Laughter rang out across Miraflores Tennis Club in Mijas as La Cala Lions staged their fourth Memory Day for children living with cancer and other serious illness. Dedicated Lion Wynson Beswick once again pulled the day together, turning months of fundraising into an afternoon of games, water and family time that families say stays with them.

Wynson’s idea that gifts experience, not just presents

Wynson, a former club president and grandmother, first pushed for this format because toys get forgotten. “Can we give the children experiences? A memory of the day? That’s something that will stay with them forever,” she has said. Fellow Lions and friends answered her call again this year. Volunteers ran stalls, kept the barbecue going and made sure every child left with a gift voucher.

Fundación Olivares, AECC and ADIMI brought families they support. Andrés Olivares, who started the foundation after losing his son Luis to leukaemia, has called earlier editions “a marvellous thing” for families to share a beautiful day. Club members echoed that warmth. One Lion who helped last year wrote that it “really was a brilliant day for the children and their families.”

Pool, games and a barbecue built for special children

Kids piled onto an inflatable slide in the swimming pool, tried duck fishing and shuffleboard, painted bags and even had a go at the bodhrán. A magician worked the crowd while parents watched from the shade. More than a hundred people came last year; this fourth gathering kept that same busy, happy feel.

La Cala Lions have raised well over €1.5 million over the years for local causes, including earlier Memory Days and summer collections such as the Percy Pig bar crawl that went straight towards this fun day. Details and how to help are at lacalalions.org or on 607 879 450.

Wynson’s quiet persistence, and the Lions who back her, keep giving these children one carefree day they can carry home.

Dog lovers are being invited to put their pets through their paces at a charity dog show raising money for two local animal rescue organisations.

The event takes place at Lo Crispin Tavern in Algorfa on Sunday, October 18, with proceeds supporting Big Reds Animal Association and Paradise Rescue Kennels. Registration opens at 10:00 AM before judging gets underway at 12:00 PM.

Dog show offers classes for all kinds of pets

Entry costs €5 per dog and handler, with a wide variety of classes giving different four-legged contenders a chance to impress the judges.

Categories include Best Rescue Dog, Best Rescue Bitch, Most Handsome Dog, Prettiest Bitch and Waggiest Tail.

Rescue animals will have dedicated categories, while the broader classes mean dogs do not need to have a particular pedigree or background to take part.

The event is designed to provide an entertaining day for owners and their pets while raising money for organisations working with animals in need.

Registration will be available from 10:00 AM, giving owners two hours to sign up before judging starts at midday.

Veterans and youngsters get their own categories

Dogs of different ages will also have opportunities to compete.

Older pets aged over eight can enter the veterans category, while youngsters under 18 months will have their own junior class.

There will also be prizes for Best Trick and Young Handler, adding further variety to the day’s competition.

The winners will ultimately compete for the main Best in Show title, with a Reserve in Show also selected.

Judging will be carried out by Ann Dyson and Courtney Formosa from Tails in Tubs, while Chris Dyson from TKO Radio’s Breakfast Show will host the event.

Funds will support local animal rescue work

Money raised during the dog show will be shared in support of Big Reds Animal Association and Paradise Rescue Kennels.

Both organisations work to help animals in need, making the October event an opportunity for local pet owners to support animal welfare while enjoying a community day out.

The charity dog show takes place on Sunday, October 18 at Lo Crispin Tavern, Avenida las Naciones 55, Algorfa.

For further information, contact Keith Oakes on (+34) 711 017 534 or Joan Oakes on (+34) 711 060 240.

If you have ever watched the price of a weekly shop creep up and wondered whether it could get any more ridiculous, a story from a supermarket in Albacete may leave you doing a double take. A man is facing a potential prison sentence of more than two years after allegedly trying to walk out of a Mercadona with something that would barely fill a shopping bag. The item in question? A two-litre bottle of juice.

The alleged supermarket theft

According to the prosecution, the incident took place at around 7:30pm when the man attempted to leave the Albacete supermarket without paying for the bottle. A security guard reportedly stopped him and told him that he needed to pay for the juice. 

What happened next turned a seemingly minor shoplifting incident into a criminal case involving an act of violence. The prosecution claims that the man pushed and struggled with the security guard as he attempted to get away. A second member of the security team then became involved, and together they managed to restrain the man until Policía Nacional officers arrived.

The confrontation leaves security guard injured

The first security guard was left with injuries to his wrist and left side during the struggle. He required medical treatment and was reportedly unable to fully recover for eight days. The prosecution is now asking the court to impose a two-year and three-month prison sentence for attempted robbery with violence.

That is not the only penalty being requested. Prosecutors are also seeking a two-month fine, calculated at €12 per day, in connection with the minor injury offence. The security guard is also seeking compensation of €450 for the injuries suffered during the confrontation.

When shoplifting becomes a much more serious offence

The potential sentence can seem startling when the object involved was simply a bottle of juice. The crucial issue for prosecutors, however, is not simply the value of the product. Their case concerns what happened when the security guard attempted to prevent the man from leaving without paying.

Spanish criminal law distinguishes between straightforward theft and offences involving violence or intimidation. Where violence is alleged during an attempt to take property, the circumstances can result in much more serious charges than those attached to an ordinary shoplifting incident. That distinction is now central to the Albacete case.

The court will decide what happened

The court will have to consider the evidence and hear the parties before deciding what happened and whether the accused is criminally responsible. The prosecution’s request for a prison sentence is therefore an allegation and proposed punishment, not a final sentence. The case is due to be heard at Penal Court No. 2 in Albacete on September 29, when the court will consider the allegations and evidence presented.

The man is not reported to have any previous criminal convictions, meaning the case does not involve someone with a recorded history of offences. For anyone heading into a Spanish supermarket expecting an ordinary shopping trip, the case shows how an  attempt to leave without paying can become considerably more serious when a confrontation follows. And in this case, the disputed shopping item was not an expensive electronic device, a trolley full of groceries or a high-value product. It was a two-litre bottle of juice.