Working to find a solution

THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to provide financial help for those Britons in extreme difficulties and with no other resource.

For over 100 years the BBF has sought to help people with nowhere to turn ­ many times exasperated by ill health.

We presently have a case of a British family in dire straits. The father, in his 40s, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer late last year and has been unable to work. The mother, distraught is trying to keep everything together ­ helping him get through the day as well as their three young children.

The father was the only bread winner and although self­employed was behind on his social security payments and has been battling to get his full entitlement ­ which he can only do once his arrears have been settled.

In the meantime, the family have been applying for other state support, but it doesn’t cover the bills ­ all of which are now in arrears.

The family are in a terrible situation where day to day family life has been ruptured by the lack of income, not to mention the awful diagnosis and medical situation that has taken over their lives.

Now the regular doctors’ appointments, tests and rounds of treatment are their weekly lives.

Working with partner charities such as those on the embassy supported www.supportinspain.info, the BBF is desperately looking for a longer­term solution. If his treatment is successful, it is hoped that he will be able to return to work ­ and if not ­ then planning should be in place for the worst.

The BBF is clearing the utility bills and granted a subsistence amount so that basic necessities can be provided, and the family can keep their heads above water. In addition, money for the frequent round trip to the hospital and of course for the children.

But it’s a not a solution and it’s not enough ­ we are working to find a solution with the landlord to see if something can be done ­ and in the meantime our hopes and prayers for a recovery.

If you would like to help with a donation for this and so many other cases that we have at this time ­ please visit www.britishbenevolent fund.org to see how you can help. Thank you on behalf of all ­ Olaf Clayton, Chair BBF.

David Worboys Thinking Aloud

I HAVE just heard of yet another tragic mass shooting in Texas; this time eight people gunned to their deaths in a shopping centre in Dallas. This is the city where President Kennedy was assassinated 60 years ago. And yet, the gun lobby enjoys majority support, nowhere more than in this gun­toting state. Explaining to Texans that universal gun ownership equals innocent deaths is like trying to teach a giraffe to play basketball.

An American acquaintance told me that there are proposals in some states to monitor and discourage jokes about Texans. If this is true then political correctness is alive and flourishing.

Jokes have abounded about other groups of people ­ often those of neighbouring nationalities. They have been directed against Dutch, Norwegians and Scots (for perceived meanness) and Americans, Irish, Poles and East Silesians (for alleged stupidity). And, of course, the Texans.