Gibraltar Stories

Throughout March Gibraltar Stories is focusing in on stories of Inspiring Gibraltar Women. So far, we have heard from the worlds of business and music, today it’s the turn of someone who has entertained and informed Gibraltar through theatre, broadcasting and print journalism. This week, I am thrilled to be able to share the story of someone whom I admire a great deal – a person who loves telling people’s stories as much, if not more than I do. I feel extremely honoured that she agreed to tell me hers… This episode is dedicated to Alice Mascarenhas. Alice once harboured the dream of becoming a Marine Biologist but life took her down a different path and led her into radio, she has presented the 'Centre Stage' show on Radio Gibraltar for the past 22 years, she also has a weekly column ‘Alice’s Table’ in the Gibraltar Chronicle and has published two books in the last year as well. ‘Alice’s Table’ a compilation of 13 months of Alice’s weekly columns from the Gibraltar Chronicle is available to buy from the Gibraltar Chronicle. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards a paid internship for a trainee journalist. ‘Elio Cruz - One Man, Many Talents’ is available for sale from the Gibraltar Fine Arts Gallery. My special thanks to Neil Warburton from www.iamunknown.com for designing the Gibraltar Stories logo and creating the Gibraltar Stories website. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com or look out for Gibraltar Stories on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

In this week’s Gibraltar Stories ‘Inspiring Gibraltar Women’ episode you will hear from a truly inspirational young woman, Layla Bugeja. From opening the Main Stage at the Gibraltar Music Festival for Ricky Martin, to juggling her A-Level studies around her song writing and music commitments wandhat the future holds for her as she sets her sights on a move to Tennessee, Layla, at the age of just 18 has achieved so much already. I was thrilled to be able to have a chat with Layla recently and not only that, she performed a couple of her newest songs for me too. My thanks to Layla for finding time away from her school work and between gigs to speak to me. If you would like to find out more about Layla, you can find her on Instagram @thelaylaroseband you can also hear songs by The Layla Rose Band on Spotify and Apple Music. Layla's songs 'Soul on Fire' & 'I Stopped Fighting' were written and performed by her and they are included in this podcast with her permission. My special thanks to Neil Warburton from www.iamunknown.com for designing the Gibraltar Stories logo and creating the Gibraltar Stories website. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com or look out for Gibraltar Stories on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Hello and welcome to Gibraltar Stories. As this coming Sunday 8th March marks international women’s day I thought it appropriate to spend a few weeks speaking to some of the inspiring women I have met within the Gibraltar community while it has been my home. Over the coming weeks I hope to bring you some conversations with women from all walks of life in Gibraltar and give them a platform to speak about what they do. The first inspiring Gibraltar woman I spoke to is Denise Matthews, a mother and (in her own words) ‘a feisty business woman’ with her own PR company, she is also chapter director of Start Up Grind Gibraltar, an organization which connects start-up businesses forging a community for entrepreneurs. Denise recently won the Director of the Year award beating 600 other candidates at the annual Start-Up Grind global conference in San Francisco, she also becoming the first woman to hold the title. To find out more about Denise and her businesses, please check out: Denise Matthews’ PR company is One Media & Events https://www.onemediaevents.com/ Start Up Grind Gibraltar https://www.startupgrind.com/gibraltar/ My special thanks to Neil Warburton from www.iamunknown.com for designing the Gibraltar Stories logo and creating the Gibraltar Stories website. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com or look out for Gibraltar Stories on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Hello there! Gibraltar Stories is back and what better way to kick off the new series than with an episode about the event which kick starts the Gibraltar social calendar each year – the Cavalcade. In this episode you can hear from Eric Abudharam, President of the Gibraltar Cavalcade Committee as well as some of the people who worked round the clock over the Christmas period to get their floats ready in time of the big night on 5th January. My thanks to everyone who took the time to speak to me for this podcast including Eric Abudharam, Horace Bonfante & Amanda from Mount Alvernia & Meddoc, Syna Smith from the Balloqui Family & Europa FC float and Leno Bridges from the Glacis United float. My special thanks to Neil Warburton from www.iamunknown.com for designing the Gibraltar Stories logo and creating the Gibraltar Stories website. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com or look out for Gibraltar Stories on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

