly, day and night, to keep us all safe. The fires this year again tested them to the extremes, but they
consistently rise to the dangerous challenge and we owe them our infinite gratitude.
Bank Account
Effective from the 2016 AGM we have changed the club bank account, if you need to make any payment by cheque or bank transfer (eg Multibanco) please confirm details from a recent Club
Newsletter or the Treasurer. The old account is closed!
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