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The ‘charity of last resort’
THE mission of the British Benevolent Fund is to act as a ‘charity of last resort’ for those Britons in Spain who have nowhere else to turn and face extreme financial hardship.
With the growing number of British nationals who we help returning to the UK many of whom are vulnerable people with long term illnesses the BBF plays a vital enabling role. For people with serious illness or impairment travelling alone is impossible.
We are indebted to volunteers who give up their time to help others. Unfortunately travel these days is more of a challenge than ever however nobody could have foreseen the ordeal that one went through to help a vulnerable British lady be repatriated from a Malaga hospital so she could be moved to a UK medical facility. The volunteer, a retired police officer, left her home at 6pm on a Wednesday to go to Malaga Airport. She arrived at 7.30pm and left her car at the airport and took a taxi to the hospital to collect the patient. She obtained the paperwork from the ward nurse and were taken to the airport by ambulance. On arrival at 9.00pm we went to Sin Barreras Assistance Team who escorted them through security to the boarding gate at 9.30pm for the 11.25pm flight. At 9.51pm she was informed by the airline the flight was delayed until 11.55pm. At 9.52pm she was informed the flight was now delayed until 02.55am on the following day. At 10.59pm she was informed the flight was cancelled. Airport Assistance rebooked them on an 11.20 the following day.
The patient could not stay overnight at the airport or in a hotel as she was in a wheelchair and could not walk and needed personal hygiene products.
They were sent to Malaga A
& E where they stayed in a small side toom until 07.00 the following day and repeated the process of the previous day.
On boarding the aircraft they were informed there was a four hour wait before takeoff. They eventually landed and the volunteer handed over to her relative and the airport care team. She is now in a residence receiving 24hour care.
The journey was a nightmare, but we were able to get the patient to the care she needed. The BBF can only do this with your generosity. If you would like to support our work helping others who have nobody else to turn to please visit our website to donate. www.britishbenvolentfund.or g
Thank you.
Olaf Clayton, Chair, BBF.
SHORT SNOOZE: Better for one’s health than a long siesta.
