A British summer fete in Madrid — with a charitable goal

Your summer vacation may be a distant memory by now, and the last burst of hot weather looks set to fade throughout Spain in the next few days – but the fall hasn’t completely gripped us yet. For evidence of that, look no further than the British Benevolent Fund’s second annual Summer Fete, which is due to take place from 7pm on Thursday September 24 in the Spanish capital.

The fete, which will be held at St. George’s Anglican Church in the Salamanca district, is a “way to spread the word” about the activities of the BBF, explains Stewart Cusden, the chairman of the charity. A range of stallholders will be present at the fete – from dentists, lawyers and yoga schools, to sports clubs, theater groups and women’s associations – and the event hopes to attract members of the English-speaking community and Spaniards alike.

People can find themselves with nowhere to turn to, and in those circumstances the BBF has always been there to help”

The BBF is one of the oldest English-speaking charities in Spain, with records dating back to at least 1933, and aims to provide financial support and other assistance to British nationals in distress in Spain.

“You hear of situations that people find themselves in, sometimes through no fault of their own,” explains Cusden, a former managing director for oil company Texaco in Iberia and the Canary Islands, and now an organizer of classic car road trips in Spain and other European countries. “They find themselves with nowhere to turn to, and in those sort of circumstances the British Benevolent Fund has always been there to help – always in a benevolent, generous, caring way.”

Britons beset by anything from Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities or financial problems have all been helped by the BBF in the past. “If there is an option we try and help,” explains the chairman. “It might be something simple like replacing a passport, or it might be a repatriation to the UK. We have an ability to move quite quickly, which is one thing we’ve always prided ourselves on.”

Until 2005, the activities of the BBF were limited to Madrid, but now it is branching out to the rest of the country, in particular coastal areas, where expatriates can often find that the dream of a retirement in the sun is not as easy as they expected it to be.

Britons beset by anything from Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities or financial problems have all been helped by the BBF in the past

“It’s been a fairly modest activity, and has been run under the auspices of the British Embassy,” explains Cusden. “But we’re now in the process of becoming a legal entity which will make us an association in Spain. That will give us the opportunity to develop partnerships with other charities, like Age Concern España, which, along with the consulates, is where we get our cases.”

Around 400 people attended last year’s inaugural event, and the organizers are hoping to repeat that success on Thursday. A healthy dose of Madrid’s warm evening sun will no doubt tempt expats and locals out on to the streets, and along to the summer fete.

English Speaking Community of Madrid Summer Fete. Thursday September 24, from 7pm. St. George’s Anglican Church, C/Núñez de Balboa 43, Madrid. http://britishbenevolentfund.org/