The earthquake tragedy in Haiti has shocked the world and left everyone wondering what they can do to help. Many communities, nationalities and faiths have come together to offer help, and that is very much the case in Tenerife. A concert in Santa Cruz on Friday 29 January, and a street fair in Adeje on Sunday 7 February will be focal points for donations of money, food and clothes.

Some 70 business’s, and 10 top Canarian based musicians and comedians have united to stage the Santa Cruz concert at the docks esplanade from 9pm. Acts include local reggaeton sisters K-Narias, Gospel Shine Voices, Anne Peters (formerly of Boney M) En Clave de Ja, Cuban singer Mayelin, comedian Manolo Viera and singer Pepe Benavente. Tickets are only 10 euros and can be bought through the Caja Canarias cashpoints and through the General Tickets website.

Tenerife already has a link to Haiti, the San Gerardo school in the capital Port Au Prince, was part funded by local fund raising. When the school collapsed in the quake there were 300 children inside, it’s still unclear how many survived.

Following on from the concert, there will be a childrens event the next day on the area just above the ferry port. This will include a bouncy castle, play areas, magic and theatre workshops and will run most of the day.

ADEJE, 7th  FEBRUARY

The Adeje event has been organised by the Hindu community and quickly grown to include 15 other cultural groups. From 10am to 9pm on Sunday 7^th February, the streets around the main Adeje football ground will be full of food stalls, dancing, games, clothes and many other attractions. The Adeje council and mayor, Jose Miguel Rodriguez Fraga, have thrown their support behind the initiative, and the Indian Consul for Tenerife, Gope Mathani and the Chief of Police for Las Americas, Carlos Ludeña will also come along to give their support.

At the end of the event, the money raised will go to the Spanish Red Cross, Unicef and Medicos del Mundo, but they are also appealing for clothes, blankets and non perishable food. They can be dropped off at the Hindi Cultural Centre at La Pineda, opposite Termal Aqua, from 10am to 10pm and there are other collection points around Tenerife, you can call Raj for more information on 637869520, or email ahts4u@gmail.com or go to the Facebook group Feria Hindi – Ayuda Haiti.

Bubble perms, wide lapels and cringing cup final songs, let’s purge them from our memories of football’s golden age. Far better to remember Nayim’s 40 yard lob over David Seaman for Zaragoza to win the 1995 European Cup Winners Cup, or the Wimbledon Crazy Gang, storming the bastions of the beautiful game.

Football’s Coming Home – Or On Holiday

Football will be fun again, in Adeje from November 13 to 15, as great names from football’s past descend on Tenerife to pitch themselves against , mature (what a kind word) local ex pat Brits and Canarians as well as 100 other fun players flying in especially from Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Spain, Barcelona, Spurs and Real Zaragoza pinpoint passer, Nayim (in red on ball above) is just one of a galaxy of former pros taking part in the third Soccer 7’s event at the Las Torres sports centre in Los Olivos (exit 79 B) . Former Manchester City, Sunderland and Bolton midfielder Nicky Summerbee, is the latest to pledge his involvement, and at 38, he is a spring chicken among the old roosters.

More Football Names Than A London Nightclub

Don’t stop me now, I’m dropping names like a dodgy keeper. Carlton Fairweather played his way from Dulwich Hamlet to Wimbledon, and later even New York Fever. Or how about Dutch midfielder Regi Blinker, a hit at Feyenoord, Sheffield Wednesday, Celtic and Sparta Rotterdam. Marcus Gayle was another all action member of the Wimbledon Crazy Gang as well as a Jamaica international, he headed Manchester United out of the F.A Cup in 1997. The international flavour is further strengthened by Johan Mjallby, Sweden captain in the 2002 World Cup and a solid defender for Levante and Celtic.

The Lure Of The Orient (Not Leyton)

It’s quite an achievement to pull together such players, but for Martin Tierney it’s another chance to give something back to a game that gave him a 20 year professional career in Asia and the U.S.A. “I played youth football growing up in Scotland, and later an ex team mate stopped off in Malaysia on the way to try out for an Australian team, he got a local contract and loved the Malaysian game. I got a call to join him, it was perfect for me, even playing in the evening it was pushing 90 degrees, so you had to pass the ball and let it do the work for you, rather than kick and rush.”

Martin became the Michael Palin of the football world with spells in Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico, Canada and the fledgling American A League, a forerunner to Beckham’s MLS. After all those hot countries, a return to Scotland to give his daughter a European education, wasn’t too attractive, so Tenerife seemed a good compromise.

Weekly Tenerife Leagues

With the legs tiring by then, Martin had got involved in coaching and running training schools in countries where he had previously played, but he never realised it might take off in Tenerife. “I got involved with odd bits of coaching and it grew, now my company Soccer Experience runs 4 nightly 7 a side leagues at different age levels in Tenerife, including over 35’s. It’s run along professional lines, prompt times, fair play, and strict rules, but always good fun.”

The community side of football features strongly in the Adeje tournament, the 21 teams will play in three round robin groups, each featuring two UK teams, four Tenerife teams (Brits and Canarians)  and one ex pro team. “This way everyone gets to play against the big boys, this year we have a CD Tenerife veterans team as well, so we are looking forward to getting a good mix of nationalities watching.”

Are You Watching Tenerife?

All the Soccer 7’s games are FREE to watch, Fridays action(Nov 13)  is from 2 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday is from 10 am to 7 pm. When the games are all over, there is an open question and answer evening at the Bistro del Mar in Puerto Colon, from 7.30 pm. A good chance to tackle the star names with questions like, what happened to that mullet, do you have plans to take up acting like Vinny, or how did it feel to play in the great stadiums of the world? Anyone inspired to pull on their boots again for regular games, can find a team of their age and level through Soccer Experience.