In this, the final Gibraltar Stories episode of 2019, I’m sharing a Special Olympics story with you. This year has been an unforgettable one for the athletes involved in the 50th Anniversary Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi. Back in March, nineteen athletes from Gibraltar travelled to the games and took part in a range of sports including athletics, swimming, golf and equestrian. One of those athletes was Julian De Las Heras, who won silver in golf. In this episode, Julian speaks about how Special Olympics has changed his life, we also hear from his golf coach and Special Olympics Gibraltar Executive Committee member Andrew Ramage. For more information on Special Olympics Gibraltar, please visit: https://www.specialolympics.org/programs/europe-eurasia/gibraltar My special thanks to Neil Warburton from iamunknown.com for designing the Gibraltar Stories Logo and creating the Gibraltar Stories website. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories, please visit gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

In this, the third and final podcast episode looking at this year’s Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival, I speak to Richard Hamilton. Author of two books about Morocco and a former North Africa Correspondent for the BBC, Richard tells me about his affection for Tangier and the frustrations he experienced while researching this latest book ‘Tangier - From the Romans to the Rolling Stones’. A magnet for creatives like William Burroughs, Paul Bowles, Henri Matisse and Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones, the city has captivated and inspired many visitors and some of their stories can be found in Richard’s book. For more information on The Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival, please check out their website http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com/ And you can find Richard Hamilton’s website here http://www.richard-hamilton.com/ To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

Feminism, the life of John Buchan, the history and habits of our furry neighbours - the Barbary Macaques and a thriller set in Gibraltar all feature in this second episode looking at the 2019 Gibraltar International Literary Festival. Now in its seventh edition, the festival draws writers and visitors from far afield as well as showcasing local talent. This year, forty speakers enthralled audiences with their take on the world and their literary works. This week’s episode of Gibraltar Stories features conversations with Ursula Buchan, Paola Diana, Professor Larry Sawchuk & Professor Lianne Tripp and Kitty Sewell. For more information on The Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival, please check out their website: http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com/ To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

Each year, in November Gibraltar becomes a hive of activity and intellectual discourse as the Literary Festival rolls into town. Now in its seventh edition, the festival draws writers and visitors from far afield as well as showcasing local talent. This year, forty speakers enthralled audiences with their take on the world and their literary works. This week’s episode of Gibraltar Stories concentrates on some of the local writers who presented their work at this year’s festival. For more information on The Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival, please check out their website: http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com/ To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit www.gibraltarstories.com Books written by the Gibraltar writers featured in this episode are available to buy from the Gibraltar Heritage Trust shop (https://shop.gibraltarheritagetrust.org.gi/) and the Gibraltar National Museum shop (https://www.gibmuseum.gi/) Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

Each spring and autumn, Gibraltar is on the route for migratory birds either heading north into Europe or south into Africa. The Rock's geographical position and topography makes it an ideal route for crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. Every year volunteer bird ringers travel to Gibraltar to help monitor the birds and track their health and progress. The base for this activity is the GONHS (Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society) Observatory & Field Centre at Jews Gate in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. In this podcast episode you can hear from some of the volunteers who make regular trips to Gibraltar to ring the birds as well as from Jill Yeoman from GONHS. If you would like more information about GONHS or would like to volunteer for the organisation in future, please visit www.gonhs.org To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

With just under a week to go before Hallowe’en, this episode of Gibraltar Stories looks at some of Gibraltar’s ghost stories. ***This episode comes with a health warning: Listeners of a sensitive nature and young children may not enjoy all of the subject matter in this episode - it does get a bit gruesome in places. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea!*** Gibraltar, just like any other city has a whole host of ghost stories and spooky legends, the most famous of which is probably the Grey Lady of the Convent (the ghost of a young nun who was allegedly bricked up into the walls of the Convent to prevent her from eloping with her lover). There are tales of long departed soldiers still making their patrols through the many miles of tunnels within the Rock itself and Moorish Castle which has seen centuries come and go sitting above Casemates Square. Gibraltarian writer Jackie Anderson is in the process of collecting an anthology of Gibraltar ghost stories and is on the look out for any which may have passed her by. Do you have any to share with her? You can make contact with Jackie via email to: jackiegirl@hotmail.co.uk Jackie’s blog which features some of her writing on Gibraltar’s ghosts can be found here: https://halloweenchillingtales.blogspot.com/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

