The proceeds from Vectalia's Christmas charity gala will be allocated to the La Torre de Valencia occupational centre devastated by the DANA

The traditional charity cocktail organised annually by the Vectalia group at the Maestral restaurant in Alicante, scheduled for next Monday, December 2nd, shows solidarity with Valencia and will allocate all proceeds to the La Torre de Valencia Occupational Centre, whose facilities were destroyed by the DANA on October 29th.

The La Torre centre, with over 25 years of experience, serves 80 people with intellectual functional diversity daily through various activities, workshops, and programmes aimed at developing and improving their quality of life. Located on the ground floor of a former rice flour factory, it features several classrooms for different functions, as well as a gym, dining room, courtyards, and several adapted vehicles, currently unusable due to the storm that hit the province of Valencia last month.

Work on the facilities affected by the DANA has progressed, but much remains to be done, especially the urgent need to acquire adapted vehicles to transport users each morning. The centre had two vehicles, one owned and one rented, one of which is in the process of being replaced. However, funding for the other urgently needed vehicle has not yet been secured. In recent days, efforts have focused on disinfecting, painting, and repairing access to the centre, and now it is necessary to re-equip all classrooms and the gym, refurbish the kitchen, and replace elements such as the water heater or air renewal machine, for which they have received various aids, including from the Valencia City Council.

Attendees of the charity gala will donate a minimum amount of €30, payable at the entrance in cash or card, which will be entirely allocated for the purchase of this adapted vehicle. Those wishing to contribute but unable to attend can make their donations to "Fila Cero" at account number ES21-0182-2364-5602-0151-7223 with the concept Bienvenida 2024. Attendance confirmation is advisable via the email bienvenidanavidad@vectalia.es.

More than thirty associations from Alicante submitted their proposals to benefit from the proceeds of this event. However, due to the magnitude of the devastating DANA that hit Valencia, the evaluation committee unanimously agreed to hold this charity gala to raise funds for those affected by the tragedy.

In the previous nine editions, the proceeds from this event have been allocated to NGOs such as the Red Cross, APSA, APNEA, Cáritas' Proyecto Veritas, COCEMFE Alicante, the Alicante Multiple Sclerosis Association (ADEMA), Fundación Alinur, Cáritas Diocesana Orihuela-Alicante, AODI, and the San Rafael Centre in Santa Faz.

The Christmas Welcome has become an essential event in Alicante, bringing together representatives of civil society, NGO collaborators, businesspeople, and politicians. The evaluation committee on this occasion included the Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala; the acting rector of the University of Alicante, Juan Mora; the content manager of the EPI group, Juan Ramón Gil; Ana Carratala, director of the San Rafael Centre, beneficiary of the previous edition; and the executive president of the Vectalia group, Antonio Arias.