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Events Calendar The main mission of the British Charitable Society is to help others, but we are also a social organization and we hold events for members and guests in the Boston area. These events invariably have a "British" flavour - such as a fish and chip supper and curry evenings at local Indian and Thai restaurants. We are a splendidly social organization eager for members to meet and mingle with each other (and enjoy it). Our regular events like fish and chip suppers, curry nights, and the odd garden tea party have a British flavour but we throw in the occasional outlier -- like last year’s dalliance with Doyle’s Irish pub in Jamaica Plain – to keep us on our toes. Sometimes events are organized to raise funds, but always to raise fun. Our annual ball is our biggest fundraiser of the year and a grand gala night with all the trimmings. See the links below for witty reports on recent events and upcoming bits and bobs. Upcoming British Charitable Society Sam Smiths and the British Beer Company event at the BBC in Walpole June the 16th, 2010, 7-9 p.m. The British Beer Company will celebrate the ales of the Traquair House Brewery, with guest of honor Catherine Maxwell Stuart, 21st Lady of Traquair. The brewery is continuing a long history of brewing dating back to at least the 16th century. More information to follow! Reports on past Saint Andrew's Night,November the 21st 2009 Scots from near and far gathered in Quincy for the St Andrews Day Dinner and Dance, sponsored by the Scots Charitable Society of Boston, (the oldest charitable society in the USA). The "Brigadoons" from Canada provided entertainment,and there was an exhibition of highland dancing by the Sylvia Calder School in New Hampshire. Armistice Day, November the 8th, 2009 The Consul-General, and the British Of ficers Club jointly invited members of the Society to a Remembrance service at the Old North Church in Boston. The sermon was preached by the Rev'd. Robert Tobin, the Episcopal Chaplain of Harvard University Bonfire Night, November the 5th, 2009 Guy Fawkes night was celebrated in Boston as The British Consul-General Phil Budden hosted a cocktail party on Thursday 5th November at his residence. British Airways cosponsored the event which raised over $12,000 for the work of the Society. In fact BA contributed probably the most sought-afrer silent auction prize, namel two return first class tickets to London. They were won by Ms. Janet James During the evening we were entertained by Ms. Juli Miller and her harp, and were able to view the new Government artwork currently on view at the Residence. Summer Garden Party, August 2009 Mr & Mrs. Steven Clark hosted a lovely event on a beautiful day over the summer. The well attended and much beloved BCS Summer Garden Party netted over $2600 for the BCS. Please click here to go to the October 2009 newsletter "The Charter" for a full report! A glorious day at Wembley saw Everton score the fastest goal in Cup Final History merely 20 seconds into the contest but a resiliant and powerful Chelsea team bounced back with a goal before halftime and then went on to score the winner later in the second half. The BCS hosted a Cup Final Breakfast at the British Beer Company in Walpole with over 30 people in attendance and raised over $300 for the Society. More details about the morning may be found in the June 2009 issue of the Charter that may be read by clicking here. The 2009 Annual General Meeting of the British Charitable Society took place at the British Consulate in Cambridge MA on 28th of May, 2009. Over 80 people were in attendance to hear a report of the Society's activities and a talk by speaker Marchus Wraight. A full report on the activities of the night may be found in the June 2009 issue of the Charter that may be read by clicking here. Curry Night Redux, 16 March 2009 Once again BCS members met at The New Mother India Restaurant in Waltham for a social evening, and to sample what has been called the best Indian food in the Boston area. Christmas Party at the Consul-General's Residence, December 2008 The Consul-General, Dr. Philip Budden, opened his Residence on Beacon Hill for a Christmas party. The chioristers of the British School of Boston sang for us, and joined us in carol singing. It was a lovel evening nd, yes, a modest amount was added to the Society's emergency funds. On Sunday November the 9th there was a Service of Remembrance at the Old North Church in Boston's North End. The Rev'd. Christina Whittaker preached the sermon. (See the January 2009 of our newsletter Charter for the full text of her sermon). After church there was a brief memorial service by the newly created garden where over 4,000 dog tags represent those killed killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. J.K Rowling at Harvard, 5th June 2008 J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, was the Commencement Speaker at Harvard this year. The event is always open to the public and admission is free. The event has no connection with our Society, but we thought that some British people might like to hear about it. Dr. Rowling was born in Engaland, but lives in Edinburgh. Commencement afternoons are often very dull, with everyone congratulating everyone else on how much money they raised for Harvard in the past year. Then came J. K. Rowling. In summary she told how being able to survive severe poverty- alone, with her young daughter and no job - gave her the strengh that comes from knowing her own strength. And she recomended cultivating, and unleashing our imaginations, so that we could better feel what it is like to be in someone else's shoes. The change of tone from money matters to highly personal and intimate ones shocked the huge crowd into the silence of rapt attention. When she had finished speaking, her audience came back from enchantment and gave such long aplause, wave upon wave of cheering, that it seemed that they would never stop. It was amazing. Harvard had never been so stirred since Churchill spoke here in 1943. The text of her address may be seen by clicking here. The 2008 British Charitable Society AGM, 22nd May 2008 On Thursday, 22nd May, 2008, the British Charitable Society held it's Annual General Meeting at the British Consulate in Cambridge and we are extremely fortunate this year to have had Alex Holroyd-Smith, formerly Capain in the Scots Guards as our speaker. Wih humour and clarity he described what it was like to be in an infantry regiment as it crossed from Kuwait into Iraq in March, 2003. See the June 2008 Charter for a transcript. Monday, 28th April 2008 saw the return of the ever-popular Curry Night at the New Mother India Restaurant, 336 Moody Street in Waltham, MA. Christmas at the Consul-General's Residence, 12th December 2007 On Wednesday the 12th of December there was a fundraising-cum-raffling-cum-carolling-cum-meet the "new" Consul-General party, and great fun it was too. Raffle prized were won by:
Armistice Day Services, 11th November 2007 November the 11th was a Sunday this year, and there was the usual Service of Remembrance at the Old North Church in the North End of Boston. The Consul-General and the President of the British Officers Club are the official hosts of this service, but the real hosts are the parishioners who provide us with magnificent reception afterwards. The Reverend Stephen T. Ayres, the Vicar of Old North, preached on the poets of the Great War, commenting how their tone had changed from militarist, at the beginning of the war, to one of compasion for all who uffered in it, soldiers and civilians alike. "In the end," he concluded, "we all remain in God's love." The full text of his sermon may be read by clicking here. The Black Cat Ball, 4th November 2007 The Second of the Society's charity balls was held, once again, at the Harvard Club on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. We had leaned some lessons from the 2005 ball, so this time some of the orgnisational wrinkles had been ironed out and things ran smoothly. For one thing the dinner-time music was much quiter, allowing easier conversation, and the silent auction procedure had been simplified. We had a full house, the guests enjoyed themselves, and there was a solid conribution to our emergency fund. What more could you ask for? |