WHEN it comes to showing their support for a good cause, the ex-pats on the Costa del Sol really know how to do it in style, and this was proved once again at the Spring Garden Party in aid of Age Concern held last Thursday.

More than 500 people headed to the Sohail Castle in Fuengirola to show their support for Age Concern and more than 20,000 euros were raised which will fund the training of over 100 Age Concern caseworkers.

This was the first ever event of its kind to be held for Age Concern and will go down in the history of the association as a great success.

People of all ages and nationalities came to enjoy a fun evening out which had something for everyone, from a bouncy castle, sweets, ice creams and a clown for the kids, to a lovely buffet, bar and hog roast, and stalls selling all sorts, from lingerie and shoes to jewellery and beauty products for the adults. Despite the strong winds which whistled within the castle ramparts all evening, there were smiling faces all round and no-one could deny that this was a very special event, from the piper meeting guests at the door, to the great prizes which were won in the raffle.

The event was compered by Spectrum FM’s Paul Breen-Turner, who did a great job of keeping everyone in the party mood, while they enjoyed a drink and some canapés from the buffet.

The evening got off to a great start with a performance by children from the Laude School in San Pedro Alcantara who deserve a special mention for their excellent rendition of excerpts from the musical ‘Cats’. Their costumes and make-up were spectacular and they danced like true professionals. Well done kids!

This was followed by a speech from the British Ambassador, Sir Giles Paxman, who thanked everyone for doing their bit for those who need it most and spoke of the importance of events such as this. Next up was young Wow Factor winner Christian Fa, who performed several pieces and wowed everyone present with his powerful voice and interpretation of the songs. Next on stage was Rebecca Tate, another young star discovered during the Wow Factor talent competition, who offered the audience a beautiful performance.

Meanwhile, Wynnie La Freak and members of the Age Concern association sold raffle tickets amongst the attendants who dug deep to support the cause.

The entertainment continued throughout the evening with t performances from Phoebe, Just Kev and The Didgeridoos.

Next was the star performance that many had been waiting for and X-Factor star Rowetta took to the stage and left the crowds speechless with her incredible voice. Rowetta has become a familiar face on the Costa del Sol and has shown that she is always ready to step up for a good cause and to support those in need. This performance and the cause that it was dedicated to were especially significant, as her grandmother, whom she was very close to, passed away recently.

Before the party was over, EWN publishers Michel and Steven Euesden, were called to the stage to thank them for all they had done to support the Garden Party, and they in turn thanked everyone in the community who had got together to achieve so much to make the night one to remember and one for the ex-pat community to be proud of.

They gave special thanks to Sarah Rogers, the Country Casework Manager for the British Consulate/Age Concern España Partnership who first proposed the garden party, and to EWN Production Manager and Editor, Nicki Burgess and Alfredo Bloy.

Last, but definitely not least, especially for those who won the great prizes which were provided by local businesses, was the draw of the raffle tickets, called by Paul Breen-Turner and Wynnie La Freak.

All in all this was an exceptional evening where everyone had a great time, and the organisers felt that all the hard work which led up to the event, had most definitely been worth it.

A BIG thank you to all those who made it possible and to everyone who supported the event.

You can view a full gallery of pictures here

You can read the news article on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office official Website here

This story originally appeared in Euro Weekly News – your favourite English newspaper in Spain