Happy New Year to readers and congratulations to Michele Masson, President of Help Vega Baja, who has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to British Nationals in Spain in the New Year Honours List. The honour is thoroughly deserved, although I can’t understand as President, why it wasn’t one rung higher and the MBE she received. No logic in how these awards are decided!

Unfortunately we have now lost the 20c fuel discount enjoyed for the last 9 months or so although it has been somewhat offset by the reduction in IVA on some staple foodstuffs, that is of course, until the supermarket chains decide to swallow it up with price increases, which is only a matter of time!