Emotional and vibrant Christmas Concert, in tribute to volunteers and libraries in Bages

 

Esclat Gospel Singers at the AMPANS Christmas Concert. Photo: Jordi Preñanosa.


Twelve years later, Ramon Escalé’s group, Esclat Gospel Singers returned to perform for AMPANS in a concert full of energy and emotion, as usual at this Christmas event. Since 2010, when we held the first Christmas concert open to the public, this has become a recognitions space for the volunteers of the organisation.

On this occasion we paid tribute to Marià Garcia, former AMPANS worker and volunteer since 2014, who supports in various leisure and sports activities. Next to him, Pep Martínex, consultant in Strategic Innovation and Mentor of startups, who after learning the work of the entity decided to contribute his time volunteering in community inclusion projects, such as the programme that brings AMPANS users closer to people from the Adult Training Centre Carme Karr, which belongs to the Lledoners prison, also received recognition.

The last recognition was for all the librarians of Bages. We wanted to thank the commitment of these professionals to make the libraries of the region accessible to people with disabilities and reading comprehension difficulties. The professionals from the libraries Pere Casaldàliga in Balsareny, Padre Ignasi Casanovas in Santpedor, Sant Antoni María Claret in Sallent, Cal Callifa in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, Salvador Vives Casajuana in Sant Vicenç de Castellet, and the libraries of Sant Fruitos de Bages, and Ateneu and El Casino in Manresa took part in the tribute. It was precisely the director of the Casino Library, Teresa Tort Lavilla, who received the recognition on behalf of all of them. AMPANS and the libraries of Bages have 10 Easy Reading clubs, a way of adapting texts so that books and documents are understandable for everyone, with the participation of more than a hundred people.

The challenges of the entity are the focus of the speech of the new president of the foundation in his first public speech.


Accompanying people to improve their quality of life towards full inclusion and empowering them to fulfill their life projects. Reducing waiting lists to meet demand and continue to grow in support for families, with new residential projects such as La Parada, Balsareny and Terrassa. Promote new social and inclusive economy projects to foster and create decent work. To continue promoting innovation and assistive technologies to improve the quality of life and autonomy of users. And to continue taking care of the professional team of the entity. These will be the main axes of the action of AMPANS in the coming years, as described yesterday by Lluís Sánchez Seuba, new president of the entity.

Lluís Sánchez, who has been linked to the AMPANS board of trustees for 31 years, stressed the need to recognise the organisation’s professionals. “The recognition of the professionals, that exceeds a thousand people, is a priority and  we are in talks with the public administration to recognise our profession as the essential basis of society. You, the employees of the entity, are the ones who make the mission of AMPANS possible every day, and parents and families know this very well” remarked the president.

Sánchez also explained that during this year AMPANS has accompanied 3,494 people. Mostly people with intellectual disabilities, mental health disorders, young people who have dropped out of school and people at risk, through services ranging from education and training, work, day and occupational care, and residential and housing services.

 

The energy of the voices of Esclat Gòspel Singers


Esclat Gospel Singers impregnated the AMPANS concert with positive energy, with their show “From the heart of Africa” where they delve into the deepest roots of black music. After an exciting trip to Uganda, Ramon Escalé, who founded Esclat Gospel Singers in 2020, discovered one of the most important influences of gospel: its African origin. This gave rise to a compilation of melodies and rhythms which, after mixing with American culture, were transformed into work songs, religious music, blues, ragtime and all the roots that gave rise to Gospel.

With a selection of the most representative songs of the genre, the band brought the audience to its feet in a vibrant and spectacular concert where the rhythm was omnipresent and the voices with more African sounds took centre stage.
At one point during the concert, the forty or so members of the band wore AMPANS t-shirt to pay tribute to the organisation, on a night in which we can bring awareness projects in favour of people with intellectual disabilities and support needs. The entity destinies the benefits of this event, which has the support of CaixaBank, to the scholarship programme that last year reached 492 families of users assisted in the entity.