Today, the 21st October 2019 marks the 214th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Gibraltar had a role in that battle providing provisions for the ships and their crews beforehand and treating some of the wounded afterwards. Two of the men who lost their lives in that battle are buried at the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar, and each year in October, an act of remembrance takes place there. In this mini extra episode, I share some of the atmosphere from yesterday's remembrance service. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

From his first performance as a tree in a school production to acting alongside Sir Kenneth Branagh and performing in front of Michael Jackson whilst working in Japan for Disney, Christian Santos has had a varied career. Now back in his hometown of Gibraltar, he's Principal of GAMPA (Gibraltar Academy of Music and Performing Arts) and this year, has also taken up the role of Deputy Mayor of Gibraltar. In this episode of Gibraltar Stories, Christian Santos speaks about his career so far, GAMPA's "I Am Me" project aimed at building self-confidence and mutual respect in children and young people and his hopes for the future. To find out more about GAMPA, please visit their website: www.gampa.gi To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

In June this year, the first ever anthology of Gibraltar poetry was published. It came about following an appeal by the Independent Writers and Artists Project in Gibraltar for any budding poets to submit their poems. After much deliberation by a panel of judges the Anthology of Contemporary Gibraltar Poets was compiled containing 30 poems from 10 different poets. In this episode, one of those judges and poets, Giordano Durante explains the reasons why the anthology was created. If you would like to get a copy of the Anthology of Contemporary Gibraltar Poets, you can pick one up at the Gibraltar Museum shop, the Gibraltar Heritage Trust shop or at the main Eroski supermarket by the airport. It’s hoped that the anthology will eventually be available digitally for a wider audience too. To find out more about the Independent Writers and Artists Group and the Equality Rights Group, please check out their Facebook pages. To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

For one week in July, Gibraltar played host to athletes from across the globe for the 2019 NatWest International Island Games. Teams from 22 islands competed in 14 different sports from Athletics to Triathlon and Beach Volleyball to Sailing. It was the biggest sporting event ever to be held on the Rock and Gibraltarians took the games to their hearts. In this, the second of two special Island Games episodes, you can hear from some of the people who volunteered to help make the Games run smoothly as well as hearing from the Chair of the Organising Committee, Linda Alvarez about the legacy the Games have left for future generations in Gibraltar. To find out more about this summer’s games and to see the fantastic photos taken by the volunteer photographers check out: https://www.gibraltar2019.com/ To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please visit: gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

