Sept 2013 - Local support for Madrugada during the ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’

The ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’, held last Friday (27th), is a major fund raiser across the UK for Macmillan nurses involving thousands of people making donations to the charity. This year a number of organisations held events here on the same day and two of them made donations to Madrugada to help it support people affected by life limiting illness.

Madrugada would like to thank Mary, Christine and Reza from the Associação de moradores da Larga Vista and guests (plus the local Junta de Freguesia for the loan of its function room) who organised a coffee morning and sale of cakes in Algoz. More than 70 people attended with €414 raised for Madrugada to purchase equipment and supplies for patients.

Also thanks go to Alisia Alao of Black & White Events and the Lifestyle Café by Couleur France in Almancil who raised €550 by raffling prizes ranging from beauty treatments and products to dining out, exotic plants and car servicing, which were all donated by local organisations.People also were asked to donate by ‘’Buying a coffe for a Nurse’ and receiving a stickers supplied by The Print Shop in Almancil. 

May 1st - Second Lagos United Charities Fair

Following last year’s event attended by more than 500 people, a group of charities located in the western Algarve are once again joining together to hold a United Charities Fair. This will be on Tuesday 1 May from 10am – 4 pm at the Mercado do Levante – the Farmer’s Market - which is located next to the bus station in Lagos.


Titled ‘The United Charities Fair – Charities Working Together’, this fair is organised by supporters of the Volunteer Firemen of Lagos, Nandi Animal Charity, Madrugada Association, and the Organization for Children with Special Needs - Riding for the Disabled-Barlavento.


The United Charities Fair will be a day of family fun including: the sale of goods to support the various charities; a combined demonstration by the Lagos Bombeiros and Red Cross; and a presentation by Grupo de Dança do Centro de Estudos de Lagos. Stalls will include jewellery, household items, fashion accessories, bric-a-brac, arts and crafts as well as refreshments and home made produce. 


Information about the charities will be available, since one of the objectives of the Fair is to invite residents to become involved in the many charities that benefit both residents and expats. The aim is also to create more awareness about charities helping each other to achieve their different objectives.




Traders are invited to take part and the price for participating is €20 per pitch.  Volunteers are also needed to help with the event and to supply cakes and pastries, both savoury and sweet, for refreshments on the day.
If you  wish to have a stall or can help with man-power or baking, please contact Pat Allen on 282 697 548 (patallen@sapo.pt) or Cristina Teixeira at Madrugada on 282 761 375 (admin@madrugada-portugal.com). 

March 24 - Special event to mark opening of Almancil shop - 'Encore'

To coincide with the opening of its third shop in Almancil, the Madrugada charity is holding a Gala Dinner and Fashion Show at Bobby Jones, Vilar do Golf in Quinta do Lago on Saturday 24 March.

The evening starts at 7.30 with a fashion show organised by Paul Felix from the Pica-Pica Boutique and Alisia Alao of B&W events. Following the show will be a three course meal in the restaurant and an evening of rock and roll music from the 50’s style band The Teds.

In opening its third shop the charity has taken a different approach as Madrugada President Alison Blair explains: ‘We decided to create a ladies fashion and accessories shop where people could either donate quality items for resale or offer them on consignment where the charity takes half of any sales made. This is a great way of ensuring that designer label clothing and accessories like handbags do not just go in to a normal charity shop. As well as the charity and owners, shop customers also benefit from being able to purchase new or nearly new items that would otherwise not have become available.’

To reflect this philosophy Madrugada has named its shop ‘Encore’ with a stylish identity created by Algarve based designer Suzy Steinhofel. Equally, visitors will find the shop’s interior is unlike any other shop aimed at raising money for charity. Opening hours are: 10-1600 week, and 10-1300 Saturday. Address is Encore, Rua Cristovão Pires Norte, 141 Almancil, Loulé 8135.

E-tickets for the gala dinner are priced at €60 or a table for 10 at €550 and can be purchased by donating online here from this website www-madrugada-portugal.com – (specify ‘Gala Dinner’ and confirm by email when paid), by cheque made out to Associação Madrugada (100a Rua Direita, Praia da Luz, 8600-160 Luz/Lagos – please provide email address) by calling in at the office in Luz, or from Bobby Jones in Quinta do Lago. For enquiries or how you can help in our shops or offer items to Encore in Almancil please call the Madrugada Office – 282 761 375.