Number 68 July Newsletter 2013 In this edition we bring news of the Annual General Meeting; news from members and the postponed article about John Scott OBE. We also have items to amuse and entertain, news of Sales and Rentals and the Editor’s report on her visit to Madeira during the Flower Festival.. The AGM Barnsdale Hall Hotel held on 2nd June working well. 2013 The WiFi systems in both the lounge and poolside work We were indeed gifted with the most glorious weather for well. our meeting this year. The views of Rutland Water and The continued sales of flexi weeks continues to perplex – surroundings were stunning. when will it reach saturation point? There were fewer attending this year than the previous The final batch of sun beds has been delivered. year. It was very special to meet up with members from as far afield as East Sussex, Gloucester and West Staff report more regular salary payments – no more than Yorkshire. We were sad not to meet up again with those a month behind, compared with other hotels whose staff who are now unable to attend for reasons of ill health or suffer greatly. disability. We send them all our very best wishes. The Madeira Regency Palace is doing well and they We were treated to an excellent meal – and the promise combined new TV and WiFi in the future. arrangements were carried out with courteous efficiency; many of the staff remembered us, which was lovely. Treasurer’s Report – details are available on the website. The following is a summary of the day’s business. Full minutes can be found on the MROA website. Subscriptions will remain at £10 per annum All committee members were present, (with the exception Keith Porteus is re-appointed as auditor. and apologies from Arthur Fowle, who had travel commitments); twenty nine members were present and Howard Stride was thanked for his continuing efforts as thirty eight apologies were received. Treasurer. Membership is holding steady. Newsletter Madeira continues to suffer in a recession; the 'Sheng' is There will be three newsletters per year; these will be closed and Amarina continues to struggle. There is no uploaded to the website, with e-mail notification. The imminent sign of the Savoy Hotel rebuild. On a positive Christmas edition will be sent out with subscription note, tourist figures are up with Monarch now offering renewal requests. direct flights, as well as TAP and EasyJet from Gatwick. Web Site Maintenance levels are just about OK, but the pool Though elderly, it is holding up well. There will be pebbles continue to present a problem. changes to the access to the Newsletter section; buying and Klix time share re-sales office is now operating in what selling sections will include rentals and free up the Notice was the Pumps Bar. board for more relevant matters. Other than the bar only being opened for drinks after 10 Some work is to be completed on the database and e-mail pm in the evening, Maison Blanche lounge appears to be addresses updated to streamline communications. 1 We are likely to return to Barnsdale Hall in 2014; the date their Week(s) will have to settle any arrears - on top of the to be confirmed. agreed sale/purchase price - before the transfer of ownership can be approved. The transfer will also involve Committee a £300 administration fee, payable to the Club, in respect of each ownership certificate issued. Multiple weeks can All existing committee members were unanimously re- be accumulated on a single certificate. elected. I hope you find this explanation both clear and helpful.” Open Forum Colin Grimes John and Susan Franklin requested clarification on non- payment of maintenance and possible consequences. Our visit to the Funchal Baptist Church Colin Grimes confirmed that MRC had a two year default window, after which ownership would revert to the Club Members will probably know of the ‘English Church’ in and no further maintenance would be payable Funchal, even if they have never visited it. However, I would like to bring the ‘Igreja Baptista do Funchal’ to Val and Geoff Roberts raised the issue of sales staff your attention. operating too freely in the reception and Yacht bar area. It We had heard that there was was agreed by all members that this was the case and the a Baptist Church in matter should be reported in a letter to Roger Brooke. Funchal, but there was a lack of information both at It was confirmed that there are no plans to incorporate the hotels and at the usual WiFi into the apartments. Many members felt that it was information centres, so it unnecessary. took a little effort to discover its whereabouts. Godfrey and Sue Edwards asked about payment of We eventually found the