Welcome to the Algarve Families in Need (AFIN) Website.... November 2025
​We're almost at the end of 2025 and we'd like to announce that we have a Portuguese version of the Algarve Families in Need website!
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​At the moment, AFIN is working on the Reverse Advent Calendars that we prepare each year for families in need. Thankfully, we have had a great response from friends, supporters and sponsors..... their generous donations towards this project are always appreciated.​​​
AFIN News.... 2025
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Please take a look at our AFIN News page.... there, you'll find a report for each month from January 2025 reflecting the donations offered as against the requests we received from families that are truly in need.
AFIN's Christmas Activities... December 2025
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Currently, the AFIN team is working hard to implement the Inverted Advent Calendar.
With the desire to encourage her young family to shift their focus away from "receiving" gifts at Christmas 2016 and dedicate more time to thinking about others, one of the mothers at AFIN created the concept of an Inverted Advent Calendar.
How does it work....? starting in mid-November, families across the Algarve participate in a "countdown to giving this Christmas," creating personalised boxes/baskets filled with household goods for those in need in the community. In partnership with Algarve Families in Need (AFIN), they support up to 200 families each December, which can be considered a great achievement considering the logistics involved!
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Participants are encouraged to register with AFIN via email, confirming that they're able to deliver their box to the Nobel School in Lagos on an appropriate date. Details about the nature of the donations and the delivery location are sent by email, including an optional calendar for children to color and/or stick a sticker on each day during the countdown.
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These boxes make a huge difference to these families at this time of year, and seeing the joy they bring... at AFIN, we are very grateful to every participating donor family.
A Special Thank You.... November 2025
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Algarve Families in Need would like to give our unreserved thanks to Torunn and the late Jon Lange Gjedebo for the amazing, ongoing support they have granted this charity over the last few years which has enabled us to help so many families.
In particular, the donations received from Torunn and Jon, their family and friends on the occasion of Jon's 80th birthday surpassed anything we could have expected and allowed us to help families in ways we could never have done beforehand. Such a selfless act and so gratefully received. Torunn, we are so truly grateful.
A lovely donation from a special AFIN team member.... October 2025
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As the owner of an Estate Agency, Laura Pulita who is one of the AFIN team, has written a book and she's very
kindly decided to donate €1 to AFIN, for each book sold. Laura's book is a step-by-step guide to profitable
and soulful property management.
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In October, Laura donated €100.... thank you so much Laura and the very best of luck for selling many more books!
If you'd like to know more about property management in Portugal, please click here to get Laura's book from
Amazon UK! ​​​
Farewell to an Algarve Families in Need (AFIN) Legend.... Bernadette Abbott
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Bernadette has been a tireless force for good across the Algarve, dedicating herself wholeheartedly to helping hundreds of families in need. Her relentless commitment to gathering donations — always urging others to give anything that might benefit someone else, has made a lasting impact in the community.
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Originally from Coventry in England, Bernadette and her husband Leon who has also lent a helping hand, moved to the the Algarve following retirement and remained there for nine years, thereafter making a move to Spain.​ Having been a teacher in Higher Education for many years, Bernadette found herself working in Children's Social Work Services; first as a social worker and then at various levels of management. This was where her love for helping those in need grew.
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​As she was so accustomed to "being busy all the time" retirement did not come easily and although she struggled at first to find voluntary work, she was delighted when she found she could help the Algarve Network for Families in Need charity. She found it quite distressing to learn of the poverty in a country viewed as "paradise" by so many people. At the same time she volunteered for three years in a soup kitchen in Lagos and working independently she assisted homeless people, mainly in western Algarve.
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During Covid, Bernadette and a small team were alerted to the plight of many traumatised families who had suddenly found that they would not have any income for some indefinite period. With little in the way of reserves to see them through a lockdown and/or assistance from authorities, Bernadette reached out to the community through Facebook posts and almost immediately, was inundated with responses from those who wanted to help and those who needed help..... she was manning the phone for something like five hours per day! In her words.... "We were surprised and motivated by the offers of help that were pouring in but soon realised that we would need more assistance! Another FB post enabled us to recruit volunteers in various areas of the Algarve who were happy to work when they could, collecting and delivering goods and food.”
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Bernadette has built a comprehensive network with various associations across the Algarve and in May 2024, she was thrilled to announce the formation and registration of Algarve Families in Need...... a charity dedicated to alleviating the suffering of so many families desperately in need.​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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She has consistently placed the charity at the center of her life, even delaying her own family celebrations, such as arriving late to Spain on Christmas Eve, so she could ensure others had what they needed to enjoy the holidays. As she begins to step back, perhaps taking on more of a guiding, consultative role rather than being constantly on the ground, we hope she also takes the time to focus on herself and her loved ones. Yet, we know her spirit and passion for helping others will never truly fade.
From Nadia and the Team..... thank you, Bernadette, for your unwavering dedication, compassion and selflessness.
Our bank account and PayPal account can both be reached for donations on this website.... please click here to go to the "Donate" page.
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