For one week in July, Gibraltar played host to athletes from across the globe for the 2019 NatWest International Island Games. Teams from 22 islands competed in 14 different sports from Athletics to Triathlon and Beach Volleyball to Sailing. It was the biggest sporting event ever to be held on the Rock and Gibraltarians took the games to their hearts. In this, the first of two special Island Games episodes, you can hear from athletes who were involved in the games as well as the Chair of the Organising Committee and hopefully you will get a sense of the amazing atmosphere at some of the various sporting events. Look out for Part 2 coming out next week. To find out more about this summer’s games here: https://www.gibraltar2019.com/ To find out more about Gibraltar Stories and listen to all the other episodes, please check out www.gibraltarstories.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Whatever your favourite dish is, from burritos to bratwurst, from macarons to Moroccan pinchitos or even Gibraltarian calentita, there’s bound to be something to suit you at the annual Calentita food festival. This summer Calentita returned for its thirteenth year with stalls selling food from many of the nationalities represented within in the Gibraltarian community. Alongside the culinary aspects of the event lies a deeper message to look at the ethical and environmental impact of the food we eat both at Calentita and in our everyday lives. Not only that, this year’s festival fell on the eve of the Gibraltar 2019 NatWest International Island Games, so many more different nationalities were represented in the customers as well as the stall holders. In this episode of Gibraltar Stories, I hope you get a flavour of what the event was about this year as we hear from one of the organisers; Owen Smith and two of the speakers, Claire Louise Foster from The Kasbar and Vidya Heisel from the Danyadara Permaculture Project. For more information on the topics covered in this episode, please check out these links: https://www.calentita.gi/ https://danyadara.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thekasbar/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Gibraltar Stories is back with a brand new series looking back at some of the great events we've enjoyed on the Rock this summer as well as sharing some Gibraltar Stories you may not have heard before. The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 6 – The Legacy “There was a positive aspect of this as the latest siege, in that it presented challenges…. which, I think, the Gibraltarian rose over with flying colours ” – Manuel Perez On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight, supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week, in the 6th and final part of this series of podcasts looking at the impact of the Frontier Closure, I hear from a several of the people who have contributed to the series so far about the legacy of the closed frontier years, and why it’s important to remember this period in Gibraltar’s history. My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 6 : Ambrose Avellano, Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, Sylvia Ballantine, David Bentata, Irma Casciaro, Paula Galliano, Dr Joseph Garcia, Aileen Gordon, Manuel Perez, William Serfaty, Henry Smart, Juan Carlos Teuma, Tito Vallejo Smith & Jackie Vila. The photograph used to illustrate this series online is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. The commentary from archive news footage is included by kind permission of GBC. ‘Going South’ & ‘Take me to the border’ is performed by Philip Valverde and was written by Frank N Valverde & Philip J Valverde. The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 5 – The Workforce “He was like my uncle, and we embraced, and we cried. We shed tears …. it’s not just an employee, it’s Francisco” – David Bentata On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week, in Part 5 – The Workforce, I look back at the impact the withdrawal of the Spanish workforce had on Gibraltar, the personal stories of co-workers stopped from returning to work in Gibraltar and how Gibraltar got back on its feet and back to work in their absence. My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 5 : Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, David Bentata, Irma Casciaro, Ali Douissi, Paula Galliano, Dr Joseph Garcia, Clive Golt, Luis Montiel, Manuel Perez, Alfred Sacramento, William Serfaty, Henry Smart, Tito Vallejo Smith & Jackie Vila. The photograph used to illustrate this series online is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. The recording of the late David Hoare is included by kind permission of GBC. ‘Going South’ is performed by Philip Valverde and was written by Frank Valverde. This episode is dedicated to the memory of William Serfaty. The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 4 – Life behind the Frontier “There was an absence in our lives… we didn’t understand and we grew up in a closed border Gibraltar” – Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week, in Part 4 – Life behind the Frontier, I look back at the impact the frontier closure had on those who lived within the less than 3 square miles of Gibraltar, from adults to children. Those who stayed throughout the closed frontier years as well as those who moved away to enjoy greater freedom and opportunities elsewhere. My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 4 : Ambrose Avellano, Dr Jennifer Ballentine Perera, Paula Galliano, Aileen Gordon, Louis Montiel, Tina Orciel, William Serfaty, Annette Tunbridge, Paul Tunbridge, Tito Vallejo Smith, Philip Valverde & Jackie Vila. The photograph used to illustrate this series online is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. The recording of the late David Hoare is included by kind permission of GBC. ‘Going South’ is performed by Philip Valverde and was written by Frank Valverde The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Frontier Closure 50 Year On : Part 3 – Family Ties “They would shout across and there would be this conversation in the air…deaths would be announced by shouting across” – Ambrose Avellano On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. In Part 3 – Family Ties I look at the impact the frontier closure had on families, both those with relatives on both sides of the fence as well as those who grew up behind it. Many thanks to all those who contributed to Part 3: Ambrose Avellano, Sylvia Ballantine, Paula Galliano, Dr Joseph Garcia, Clive Golt, Aileen Gordon, Tina Orciel, Juan Carlos Teuma, Tito Vallejo Smith, Philip Valverde & Louis Wood. The excerpt of Palabras al Viento is included in this episode by kind permission of the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. The photograph used to illustrate this mini series is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. ‘Going South’ is performed by Philip Valverde and was written by Frank Valverde The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 2 - Supplies ”I remember the little boats coming full of fruit and vegetables and they would tie up at the quay” – Aileen Gordon On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week, in Part 2 – Supplies, I look back at the impact the frontier closure had on all the provisions coming into Gibraltar, from fruit and vegetables to medical oxygen and building materials. How the community coped, the help which came from further afield and the ingenuity of the Gibraltarian people which helped sustain them during the years of the closure. My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 2 : Sylvia Ballantine, David Bentata, Paula Galliano, Dr Joseph Garcia, Clive Golt, Aileen Gordon, Manuel Perez, Henry Smart, Annette Tunbridge, Tito Vallejo Smith & Louis Wood. The photograph used to illustrate this mini series is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. This episode features ‘Going South’ performed by Philip Valverde, my thanks to him for allowing me to use this recording for this purpose. Other music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

