Úrsula Llinares Martínez named Benidorm’s Outstanding Neighbour of 2026 by the Neighbourhood Council
The jury recognised her work supporting those most in need and her selfless voluntary contributions through organisations such as Cáritas, Manos Unidas and the Spanish Association Against Cancer
The award ceremony will take place next Thursday, 22 October, at 12.30 p.m. at Benidorm Town Hall
Úrsula Llinares Martínez, known to everyone in Benidorm as ‘Sola’, was named Benidorm’s Outstanding Neighbour of 2026 by the Neighbourhood Council this Friday. The award recognises individuals who embody “outstanding personal, civic and ethical values” and can serve as role models and sources of inspiration for other members of the community. Every year, Benidorm City Council presents this distinction to a person whose values and contributions merit public recognition.
The Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, together with Councillor for Citizen Participation Ana Pellicer, publicly conveyed their congratulations to Sola Llinares Martínez on behalf of the entire city. The announcement followed the jury’s selection of this year’s recipient after reviewing the nominations submitted by members of the public. The Mayor also congratulated the award winner by telephone, alongside those responsible for this year’s selection.
The Mayor also congratulated the jury on its choice, highlighting the many values that make the recipient “undoubtedly deserving of public recognition from her fellow citizens”. The award ceremony will be open to the public and will take place on Thursday, 22 October, at 12.30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Benidorm Town Hall.
Born in Benidorm on 22 August 1938, Sola is the daughter of Vicente Llinares Llinares, a carpenter, and Francisca Martínez Ivars, affectionately known as ‘la Besona’. She spent her childhood and part of her teenage years in Larache, Morocco, where her family moved in 1941 and where her four brothers — Pepe, Vicente, Manoli and Paqui — were born. The family remained there until returning to Benidorm in 1957.
The nomination for the 2026 Outstanding Neighbour Award, supported by several of the city’s social associations, states that “from a very young age, Sola stood out as an exceptional person: approachable, sociable, warm-hearted and possessing an extraordinary ability to build genuine bonds with others. The friendships she forged during those years remain with her today, reflecting the kindness and humanity she has always shown”.
She began working as a dressmaker to help support her parents, demonstrating from an early age her strong sense of responsibility and desire to contribute to her family’s well-being.
In 1962, at the age of 24, she married Francisco Almiñana, at the Church of San Jaime and Santa Ana, in the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Sufragio, the patron saint of Benidorm. Together, they built a family with their son, Francisco Javier Almiñana, who later gave them a grandson — their greatest treasure. Sola has always devoted herself wholeheartedly to caring for her family, her siblings, brothers- and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews, all of whom hold her in enormous affection.
Shortly after her marriage, Father Tomás García Sampere arrived in Benidorm to establish the new parish of El Buen Pastor. Sola and her husband, both deeply religious, developed a close friendship with him. This relationship led to the founding of Cáritas Benidorm in 1975, where Sola and a group of fellow volunteers worked tirelessly to help those most in need. She continues this work today with the same dedication and compassion.
For many years, she also served as a member of the organising committee of Benidorm’s Festes Majors Patronals celebrations, alongside her late husband. She remains an active member and supporter of Manos Unidas and the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and is also a member of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The jury appointed by the Neighbourhood Council to select the 2026 Outstanding Neighbour has highlighted that Sola Llinares Martínez’s life “is an example of kindness, dedication and love. Her generosity, faith and commitment to others have left a profound mark on her family, her friends and the entire Benidorm community, making her an admirable woman who is loved and respected by all”.
Exceptional compassion and social commitment
Benidorm Mayor Toni Pérez explained that “the Neighbourhood Council jury considered that Sola Llinares Martínez possesses exceptional human qualities and a strong commitment to the community, making her deserving of this award ahead of the other shortlisted candidates”. The Mayor also informed the spokespersons of the three municipal political groups of the decision taken by this citizen participation body, ensuring that the entire City Council was made aware of the outcome.
The Councillor for Citizenship Participation explained that, in accordance with the award rules, the jury responsible for selecting the 2025 Outstanding Neighbour was made up of previous award recipients and independent individuals with no connection to any of the nominations, all selected by the Neighbourhood Council itself.
Since this civic distinction was established, Benidorm’s Outstanding Neighbour Award has recognised the achievements and values of residents, including Francisco Fenoll Rostoll (2011), Antonio Gonzaga Picó (2012), Francisco Alvado Barber (2013), Carmen Cerdá Garrido (2014), María Rosa González Mata-Rubio and Juan José García Albarrán (posthumously, in 2015), Casimiro Vila Esteban (2016), Eusebi Chiner Vives (2017), María Zaragoza Lloret (2018), Jesús Rosillo Jiménez (2019), Bárbara Pérez Llinares (2023), Ángel Olmo Quesada (2024) and José Luis Sarrió García, who received the award in 2025.