TWO sisters are turning flour and frosting into practical help for families devastated by deadly storms in Portugal.
Dalila Gomes and Marilyn Da Silva have organised a series of bake sales at Smile Laundry in Gorey Village to raise money and collect essential supplies for people left homeless and without basic utilities after widespread flooding.
Last weekend, they hosted the first of the events, selling traditional and homemade Portuguese bakes, raising more than £2,000.
The pair also received what they described as an “incredible” amount of physical donations, including clothes, shoes, and bedding.
A second scale is scheduled for tomorrow between 8am and 2pm, with further dates possible in the coming weeks.
All the proceeds will go towards supporting “vulnerable” residents affected by what the sisters described as “terrible damage in the floods”.
They said they were “very shocked” when they counted the money raised so far, adding that one cake sold for £75.
They said the support they have received has been “emotional” and “amazing”.
“We’re very lucky, we’re been here for 20 years and everyone knows us,” they said.
“Our customers are our friends.”
The sisters spoke of the scale of destruction in parts of the country, where some residents have been left without water or electricity for weeks.
They said: “I know the people have been affected really badly there.”
In the municipality of Alvaiázere, they added, more than 95% of residents had lost their homes, describing scenes where houses were “falling like they’re made of clay.”
The pair are responding to calls for Portuguese communities overseas to offer support wherever possible.
They plan to travel to Portugal in April to deliver the donated items, such as clothing and toiletries and use the funds raised to buy essential supplies for those most in need.
“We’re going to go to people’s homes and whatever they need, go and buy it – there are quite a lot of old people there,” they said, adding “if we can help a family, or two or three families, we’ll be happy”.
Donations of cakes are also welcome on Friday and Saturday, and financial and physical donations can be made in store at Smile Laundry in Gorey Village.