The Frontier Closure 50 Years On : Part 1 – The Closure “…a very convenient political scapegoat” - Dr Joseph Garcia, Deputy Chief Minister of Gibraltar On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. This week on Gibraltar Stories sees the start of ‘The Closed Frontier 50 Years On’ a new mini series, in Part 1 – The Closure, I look back at the build up to the closure of the border, as well as hearing from people who were there on the night of the 8th June 1969. My thanks to all those who contributed to Part 1 : Ambrose Avellano, Dr Jennifer Ballantine Perera, David Bentata, Mrs Irma Casciaro, Paula Galliano, Dr Joseph Garcia, Clive Golt, Aileen Gordon, Juan Carlos Teuma, Annette Tunbridge & Tito Vallejo Smith. Audio Commentary by the late David Hoare is included in this episode by kind permission of the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. The photograph used to illustrate this mini series is reproduced by kind permission of the Gibraltar National Archives. This episode features ‘Going South’ performed by Philip Valverde, my thanks to him for allowing me to use this recording for this purpose. Other music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

On 8th June 1969, Spain’s General Franco closed the land border between Spain and Gibraltar. Overnight supply lines were cut, families were separated and telecommunications ceased. Next week on Gibraltar Stories ‘The Closed Frontier 50 Years On’ a new mini series will begin, this week I’m sharing a preview of it with you. ‘Going South’ is performed by Philip Valverde and is written by Frank Valverde The Gibraltar Stories theme music is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

The Med Steps 5 Challenge is a regular feature on the Gibraltar Social Calendar, and the fifth edition of the challenge took place here last weekend. The event raises much needed funds for the Gibraltar Cancer Relief Centre which offers medical, practical and emotional support to patients being treated for cancer as well as their families. The challenge sees competitors climb the Med Steps in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve five times either in teams of five as a relay or individually. Last year I had a go and took my microphone along with me, in this podcast episode you can hear how I got on - it was very hard work!! The Med Steps 5 Challenge is organised by the Gibraltar Prison Service with the help of many local businesses who sponsor the event. To find out more about the Med Steps 5 Challenge, please look for their page on Facebook. For more information about the Cancer Relief Centre and the services it offers, please check out their website : http://www.cancerrelief.gi/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

