British Embassy Party

IT was with great pleasure that the proprietors of Euro Weekly News Michel and Steven Eues den were invited to the Spring Cocktail Party at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Madrid on Tuesday June 6.

It was a glorious day and there was a very large number of guests who took advantage of the large garden which gave them the opportuni ty to chat with friends old and new. Tempera tures were soaring in Madrid, a true reflec tion on the world of commerce in the re gion and it seems that the after effects of Brexit and Covid now seem to be a distant memory.

Speaking to those present, Ambassador Hugh Elliott explained that interrelationships between Spain and the rest of the world have never seemed to have been in such a sturdy state. The investments coming in from South America are most definitely making the economic recovery a far easier journey with regards to the economic growth of Spain and the region and coincidentally there has been a massive hike in property prices in this region.

La Cámara, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce saw a change of President ­ Hugh Elliott gave a massive thanks and round of applause to demonstrate his appreciation for all the work done by Aida Garcia ­ and welcomed the opportunity to work with lawyer and long ­ standing member of the BCC, Ralph Smith.

The Ambassador was in excellent form on this occasion and Olaf Clayton was a wonderful networker and introducer which comes as no surprise given his role in the British Benevolent Fund, which is the oldest charity for foreigners in Spain today and

Olaf is THE conduit of communication between a problem and a solution.

Be it a victim of domestic abuse ­ violence ­ dependencywhen all help fails us the foreigner here in our adopted landOlaf and his team somehow find the resources to offer a solution.

It was a superb evening of celebration and almost gaiety, although the tide of business attire did not reflect the optimism and excitement of times to come here in Spain

It is getting towards the end of the tenure of Hugh Elliott and although the Euesdens have said it about the past three Ambassadors they do believe he has survived some hard times with aplomb.

He is very much like the IF character of Rudyard Kipling…

IF ­ you can keep your head when those around you are losing theirs … They were and he did!

Apart from the many people they met at the event, Michel and Steven were pleased to catch up with their friend Derek Langley of the British Chamber of Commerce and would like to thank the Ambassador for such a superb evening of commercial celebration ­ it was an honour to be invited.