A British evangelical church has been dragged into politics after Turre council received a number of requests by the opposition PP party to start supporting them. The Church said it was unaware of these moves on its behalf and added that the PP had refused to help when they were last in power.
PP leader and ex-mayor Arturo Grima tabled several motions including one asking what measures the town council is taking to support work “such as that carried out by the food bank of the Evangelical Church”, but Snr Grima stormed out of the August plenary meeting in protest after he was cut off, and so did not press the point.
And in a September extraordinary meeting called by Snr Grima he again requested the council “support the Evangelical Church by measures including material transport”.
Alan Bishop from the Church told Costa Almeria News that he had approached Snr Grima when he was Mayor to suggest official collaboration but had been thoroughly rebuffed. “We did not ask for money, but only to work with him to help needy families. We were shown the door” said Mr Bishop.
Mayor Morales also said he was “baffled” by the questions. “I do not think I have ever interacted with this Church, although I approve of their many good works in my town” he said. “I have no idea of Snr Grima’s aims. I am setting up an official branch of the regional food bank here and I know he is against this idea”.
The council is expecting the first delivery of 3,600 kilos of non perishable foodstuff to arrive this October 15.
The Turre PP were unavailable for comment.
Mr Bishop said his foodbank was setup in November 2012 “so that we as Christians could give something back to the local community that has accepted us”. Up to 70 local mainly Spanish families are helped on average every week by the donations bought in by church members, most of them British. Mr Bishop explained that “we don’t aim to replace the official foodbanks but instead help tide families over between donations”.
The Church is located at the top of Turre high street and always welcomes volunteers and new members.