After a career as a paparazzi photographer capturing images of Hollywood stars and royalty as they holidayed on the Costa del Sol, Gibraltarian photographer Juan Carlos Teuma is now back home in Gibraltar and has changed sides to work for the establishment as official photographer for the Gibraltar Government. Gone are the days of hiding in trees and spying on celebrities from roof tops, he now takes official photos for Government publications and press events as well as for inclusion in the Gibraltar National Archive. I met him at the archives during some of my research into Gibraltar’s recent history and he agreed to tell me some of the fascinating tales of his life celebrity spotting in Marbella. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Should you find yourself in Casemates Square around midday on the tenth of September, you will be surrounded with a sea of red and white, thousands of Gibraltarians dressed in their national colours, waving the red and white Gibraltar flag with the castle and key motif, and you’ll be in no doubt that Gibraltar has a fierce national identity. For activists and proud Gibraltarians Annette & Paul Tunbridge, Gibraltarian identity is something which shouldn't just be championed every Gibraltar National Day. They firmly believe the identity of the Gibraltarian was born in 1704 with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht and despite that, they are still "an invisible people". Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Hello, and welcome to the first episode of this second series of Gibraltar Stories. This week I look back on a chapter in Gibraltar’s history which affected all Gibraltarian families; the evacuation of the civilian population during World War II. Joe Gingell was a small child when he was first sent away to Morocco, and later on to Blitz-hit London. For years, he has been researching the experiences of families like his own, who were sent far from home. His initial research was prompted by his daughter, Michelle, who at the time was being treated for breast cancer in the UK, and his first book, ‘We Thank God and England…’ is dedicated to her memory and raised funds for cancer charities. Since that book was first published in 2011, Joe continued to amass information, photographs and stories about more of the evacuees and their family experiences and has recently published a second book; ‘Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’ which holds further stories. Joe’s second book is being sold to raise funds for The Gibraltar Alzheimer’s & Dementia Society and The Gibraltar Mental Welfare Society. If you would like to purchase a copy of Joe’s book, please contact him via email: joegingell@gibtelecom.net Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Gibraltar has been issuing its own stamps since the reign of Queen Victoria and they’re collected by enthusiasts in over 50 different countries. This week, we hear from Aaron Enriles, from the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau (the man in charge of issuing today’s Gibraltar Stamps), about how the design process works right through to the miniature works of art themselves. You can find out more about Gibraltar’s Stamps here: http://www.gibraltar-stamps.com/ This is the last episode in the first series of podcasts from Gibraltar Stories. I’m taking a short break to research and record more episodes for you, and hope to be back with a new Gibraltar Story very soon. I am also researching a series of episodes looking back the events of June fifty years ago, when General Franco closed the frontier with Spain. If you have memories of the closed frontier years that you would like to share with me, please get in touch via email : gibraltarstories@gmail.com Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Fifty years ago this week a couple of famous visitors flew into Gibraltar by private jet to get married. They weren’t the first to come to the Rock for a wedding, and they certainly won’t be the last. It was a hastily arranged ceremony and caused quite a stir. It even proved inspiration for a song to be written about it – the Ballad of John & Yoko. Fifty years on, the impact of that flying visit is still being felt in Gibraltar, images of the happy couple have featured on Gibraltar Stamps, couples getting married here on the Rock still ask to follow in the newly wed Mr & Mrs Lennon’s footsteps and have their photo taken on the airport runway. This week’s episode looks back at the events 50 years ago, and how they’ve left their mark here even today. Special thanks go to Polly Whitmore & Charlie Galliano for their help with this episode, as well as Aaron Enriles from the Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau http://www.gibraltar-stamps.com/ and Flora Lam from Rock Occasions https://www.rockoccasions.com/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Episode 10 Multilingual Gibraltar With Dale Buttigieg by Gibraltar Stories

Preparations are well underway to host the 2,500 visitors who will arrive on the Rock for the Gibraltar 2019 NatWest International Island Games in July. Representatives from 24 different Islands will compete in sports as diverse as athletics and judo, ten-pin bowling and beach volleyball. It’s been described by organisers as the biggest sporting event to come to the Rock. In this week’s episode, we hear from Chair of the Organising Committee Linda Alvarez. http://www.gibraltar2019.com/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston.

From Rock to Country, Reggae to Ballads, Gibraltar has a thriving and diverse music scene. Local artists and bands are not only playing on the Rock - they are also plying their trade overseas. For music journalist and podcaster, David Diaz, music is his life. This week, he shared with me how he turned his passion for music into his profession. You can hear David’s podcast Straight Outta Gibraltar on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast platforms. For more information on the Gibraltar music scene, visit the Gibraltar Live Music Society Facebook page: http://facebook.com/giblivemusic http://facebook.com/straightouttagibraltar Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Back in 1987, the James Bond film The Living Daylights was released. It used Gibraltar as the backdrop to its dramatic opening sequence. Three 00 agents parachute onto the Rock in a military exercise which soon turns deadly and features dramatic footage of an army jeep careering around the roads of the Upper Rock. Local entrepreneur, Odette Benatar remembers the filming well – not only was she involved in the production behind the scenes, she also featured as a Bond Girl. Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Gibraltar nowadays is home to a growing number of internet-based businesses. Gaming firms, fintech companies and others have come to the Rock in recent years. This means that cyber security is a big concern locally and one school teacher has seized on this opportunity to get more young people considering computer science as a career option. Head of Physics at Bayside Comprehensive school for boys, Stewart Harrison first took a team to the Cyber Centurion competition at Bletchley Park (the home of the code breakers) five years ago, since then his teams have gone on to reach the finals and even to win. They’ve shown that although it may be small, Gibraltar can compete at the highest level. https://twitter.com/baysidephysics Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

