One of the walking groups enjoy a stroll around Mijas Pueblo while helping to raise funds for charity. SUR.

A passion for Mijas helps raise 10,000 euros for local charities

Mijas Walking Tours for Charity was launched in March 2021 to support groups experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic

SUR

Mijas.

Friday, 10 March 2023, 01:00

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The expat community of the Costa del Sol has built an admirable reputation over the last 50 years for coming to the aid of those in need. Many of these caring foreigners give up their time to support the numerous volunteer-run charities that have been founded to offer assistance to those who need it.

This proud army of fundraisers and volunteers includes Alan Boardman, who arrived in Mijas from the UK in 2004 and has since gained a reputation for his tireless commitment to raising thousands of euros for different local causes.

A former board member of the Salón Varietés Theatre, he has been involved with numerous charitable platforms, including the Simply Surviving group, which he co-founded to support the Costa's entertainment sector at the height of the pandemic.

Alan also founded the Mijas Walking Tours group in 2016, a free service he decided to offer to anyone who wanted to enjoy the scenery and sites of the town, while also learning about its long and interesting history. Alan organised the tours simply because he had fallen in love with Mijas and wanted to promote the town in any way he could.

During the height of the pandemic, the kind-hearted expat decided to use these tours to help local organisations that were experiencing financial complications due to the restrictions.

«I started the walking tours for charity when the lifting of Covid restrictions meant that people could move around freely again, but, at that time, charities were going through a really tough period. It's important to me, because, as I've come to learn more about the various charities, I realise what enormous dedication and sacrifices are involved and how vital their work is to the community,» Alan told SUR in English.

Alan began asking participants for a voluntary minimum donation of five euros, all of which would be donated to a different local charity every two months.

This was in March 2021, and over the last two years, Alan's tours have raised more than 10,000 euros for numerous charities along the Costa del Sol. These have included animal associations like the SEARCH horse shelter (Coín), Donkey Dreamland (Mijas), Last Chance Animal Rescue (Cártama), and the Adana animal shelter (Estepona).

Other local charities that have benefitted from his knowledge and efforts are Cudeca, Debra, Fundación Olivares, Age Concern and Age Care, Adintre, and the Mijas branch of the Red Cross, among others.

«The generosity of people coming along on the walks never ceases to amaze me. People give what they can afford of course, but it can often be 20 euros or more. Often, someone will have a personal connection with the charity I'm supporting,» he said.

Alan already has several tours planned for April, and reservations can be made by sending him a WhatsApp message on 610 522 605.

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