News

Nearly one hundred registered to ride in Friday’s 4th Volta Cicloturista mountain biking challenge

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 14:24

volta-btt1 The Consell de Formentera office of sport announces the start this Friday of the fourth Volta Cicloturista, a three-trial event in which mountain bikers crisscross the island dividing it in three parts: Sant Francesc, La Savina and La Mola.

Covering a total of 97.5 kilometres and climbing a thousand metres into the sky, the “Ride” is an ideal way for cyclists of any competing level to enjoy Formentera’s network of trails. For mountain riders geared toward competition, there’s also Sunday’s BTT La Mola, with 37.6K and 850 metres of altitude gain—a qualifying heat for the Pine Islands Mountain Biking Championship (Campionat Pitiús de BTT)—while those just in it for the fun have the option of an alternate route that occasionally follows the main ride.

Formentera’s councillor of sport Paula Ferrer highlighted the “growing gravitational pull on cyclists” of the Discover Formentera in October-partnered event.

Presented by the local office of sport, Grup Esportiu Espalmador and Unisport Consulting and a featured event in the current push to incentivise off-season travel to Formentera, the event’s current hundred-strong list of registered riders will remain open to new participants until Sunday.

The Volta kicks off on Friday at 4.00pm with a 29.5K loop in which cyclists will start and finish in Sant Francesc. The 39.5K second leg, with start and finish in La Savina, happens at 10.00am on Saturday, while participants in the 28.5K, alternate-route ride hit the road in La Mola Sunday at 11.00am.

23 October 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Practices start Saturday for Formentera Choir

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 10:23

The Consell de Formentera education department reports that this Saturday, 26 October, classes begin for singers in the Formentera Polyphonic Choir. All those interested in joining can send an email to the island’s School of Music and Dance at escolamusica@conselldeformentera.cat.

Classes, offered at no charge, will take place twice a month, 10.00am to 2.00pm, at the School of Music and Dance. The first session will begin with an introduction from the choir’s new director, Juan Carlos Ballesteros. The following sessions are set for 9 and 23 November and 14 December.

23 October 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Full of love and adventure, western Jon Braun gears up for stops on Formentera and in Santa Eulària

Tuesday, 22 October 2019 10:33

jon-braun-2 Forerunners in puppet theatre Anita Maravillas arrive in the Pine Islands with an all-ages western inspired by a popular song by Imanol Urbieta. With a sharp-as-knives aesthetic and large doses of humour, love and adventure, Jon Braun speaks to brotherly bonds and the power of love when faced with adversity.

A hit with audiences and critics alike, Jon Braun won Best All-Ages Family Production at the 2018 Titeremurcia. The show opens on Formentera on Saturday 26 October at 6.00pm in the Sala de Cultura (Cinema) and in Santa Eulària des Riu on Sunday the 27th, also at 6.00pm, at the Jesús Centre Cultural.

Jon Braun is included in PLATEA, a programme launched in 2014 to take top-quality domestic stage productions to island audiences by the Spanish Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), itself a division of Spain’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.

Jon Braun traces the story of two American Indian brothers who are separated by the white man, but so strong is their love that the two never give up trying to find each other. The emotion-packed story is about the strength that love affords us when confronted with misfortune.

Jon Braun is no ordinary cowboys and Indians flick; the two leads are brothers who upend every stereotypes. Malintxe is stealthy, brave and a master of his own decisions; his younger brother Jon Braun is tender, and an unforgettable anti-hero.

The production runs fifty minutes, and tickets to the Formentera show are €5 and can be purchased the day of the event. Accompanying adults get in free. Tickets to the Santa Eulària show cost €9 if purchased at www.festivalbarruguet.com, or €10 at the CCdJ the day of the event.

Volunteer info session at Casal d’Entitats

Tuesday, 22 October 2019 12:16

voluntaris-el-dia-de-la-festa-1 The social welfare division of the Consell de Formentera reports that this Wednesday 23 October the Casal d’Entitats will host an information session about volunteering.

Details will be provided about new legislation governing volunteer work in the Balearic Islands, efforts to create a local volunteer corps in compliance with the new rules, and workshops on 22 November and International Volunteer Day on 5 December. The info session is geared toward not only comapnies that work with volunteers, but regular islanders who work as voluneers themselves. For more information, contact rmi@conselldeformentera.cat

22 October 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Organic waste collection up 29.98% since last year

Monday, 21 October 2019 14:04

residus-orga--nicsv2 Formentera’s environment office reports that the amount of organic waste collected in 2019 marks an 29.98% increase on the same figure in 2018. A total of 704.17 tonnes were picked up over the five months from 15 May to 15 October, compared to 541.77 tonnes the previous year.

Organic waste collection among restaurants and other local businesses began with a 2017 trial run that netted 100 tonnes. This year the network of establishments benefitting from door-to-door pick-up has grown to 170. Participants even have at their disposition an environmental advisory agent, or zelador, from the Consell’s environment office.

Environment councillor Antonio J Sanz hailed the news and thanked participating businesses “for everything they’ve brought to the table”.

Councillor Sanz pointed out that, in 2019, between the figures for collected organic waste and recyclables such glass, plastics, paper and cardboard, the Consell de Formentera “is getting closer to our goal of recycling half of all the island’s waste that was outlined in legislation passed in August 2019 on hazardous materials and soils”. Recyclables currently account for 33.78% of total waste collection, a four-point increase since a year ago.

The figures from the environment department show that, including September, solid waste collection in urban parts of the island was at 5,617.42 tonnes; paper and cardboard collection reached 805,07 tonnes; plastics 561.94, glass 661.88 and organic waste 661.88. Collection rates were highest in August (1,637 tonnes), followed by July (1,528) and June (1,271.76). The low came in January, when total collection dropped to 363.82.

21 October 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera