Music brings people together, especially when supporting members of our local community. A special afternoon of live song is coming to Coin on Wednesday, November 18 with performers raising funds for older residents in need. Best of all, everyone is invited.

Harmony and heart in Coin

Members of the popular local TAPAS Choir will perform live on Wednesday, November 18, starting at 1:30pm. Hosted at The Olive Tree in Coin, the afternoon brings residents together for the chance to meet up, socialise, and enjoy some uplifting live choral music. Half of all performance profits raised by the choir throughout the year go directly to Age Care Costa del Sol, funding essential support for older English-speaking residents.

Organisers welcome everyone from across the Guadalhorce Valley and coastal areas to drop in, order a drink, and enjoy the music. Entry is open to all, so pop along and take in the sounds of this talented group.

Local talent supporting vital community care

Formed in 2004 under The Andalucia Performing Arts Society, TAPAS Choir includes singers of eight different nationalities. Members live across Coin, Alhaurin el Grande, Alhaurin de la Torre, Mijas, and surrounding areas. The choir performs regularly across the region while raising funds for local charities.

Age Care Costa del Sol has provided friendship and practical help for older expats since 2005. Run entirely by volunteers, the charity supports residents in Coin, Alhaurin el Grande, Mijas Costa, and Fuengirola. Work includes hosting weekly drop-in coffee mornings, arranging transport, assisting with appointments, and guiding people through daily life in Spain.

Sot back and enjoy the surroundings of the The Olive Tree in Coin, a family-run pub and restaurant known for traditional dishes, home-cooked food, and community events.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, November 18 at 1:30, and enjoy an afternoon of drinks, song and supporting a great local cause.

A new support group is giving families and friends affected by addiction the chance to talk, share experiences or simply listen, without fear of judgement.

Called TALK (Together, Acceptance, Love and Knowledge), the informal peer-support group is holding its first meeting in La Cala de Mijas on Friday, November 13.

The gathering will take place at Olivia’s between 12pm and 2pm, welcoming anyone whose life has been affected by a loved one’s addiction.

A place to talk without judgement

Organisers want to create a friendly and understanding environment where people can meet others facing similar difficulties, enjoy a coffee and talk about their experiences if they feel comfortable doing so.

Recognising that addiction can affect entire families, the group offers an opportunity for people who may otherwise feel isolated to find understanding and support.

There is no pressure to speak, explain personal circumstances or offer advice. Attendees are free to listen quietly, share as much or as little as they wish, and everyone has the right to pass when invited to contribute.

TALK has established a number of simple principles to help everyone feel comfortable. These include listening without judgement, respecting different experiences and choices, keeping discussions confidential and avoiding unsolicited advice. They stress that “what is shared during meetings stays within the group.”

Everyone is welcome in La Cala

The first gathering is open to anyone affected by a loved one’s addiction, regardless of their personal circumstances or relationship with that person. The initiative follows other local efforts to help families, including Al-Anon support for people affected by a loved one’s drinking in Estepona.

TALK is a peer-support initiative rather than a professional counselling service or addiction treatment programme. Anyone seeking additional help can also find information through Al-Anon Spain or Fad Juventud’s confidential advice service.

Anyone wanting further information about the La Cala meeting can contact the organisers on +34 623 509 613.

Meeting details:

• Friday, November 13, 2026
• 12pm to 2pm
• Olivia’s, La Cala de Mijas
• Contact: +34 623 509 613

Drivers heading into Algeciras on Monday morning had more than Storm Bruna’s downpours to deal with, as a large horned cow wandered along the hard shoulder before crossing to the central reservation for a graze. Nobody knows yet which farm it slipped away from. 

A horned surprise on the Monday commute

Drivers making their way towards Algeciras on Monday November 9 found themselves sharing the motorway with a rather unexpected traveller, as a large retinta cow, a hardy and reddish-brown breed native to southwest Spain, strolled along the hard shoulder in the pouring rain. 

The animal turned up at around 9am, just before the turn-off for Los Barrios, with an impressive set of horns and the identification tags farmers clip to their cattle’s ears still firmly in place.

It didn’t stay put on the hard shoulder either. Footage of the moment shows the cow ambling over to the central reservation to tuck into the grass, freshly soaked by the rain Storm Bruna brought to the Campo de Gibraltar that day.

No crashes, but plenty of brake lights

Thankfully nobody was hurt and there were no collisions, though the cow’s roadside snack was enough to slow traffic and cause tailbacks heading into the city. Drivers passing at that hour found a sizeable animal standing right at the edge of the carriageway, on a wet road where stopping distances are already longer than usual.

It’s still not known which farm the cow escaped from or how it managed to reach that stretch of motorway, with the video of its wander quickly doing the rounds across local news channels. 

Not the first runaway on Cádiz roads this autumn

It’s the second time in just over a month that livestock has caused chaos on the province’s roads. On Thursday October 1, a bull that had apparently jumped a fence on a nearby estate charged at a car on the A-390 between Chiclana and Medina Sidonia, sending drivers reversing and turning round to get out of its way. 

Much of the countryside around the Campo de Gibraltar is grazing land, so a broken fence or a gate left open can quickly put an animal in the path of fast-moving traffic.

Who’s responsible when livestock gets loose

Under Spain’s Civil Code, the person who keeps an animal is responsible for any damage it causes, even if it escapes or wanders off. The only exceptions are force majeure or the fault of the person who suffered the damage.

That’s where those ear tags come in, as they link every head of cattle to its registered farm. So if a runaway cow is involved in a crash, there’s a clear trail back to whoever is responsible for it.

What to do if you meet an animal on the road

Guardia Civil advice for drivers is to stay calm and avoid swerving or slamming on the brakes, as a sudden move can send a car off the road and end up being more dangerous than the animal itself.

If a collision can’t be avoided, officers advise gripping the wheel firmly and holding your line. Then, if the car can still move, get it completely off the carriageway, and if it can’t, switch on your V16 emergency beacon and get yourself out of harm’s way. If it’s a big enough animal, perhaps stay put in your vehicle until it moves on as well. 

Only try to move an animal if it’s completely safe to do so. So if a cow, horse or goat appears beside the traffic on your next journey, call the Guardia Civil on 062 or 112 and give them the road name and kilometre marker so officers can get it cleared quickly.