With a career spanning over 30 years in the fashion industry, Dorcas Hammond is a well-known name in Gibraltar. Her dressmaking workshop has created gowns for many brides and beauty queens ahead of their big moments, none more so than when Kaiane Aldorino was crowned Miss World in 2009. Dorcas has held fashion shows in London, Marbella, Madrid and Portugal, and has won several designer competitions, including the Agulha de Ouro (Golden Needle) in Portugal back in 2004. However, Dorcas not only creates beautiful clothes, she also teaches many people to create their own in her fashion academy. This week we hear how she began sewing as a young child and how her passion turned into her profession. https://dorcasfashiondesigns.com/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/DorcasFashionAcademy Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Actor, play write and novelist Robert Daws has had a 30 year-long association with Gibraltar. His affection for the place led him to set his Sullivan and Broderick crime novels here. His stories, which touch on Gibraltar’s rich history, are based in the present day with a crime solving duo of Royal Gibraltar Police Officers. A regular visitor to the annual Gibraltar Literary Festival, I caught up with him at last year’s event back in November, and found out about his fascination with Gibraltar. http://robertdaws.com/ http://partnersincrime.online/ http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston

Gibraltar is unique for so many reasons, it's geography for one (being surrounded on three sides by sea, as well as its height) has a huge impact on the weather here. It's responsible for the curse of summertime - the Levanter cloud, which seals humidity into the town area, makes hair go frizzy and meringues flop. The cloud as been blamed for the condition known as 'Upper Town grumpiness' and was even thought to cause Yellow Fever epidemics in years gone by. Steph Ball has been forecasting Gibraltar's weather for ten years, primarily with the Met Office, and then for the last five years with her own company; MeteoGib. In this episode, she talks about all things weather related to do with the Rock. http://www.meteogib.com/ https://twitter.com/MeteoGib https://www.facebook.com/MeteoGib Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds. Gibraltar Stories is produced, edited and presented by Lindsay Weston https://gibraltarstories.com/

Holding documents and records dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I up to the present day, the Gibraltar National Archive has many fascinating stories to tell. From the Great Siege to the evacuation of the Rock’s civilian population during World War II to the inquest held after the discovery of the Marie Celeste and the evidence heard at the Supreme Court after the shooting in Gibraltar of three IRA members in 1988, there are so many pivotal events which are recorded there. In this episode of Gibraltar Stories, I visited Gibraltar’s National Archivist Anthony Pitaluga, and asked him to tell me about some of the things stored in the archives. http://nationalarchives.gi/ Music on this podcast is by DP Music on www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds You can read more about the work done by volunteers at the Gibraltar National Archive in my latest blog post on www.gibraltarstories.com

Back in 2016, Gibraltar was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status because of the evidence left here by the Neanderthals. The first ever Neanderthal skull to be discovered was found here in Forbes Quarry and since then many more important discoveries have been made. In this episode, I speak to Dr Geraldine Finlayson from the Gibraltar National Museum about Gibraltar’s Neanderthal heritage. For more information on the Gibraltar National Museum & Gibraltar's UNESCO World Heritage Status, please visit: http://www.gibmuseum.gi/ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1500 Music on this podcast is by DP Music on https://www.melodyloops.com mixed with Gibraltar atmospheric sounds

There’s so much more to Gibraltar than just fish and chips, apes and red telephone boxes. With the Gibraltar Stories podcast I hope to capture some of the essence that makes Gibraltar the truly unique place it is. Each week I will speak to different people, each of them with a connection to Gibraltar and who have an interesting story to tell.