…going by the plans for this years fashion show.
The PAWS annual fashion show has always been a great success, a pleasant afternoon with a slap up meal or bbq, music and live entertainment and a few stands, as well as the wonderful display of clothes donated by local ladies and modelled by local volunteers. Fond memories.
This year, it’s being held in the somewhat draughty “Centro de Artesania” in Mojácar, and ticket prices have soared to €12 (includes glass of Cava and “afternoon” tea “served in the interval”). The tone, is, I gather, rather a “Mrs Bucket” sort of affair (More tea, vicar? Do try a glass of this wonderful champers, just €3 a bucket and made by locals, dontcha know. But just the one!).
Frankly, I can’t think of anything worse than being made to sit in that great big hall all afternoon, watching second hand clothes walking around as the music echoes off the rafters, the only sustenance on hand being a glass of inferior warm Cava (no bar permit there apart from the tercer edad downstairs) and being expected to pay €12 for the privilege of doing so.
And as a man who has been to many meetings in the Centro Artesania, I can vouch that those chairs get pretty damn hard after a bit. And the acoustics are terrible.
Yes, I understand that the “new team” who are organising it this year have their own ideas -possibly not experience to go with them- but in the current economic climate, and given the vast importance that the Fashion Show has in PAWS budget, I find it baffling that they’ve tried to make it “posh” in an English, cucumber sandwich style. Cutbacks in November, I would imagine, going by the much publicised state of their finances.
Give the public what they want – booze, music and a good cause to support. Must be hundreds of bars and restaurants around here that would kill to support this event. Not this hoity toity nonsense.
PAWS is a hard working charity that needs the money to keep going. But internal politics, from what I gather, are tearing it apart, and who knows if they’ll be here next year? Firm hand at the rudder needed, I think.
