British expat charity offers a Madrid night at the ‘Operetta’

Madrid’s San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts will be appealing to visitors’ ears rather than eyes this Thursday evening when expat charity the British Benevolent Fund (BBF) stages its annual fundraising concert and reception at the museum.

‘The Operetta’ brings together a trio of classical performers, all trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London, for a program that encompasses pieces by Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and Handel, not to mention Bizet’s Carmen.

British soprano Jenny Stafford, Irish tenor Ross Scanlon and Yorkshire-born pianist Rebecca Taylor have all given their time in support of the charity and during their Madrid stay will also be offering music classes to students at the British Council School and Runnymede College, whose choir will also once again be performing.

Tickets for the concert and reception, which this year has attracted sponsorship from Diageo, Mahou, Bodegas Martúe and Mallorca Catering, are available from the BBF website priced €35, which includes a cocktail, and doors open from 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

British soprano Jenny Stafford, Irish tenor Ross Scanlon and Yorkshire-born pianist Rebecca Taylor have all given their time in support of the charity

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.

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 chairman Stewart Cusden. “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.”

The BBF is one of the oldest English-speaking charities in Spain, with records dating back to at least 1933

The charity is now in the final stages of the process of becoming a legal entity, which will make it an association in Spain. “Once complete, it will enable it to build on its valuable work and further enhance its role within the British community,” explains British Ambassador to Spain Simon Manley, who is honorary president of the organization.

The new status will give it the opportunity to develop partnerships with other charities, such as Age Concern España, which, along with the consulates, is where they get their cases, adds Cusden.

The Operetta. The British Benevolent Fund 2015 Concert & Reception. Thursday October 22, 7.30pm to 11.30pm (doors open 7pm). Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, C/Alcalá 13, Madrid. http://britishbenevolentfund.org