Two sisters are selling cakes in exchange for toiletries, bedding and money to help people who have lost their homes and livelihoods in Portugal after deadly storms led to widespread flooding across the country.
Dalila and Marilyn Gomes have organised bake sales to take place today, next weekend and potentially the one after at Smile Laundry in Gorey Village.
All proceeds will be donated to “vulnerable” people who’ve experienced “terrible damage in the floods”.
Starting from 8am and finishing at 2pm, the event will offer cakes including Portuguese pancakes – or “malasadas with honey” – easter cakes, pineapple and orange cakes and chocolate cakes.
Dalila said: “Everybody’s chipping in and helping. The community has been so good.”
She added: “I know the people have been affected really badly there [in Portugal]. It’s horrendous, they’ve got no water, no electricity – some people for weeks and weeks, nearly a month of no water and no electricity.”
Dalila explained that in the municipality of Alvaiázere, for example, more than “95% have lost their homes”, where houses are “falling like they’re made of clay”.
The sisters are responding to calls for Portuguese communities around the world to help in any way they can.
The duo will return to their house in Portugal in April and find ways to put the bake sale proceeds to good use.
“We’re going to go people’s homes and whatever they need, go and buy it – there are quite a lot of old people there,” said Dalila.
“If I can help a family, or two or three families, I’d be happy.”