maintenance now that cheques were no longer accepted. information via their web Jenny Mathieson pointed out that details of the London site, (see below). On a bright, beautiful morning, John, Jan and I decided to bank appear on the right of the slip; payments could be make the steep climb from the seafront up to the little made directly to that bank by cheque. David Tomlin and Baptist Church above the main streets of the town. Our Colin Grimes suggested payment directly on the Internet, rewards were great. We were given such a warm greeting then e-mail a copy to Joel; however, MRC would accept by Roy Edens, (Sunday morning worship leader from a cheque, if you insist! Penzance in Cornwall; now living full-time in Madeira), Pastor Ed Potter, (an American Baptist missionary from Margaret Oakley raised the issue of non-receipt of Colorado), and his wife Abbie, (pianist and musical direc- certificates. Tim Bulmer suggested contacting the trustees tor). in I.O.M. as they have been helpful in the past. (see Page Pastor Ed Potter, started the work in Madeira in 1976. He is a translator and American consular agent on Madeira. 7) Despite a small congregation, the singing was enthusias- tic, (I knew all the tunes and most of the words), the Colin Grimes sent the following - “in response to preaching was meaningful and appropriate to the occasion members’ questions and to explain the "default" position of Pentecost and one got the impression of a team of of owners wishing to sell.” enthusiastic Christians who genuinely made all visitors welcome. It was a very warming experience to meet Members who wish to sell their Apartments have to fail to members of the regular congregation for refreshments pay two years maintenance fees before they are after the service. Their regular congregation is made up of designated as defaulters by the MRC Management various nationalities; Russian, Portuguese, Madeiran, Committee and their weeks passed over to the Camachos American, British...... All delightful people. by Resolution at the AGM held in November. Anyone The church is physically very compact. I believe it was who has paid 2013 maintenance fees has until February converted from a garage, but they have recently had the 2015 to sell. During this time they remain the registered opportunity to acquire the building adjacent to their owners of the Apartment(s)/Week(s) in question. There is church for additional outreach and ministry to the people no obligation to cede ownership before the full two years of Madeira. have elapsed. I would strongly recommend members to pay the Baptist Church a visit and see what they are achieving there. Of course, they will not be able to occupy their Apartment Although we chose to walk, it is probably easier to go by during any year for which they have not paid their bus. maintenance fee. In addition, anyone agreeing to purchase 2 The 26 bus is the best choice as it starts near the quay on The English Church 18, Rua do Quebra Costas, 9000-034 the sea front at about 10.45 and goes past the door in time Funchal. Tel: (+351) 291 220 674. for the service. The 22 bus leaves the bus station near the cable car at about 10.10 and stops at the end of the road E-mail [email protected] (see map) a short while later. Funchal Baptist Church (Igreja Baptista do Funchal) Website. www.holytrinity-madeira.org 126 Rua Silvestre Quintino de Freitas 9050-097 Funchal Pastor: Edgar Potter Telephone: Ed Potter 965443568 (mob) Catholic Church Roy Edens 961041705 (mob) There is a Catholic Mass, in English on Sundays at 10am Email: [email protected] at the Penha da França Chapel, off the Rua da Imperatriz Web: www.funchalbaptistchurch.org www.madeirabaptist.blogspot.com Dona Amélia, (Members will recognise this as the little Sunday services: Chapel next to Madeira Regency Club, side entrance). English - 11.00 a.m. to about 12.30 p.m. Russian – 4 p.m. Portuguese– 6 p.m. Walking up Turn right off Rua 31 de Janeiro on one of the three main roads (Rua do Carmo, Rua Bom Jesus or Rua Elias Garcia). Then turn onto Rua das Hortas and follow onto the tree-lined Rua Pedro Jose Ornelas. Or: Go up the main road past the Market and Anadia Shop- ping and turn left up the narrow, steep Rua Silvestre Quintino de Freitas. Either way the hills are quite steep! Walking down into Funchal after the service, on the tree lined Rua Pedro Jose Ornelas, can be quite pleasant. Newsletter Appraisal It has been some years now since I first volunteered to edit and help produce a regular Newsletter. Over the years, there have been several changes. We now deliver, on average, eight pages per issue; most of these can now be read on-line by those with .