• New Orihuela Costa en Acción Neighbors Association aims to cover entire coastline

Orihuela Costa has created a new, independent, neighbourhood association that now covers the entire coastline as it begins to build on it’s current 123 members. The new association hopes to integrate all of the residential areas, both inland and up and down the coastline, as it bids to provide much more information to coastal dwellers as well as intensifying the voice of residents living on the coast.

It will be called The Orihuela Costa Neighbors Association in Action (AVOCA).

The association was previously called the “Association of Neighbours of Cabo Roig and Lomas”, and concentrated it’s efforts purely on the residents in that area but following the Annual General Meeting held at the weekend the decision was taken, with the support of bordering associations, to expand the group’s activities and influence to include many other urbanisations, now comprising Lomas de Cabo Roig, Cabo Roig, La Zenia, Mil Palmeras, Las Filipinas and Aguamarina, each one of which will hold a seat on the Board of Directors.

This modification will be formalised in the coming weeks in the registries of Associations (Generalitat Valenciana) and Citizen Entities (Orihuela City Council).

The new board of directors will be composed of the following members:

  • President: Liam Antony Kiley
  • Secretary: Adolfo Hernández
  • Members: Cristina Pindado, Sole Feal, Arturo García, Adrián Massotti and Sergio Bernabéu.
  • Member and Treasurer: Tomás Moreno

In the same assembly, all membership applications were approved, in the associate register, and now include a total of 123 members.

Orihuela Costa is now beginning to establish an organised fabric of which this new group is a good example. It is an important step for an area that is home to more than 30,000 registered residents – a figure similar to that of Orihuela City, and one which triples in the summer months.

The new group joins with an established association that has been very involved in recent years when achieving improvements in basic infrastructures. It has already established open dialogue with municipal officials but it is completely without ties to any political party or individual.

Association President, 26 year old Welshman, Liam Kiley, is a resident of Las Filipinas. Last year he was elected to the Orihuela District Board X, representing the Orihuela Costa.

Liam at the AP7 Demonstration in 2018
Liam at the AP7 Demonstration in 2018

He is a fluent Spanish speaker, works as a local activist and in recent months Liam has been increasingly praised for making his civic views well-known to politicians and groups representing all sides.

Liam quite clearly identifies with the many problems that residents suffer from on the coast, and often speaks out about the poor level of services received from the Orihuela City Council.

He told The Leader “We have now created an association to ensure strong alignment and more effective communication in fighting for awareness, improved infrastructure and financial support for the Orihuela Costa and it is important that all residents are now able to have their voice heard. The easiest way that can be achieved is by joining the new association, “The Orihuela Costa Neighbours Association in Action (AVOCA).”

The membership form can be downloaded at the link https://bit.ly/30Flngl  or by email from the association at: avocaorihuelacosta@gmail.com . Membership is absolutely free.

News and information, which is regularly updated, is also available on the association facebook page in both Spanish and English.