No resources, family or friends

THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to help Britons in Spain in extreme financial difficulties. People with no resources, and no family or friends’ network available.

The BBF works with partner charities from www.supportin spain.info and the British consular network to find solutions wherever possible. Many of these difficulties are often made worse by sudden illness.

A current case is a of a man who came to live in Spain some years ago but who hadn’t done his residency by the time of the Brexit withdrawal agreement and found himself without any medical or state support in the event that something would go wrong.

He had resources and savings and was confident that he would be able to fix the issue and be covered privately until the belated application form was processed.

However, things did not go according to plan.

He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and doctors gave him a small but fighting chance of beating it.

Which he took ­ very quickly savings were depleted, and resources used to pay for private treatment which ate into everything he had.

He sold his car, downsized to a small apartment and made ends meet as best he could, but his world was getting smaller. He was soon on food banks and the Red Cross.

Then the private health insurance stopped.

Which is where the BBF came in with the local charity who had been supporting him. They were helping him with his residency application, and he would soon be eligible for a pension from the UK which would bring in much needed stability.

However, that wouldn’t pay the medical bills for the cancer treatment which he is close to finishing. The BBF has decided to provide the funds for the medicine and treatment whilst the other charity will help with the residency so he can finally access health care.

If you would like to help him and many like him with a donation please visit www.britishbenevolentfund.o rg. Thank you on behalf of the many. Olaf Clayton Chair, BBF