Queen's Birthday Party 2019

On Thursday, the 9th of May, the British Society São Paulo organised the traditional Queen’s Birthday Party (Aniversário da Rainha), a beneficent event at which the fundraising activities were held to benefit the social programmes developed by Fundação Britânica that assists the elderly who are in a vulnerable situation.

As has been customary, this beneficent event was held at the Centro Brasileiro Britânico, a centre conceived by Cultura Inglesa São Paulo as a place to unite at one address all the institutions and activities related to culture, education, leisure, and commerce between Brazil and the United Kingdom. The administrative offices of Fundação Britânica de Beneficência are also in this building.

We received about 300 people who made the most of the opportunity the cocktail offered to meet friends and update conversation. The list of invitees included the heads of the diverse organisations that are a part of the British Community in São Paulo, both in the diplomatic corps as in the fields of education, commerce, tourism, third sector, and leisure. Several of the Commonwealth’s expats were also present, as well as people with British ancestry that have family ties in the United Kingdom and still cherish its traditions.

To make this event better, this year we had two special participations: the Students’ Choir of the British College of Brazil and the Saint Paul’s School PTA Choir. The children, conducted by their teacher, Silvia Bechara, and accompanied on the keyboard by professor Thiago Araújo, presented themselves at the beginning of the event and enthused the public, especially the elderly folk who were present and are assisted by Fundação Britânica.

British College of Brazil Choir conducted by Professor Silvia Bechara.

The adults presented themselves just before the speeches began and, besides singing some British hits they were also responsible for singing the national anthem “God Save the Queen” right after the toast in homage to Queen Elizabeth II.

St. Paul’s School Choir conducted by the Music director at the keyboard.

After this three people made their speeches: Rachel Govier, president of Fundação Britânica, who highlighted the history of the British Community in São Paulo and the work that is being carried out by the FBB in order to benefit the elderly that are participating in our projects; Emily Shirtcliff, Minister-Counsellor of the British Consulate in São Paulo, who focused the existing various areas of cooperation between the United Kingdom and Brazil; and Sérgio Carré, who gave a beautiful testimony about the help given to his mother over her last years by the Fundação and is, at present, giving to his father.

Closing the event we had the draw of the beneficent raffle conducted by our Master of Ceremonies, Marcos Versteeg, with the help of the girl scouts of the Carajás Group. Over 20 prizes donated by our supporters were handed to the winners while the public continued amusing themselves and taking advantage of the party’s delicious eats and drinks.

Thanks to our sponsors, supporters and donors we were able to close the event this year with about R$ 15 thousand “profit” as a result of donations, sales, and raffle. As already mentioned, all this fundraising, will be used in benefit of our social projects focused on the elderly among which we single out the Conviviality Centre for the Elderly.

We would like to thank all or you who have helped us arrive at this excellent result and we hope that you will continue supporting us on the following editions of the Queen’s Birthday Party, the main beneficent event organised by the British Society. For this reason we want to express our gratitude to all those who have helped us and also to our partners!