CORONATION PARTY ISLA DEL REY

By Beverley Ward

It was party time all over the UK, quiches, coronation chicken and champagne being enjoyed by all and sundry! So, we weren’t going to be left out of the fun here in Menorca. The brilliant idea of celebrating on Isla del Rey was the brainchild of our very own Robin West, the man in charge of the St George’s Anglican Chapel.

The Foundation - who fortunately much appreciate the minority but very useful element of the British volunteers - agreed wholeheartedly to our using the Chapel and island to party. Even to the point of Hauser & Wirth offering some free places on the catamaran and visitors were offered a free tour of the hospital.

After the typical Sunday morning work, we habitually all gather at 11.00 for refreshments and are joined by the visitors. On this Sunday, in addition to the usual snacks offered by Binifadet, everyone was treated to the delights of British cooking prepared by some of us, including Victoria’s marmite sandwiches. There were delicious scotch eggs, coronation quiches and sausage rolls from Son Vilar Bodega and huge pork pies from C’an Dulcesadly I never got close enough to grab a piece of these.

With Robin giving a short speech in well-rehearsed Spanish, he invited all the volunteers and visitors to raise a glass to King Charles III, regardless of nationalities, races and creeds but united together in three cheers. A great moment.

From then on it was more purely a British affair. We missed our much-loved Rev Paul Strudwick who was in Canada, but fortunately for us, Reverend Michael Higgins was kind enough to stand in. He did an excellent job in a short but poignant religious service in the Chapel. We then moved across to the Church Hall, to hear a speech by Luisa Coll, our honorary Consul. There was an attentive and crowded audience, each with a glass of cava in hand for the traditional toast to the King and three cheers. At this point in the day, there were about 80 people who overflowed from the Chapel and Church Hall and the whole area was permeated with a vibrant and happy energy. Although we were far from London, our thoughts were there.

I must say it was a great pleasure to have the opportunity to meet up with old friends who, for one reason or another don’t coincide normally. After the ceremonies, the happy picnickers went off to stake their claim on the chairs and tables outside, while others went to La Cantina restaurant and partied until well into the afternoon.

I can’t finish without mentioning a very special guest, Captain Bob Radford, who is an example to all for his courage and spirit of independence He celebrated his 82nd birthday with us on this day and we remembered how he cycled over 80 km on a static bike on his 80th birthday to raise a huge sum for our ramp, despite his limitations from a broken neck.

It goes without saying that a lot of volunteers of Isla del Rey, both British and Spanish, put a great deal of effort into making this lovely day possible, and without giving a long list of names, I would like to give a very big thank you to you all.

Long live the King!

Casas en Menorca is an estate agency combining more than 40 years of experience in real estate on the island with Isabel Petrus at the helm. It is very much a family company, as Isabel’s son Dino and two of her nieces, Teresa and Virginia, also work there today.

The CasasenMenorca.com brand came to fruition as a result of the transformation and improvement of the estate agency Oliver Mateu at the beginning of the 1990s. Isabel took over and with hard work and determination developed it into the company it is today.

In 2012, CasasenMenorca.com took an important step forward, rebranding the company with a new image and a comprehensive customer support service, distinguishing itself as a pioneer on the island. One notable achievement was the assessment and subsequent successful sale of the Sant Lluis Industrial Estate.

Despite some challenging times particularly during this period, the commitment and trust that we transmit to our clients has placed us at the forefront of the industry in the number of successful operations carried out.

5 Offices With An International Team

Clients who choose to work with us benefit from a comprehensive service that encompasses everything related to real estate from our international team.

Due to the size of the company, the number of offices and our marketing power, we have an extensive portfolio of clients of various nationalities. Currently (at the time of this going to press) we have a team of 12 specialised real estate advisors, each one dedicated to their own clientele, whether it be due to the languages they speak or the area or type of property they want to buy or sell. Our team are trained in sales and customer service and make it their business to really know the properties that we are selling to create a close working relationship with our clients.