AuxDefence Held in Madeira

In Search of Hope – by Sam Gannon

Seconded to the parish of Tililngdon, the Reverend Dolores has been presented with a challenge.

She’s living in an antiquated house and she’s cold. Furthermore, her new Bishop, Bishop Alice does not approve of ‘showgirls in dog collars.’

Determined to prove the Bishop wrong, she sets about warming her house – who cares if it smells of horse! There is the crochet club, jumble sale, and soup run to organise. And this year, the church bells will ring, no matter what threats are made. Even more so, the newly formed choir will spread a little joy this Christmas, even though they can’t sing – yet! And with a little help from Phil, her bassist, this year could be full of magic.

However, she has a fight on her hands as the townies out in Knob Hill – she must stop calling it that, are trying to stop her from ringing her bells. When Krystal with a K decides to do some volunteer work, Dolores sets out to see just how committed she really is.

Up to her ears in granny squares and squawking choristers, Dolores is revving up for Christmas, yet a deeper darker secret is beginning to emerge!

A secret that could blow the whole parish apart and put Dolores in danger.

(available from Amazon)

Funchal is set to become a focal point for international security innovation this week as it hosts the fifth edition of AuxDefense, the World Conference on Advanced Materials for Defence. Taking place from Wednesday to Friday at the VidaMar Resort Hotel, the event brings together a diverse assembly of researchers, industry leaders, and academic institutions to explore the future of defence technology.

Organised by the University of Minho, Fibrenamics, and Sciencentris, with the support of the Ministry of National Defence, the conference serves as a strategic platform for sharing knowledge across the land, sea, air, and space sectors.

The three-day programme features a high-level roster of speakers from prominent European and international entities, including:

The European Defence Agency
The Fraunhofer Institute
Airbus
The French-German Research Institute of Saint-Louis (ISL)
ENSAIT – University of Lille

A significant portion of the conference will be dedicated to practical applications of new science. Fibrenamics, a key contributor to the event, will showcase its latest research across critical fields such as:

Protection Systems: Next-generation defensive materials.
Biodefence: Solutions for evolving biological threats.
Smart Textiles: Wearable technology for defence personnel.
Sensors and Composite Materials: Enhancing situational awareness and structural durability.

Raúl Fangueiro, President of the conference, Pro-Rector of the University of Minho, and President of Fibrenamics, underscored the necessity of the event in the current climate.

“In an international context marked by growing geopolitical, technological, and security challenges,” Fangueiro stated, “AuxDefense constitutes a privileged meeting space between science, industry, and end users.” He added that the conference reinforces a broader commitment to technological sovereignty and the development of solutions capable of navigating today’s complex security landscape.

Since its inception in Lisbon in 2018, AuxDefense has established itself as an international benchmark for the sector. To date, the conference series has engaged over 800 participants from 55 countries and featured more than 400 scientific presentations and posters, solidifying Madeira’s role as a vital venue for defence and protection technologies.

Samantha Gannon

info at madeira-weekly.com