The Department of Social Welfare of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Directorate General for Seniors and Active Participation, brought together over 1,000 seniors for an 'AlGolpito' project event. The activities took place simultaneously at the Ciudad Deportiva del Club Deportivo Tenerife Javier Pérez and in the Plaza de Canarias (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), as part of Senior Month.
The main objective of this initiative is to use sport, specifically walking football, as a tool to promote active longevity and combat unwanted loneliness, a social challenge associated with aging.
The event in Tenerife was attended by the President of the Government, Fernando Clavijo; the Director General for Seniors, Verónica Meseguer; the President of the CD Tenerife Foundation, Felipe Miñambres; the CD Tenerife counselor, Sheila Trujillo; and the project director of the CDT Foundation, Artamy Rodríguez. In Gran Canaria, the Vice-Minister of Social Welfare, Francis Candil, attended alongside the Vice-President of UD Las Palmas, Nicolás Ortega; the club's General Director, Patricio Viñayo; and the project director of the UD Las Palmas Foundation, Fran Díaz.
AlGolpito, part of the Plan Maresía and developed with the Foundations of CD Tenerife and UD Las Palmas, has grown significantly since its pilot project late last year, now boasting teams on all eight islands.
This walking football activity is designed to be accessible for individuals over 60, but its scope extends beyond sports. It aims to create spaces for meeting, participation, and coexistence, enabling seniors to stay active, connect with others, and strengthen their community ties. It aligns with the Government of the Canary Islands' strategy for active and healthy aging, preventing isolation.
The project is characterized by its ability to foster community, using training sessions and matches as a starting point for new relationships. For many participants, it represents their first experience with football or team sports. Female participation is also a notable feature, with women making up around 75% of attendees.
The simultaneous celebration at the facilities of CD Tenerife and UD Las Palmas brought together participants from both provinces, highlighting the project's reach, which currently mobilizes over 1,200 seniors across nearly forty teams representing the eight islands.
In the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, there are 17 teams, including those from the Senior and Active Participation Centers of the Government of the Canary Islands in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Guía de Isora, Güímar, Icod de los Vinos, Puerto de la Cruz, Los Realejos, San Miguel, Santa Cruz de La Palma, and El Hierro. Also participating are the senior association Ravelo (El Sauzal), La Guancha, the senior association of Tíncer (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the senior association of Tegueste, Timaday (Arico), Barrio de La Salud (Santa Cruz), and La Gomera. Contact is being made with the municipalities of La Orotava, Arona, and Granadilla for their inclusion.
The teams in the province of Las Palmas include participants from La Graciosa, Arrecife, Haría (Lanzarote), Puerto del Rosario and Gran Tarajal 2 and 3 (Fuerteventura), Ciudad Alta, Telde, Agaete, San Bartolomé, Ingenio, La Isleta, Marzagán, Vecindario, Arucas, Guía, Gáldar, La Aldea, and the UD Las Palmas Foundation (Gran Canaria).
