British resident receives award for promotion of Malaga olive oil

Long-term British resident Leila Bayandor Lawson has been awarded Riogordo town hall’s ‘Olivo de Fúxcar’ award for her work to promote the town’s olive oil industry among Malaga province’s foreign community.

Leila, who has lived in the Axarquía town with her husband Rob for 24 years, is the founder and organiser of the ‘Molienda in English’; an event which she started nine years ago and is connected to Riogordo’s traditional festival which celebrates the local olive oil industry and coincides with the end of the annual harvest.

Presenting the award during this year’s Molienda festivities on Sunday 22 February, Paco Lorenzo Tapia, promoter, founder and president of Olearum, Cultura y Patrimonio del Aceite, explained that Leila had been chosen to receive the award by La Molienda association, thanks to her “tireless collaboration” and “altruistic creation and organisation” of the Molienda in English.

Lorenzo explained how the event, which is held every February, “attracts people from the English-speaking community across Malaga province”. Photographs of Leila’s work, not only with the Molienda in English, but other associations connected with the local olive oil industry and contributions to life in the town, were also shown on a screen while Lorenzo spoke.

The ‘Olivo de Fúxcar’ is given annually by Riogordo town hall and La Molienda organising committee. It is given to individuals, organisations or initiatives that stand out for their “defence, dissemination and promotion of olive tree culture and extra virgin olive oil” and in particular the verdial variety, which is native to the Axarquía.

In her acceptance speech, which she gave in Spanish, Leila said that it was “an honour” to receive the award and that becoming involved with the La Molienda was “the best way to get to know my neighbours and my adopted land”. She went on to say, “15 years ago I didn’t know anything about olive oil and the industry but year after year I learned more until I became totally hooked”.

The creator of La Molienda in English went on to say that she wanted to share her knowledge and passion with other foreign residents and visitors: “Language is sometimes and barrier and that is why I decided to organise a Molienda in English”. The event attracts Brits, Irish, Danes, Belgians, Germans and other nationalities who speak English.

The Olivo de Fúxcar Nacional award went to Priego de Córdoba Protected Designation of Origin, for their benchmark in the quality and excellence of extra virgin olive oil. The Olivo de Fúxcar Honorífico went to Antonio Díaz “Broches” from the nearby town of Periana, for being “the heart and soul” of the San Isidro de Periana Verdiales music group “for his dedication to preserving Axarquía traditions”.

The day also included the popular olive stone spitting competition which attracted locals and foreigners alike, as well as a street market selling local products, demonstrations at the museum and music and dancing by local Verdiales groups.