Once again, the penyes movement has reacted massively to a catastrophe that has left thousands of people in need of urgent help. After last week’s floods, which severely affected the Valencia region, as well as parts of Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha, the FC Barcelona supporters’ clubs have been on the move to provide all kinds of aid to the most affected population. The role of the Valencian penyes themselves and the Federació de Penyes Barcelonistes de València i la Marina Alta stands out, but also the coordination by the Confederació Mundial de Penyes and the many initiatives carried out by penyes from many territories.
Donations to the Federació de València
The Confederació and the Federació de Penyes de València i Marina Alta have agreed to organize a campaign for financial donations from penya members, penyes, Barça members and anyone else who wants to contribute to the Horta Sud region, the most affected by the floods. To collaborate, you can make a deposit in the bank account of the Federació de València i Marina Alta (ES64 3159 0064 10 2989077421), clearly indicating that it is a contribution for those affected by the floods. The total amount of the contributions will then be donated to the associations indicated by the supporters’ clubs in the worst affected areas.
The Confederació Mundial de Penyes has also appealed to all penyes and their members to collaborate with their local councils or associations in the collection of food or materials required to reach the affected areas. These actions are in addition to those being promoted by Aficiones Unidas in cooperation with the Agrupació de Penyes Valencianistes, along with those of the rest of the federations of penyes in Spanish football.
Actions of the penyes
On the other hand, many penyes are organising their own collections of water, food, clothing and materials. The quickest to react were those closest to the floods, such as PB Cabanyal-Ciutat Jardí, PB Ribera Baixa, PB Mislata, PB Sueras and PB L’Alcora, who opened their premises to collect aid and get it to the affected population quickly. The same has been done by other clubs such as PB Riudecanyes, PB La Roca del Vallès, PB Lepe, PB Peguera-Calvià, PB Vallirana, PB Collblanc-Les Corts or PB Nova Lloreda, among many others.
Even in the FCB World Federation, entities such as PB Luxemburg, PB Liège or PB Lleó de Dues Cues have made donations. In addition, the PB Lorraine and the PB Bordeos have started online fundraising campaigns. In the coming days, more supporters’ clubs and penyes are expected to contribute their grain of sand to this cause, which has once again demonstrated the great solidarity of the FC Barcelona penyes movement.
