THE VISION FOR THE BRITISHSPANISH SOCIETY

Transcription

1 THE VISION FOR THE BRITISHSPANISH SOCIETY Cover photo: Spanish Embassy. Summer Party 2013

2 THE VISION FOR THE BRITISHSPANISH SOCIETY Dear Friend, I am delighted to send you this document, which is designed to give members, corporate supporters, and other partners and friends a clear idea of who we are and where we are going. It is appropriate that such a document should be published, as we approach in 2016, the centenary of our foundation as The Anglo-Spanish Society recently rebranded to the BritishSpanish Society. This rebrand forms part of a reshaping of our organisation to cater for the interests of a growing membership, and deliver improved services to corporate and institutional partners, in line with our central mission and core values. PAST & PRESENT The BritishSpanish Society is a registered charity and a non-political organisation. Our Society has its beginnings back in 1916 when a group of British academics, students, and businessmen extended a hand of social, cultural and trade friendship to their Hispanic counterparts in the middle of the politically challenging circumstances of the First World War. The original founding text declared the object of the newly founded Anglo- Spanish Society as that of promoting more intimate relations, both intellectual and commercial, by offering hospitality and opportunities of social intercourse to Spanish speaking visitors in the British Isles by fostering in Great Britain and Ireland the study of Spanish language, literature, art and history and by assisting British students to enter Spanish lands. In subsequent decades the Society endured and sometimes struggled to survive as an organisation amidst an ever shifting political and diplomatic environment affecting the relations between Britain and Spain but its members remained constant in their desire to see the peoples of both countries find common ground in which to encourage dialogue and learn the best from each other. In the year 2000, the Society celebrated the beginning of a new millennium, by moving from being a loosely defined association to becoming a registered charity under UK law. This statutory framework has allowed it to take steps to better deliver on its mission without political interference, but with greater financial accountability and efficiency involving its supervisory Board of Trustees and Executive Council. OUR MEMBERSHIP We are a growing organisation with over 600 members. Our membership profile is very diverse and captures a broad section of British people with an interest in Spain and of Spaniards living and working in the United Kingdom. We are becoming increasingly important in encouraging the social and cultural links between British and Spanish people. Our goal during this is to grow our membership to over 1,000 members.

3 THE SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS PROGRAMME There followed the creation of the scholarship scheme, which today is central to the Society s identity as a charity, and a model of good practice partnership between a not-for-profit organisation and business. Ambassador of Spain (Federico Trillo-Figueroa), Vice-Chairman (Jaime-Enrique Hugas) and Chairman (Jimmy Burns Marañón) Since its inception in 2008, the Anglo- Spanish Society has had the pleasure of awarding Scholarships and Bursaries to over 40 British and Spanish post-graduate students conducting research in fields as diverse as medicine, urban planning, engineering, linguistics, literature, physics, architecture, marine archaeology and music. This has been made possible by the generosity of our principal supporters, all companies with a significant international profile and important presence in the UK and Spain. Our principal supporters are BBVA, Santander, Telefónica, BUPA and Ferrovial. Scholarship and bursaries award ceremony In May 2013, the Society celebrated the sixth year of the programme by awarding nine scholarships and bursaries and one special grant at a ceremony generously hosted by his Excellency the Spanish Ambassador Federico Trillo-Figueroa at his official residence in Belgrave Square. These scholarships will help young British and Spanish students pursue meritorious post-graduate studies and in the process, foster Anglo-Spanish understanding and contacts between individuals and institutions. Recent recipients included a classical musician, a former soldier-turned micro-surgeon, a historian of Imperial Spain, a neurologist researching multiple sclerosis, and a scientist investigating innovative ways of desalinating water. This may not be the best of times for students, and youth unemployment is at a record high in Spain, but we are trying our best to bring hope by unlocking the potential of young minds, channelling investment into the future by supporting research, investigation, and learning that we believe will be of benefit to both the UK and Spain, and be an inspiration to move forward. LA REVISTA For fifty years, the Society s in-house Quarterly Review played a central role in promoting the Society s social and charitable activities. In 2010 the Review changed its name to La Revista to coincide with a new, improved design and the commissioning of editorial and graphic content of a high literary and journalistic standard. La Revista has become the flagship of the Society, forging our identity through the coverage of our

4 events, helping recruit new members, and serving as a promotional platform for our corporate supporters. Received first by our members before being distributed more widely in London and elsewhere, La Revista is a dynamic educational and marketing tool as well as an increasingly popular bilingual magazine, loved by its growing readership. Managed and edited by journalists trained by The Financial Times, La Revista promotes, with flair and diversity, Spanish culture in its broadest sense from books and football to music, food and travel, while also celebrating tradition, creativity and innovation in the UK. PUBLICATIONS & SOCIAL NETWORKS We believe that the objects of the Society can be furthered by the printing, and publishing of relevant works and through our social media strategy, including Facebook and Twitter, to inform and communicate. As well as publishing articles by our scholarship winners in La Revista, the Society has funded research into our history from its foundation to the current modern period. Publication online and in print is being planned in the approach 2016, the year of our centenary which we also plan to mark with a major event in London. In 2013 we launched our new website with a much improved design so that users will find it easier to access information about our events and join the Society online. EVENTS In March 2013, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson was the guest speaker at our Gala Dinner held at the RAC Club, attended by over 200 guests. The occasion was one of the high points of an exciting and varied fund-raising events programme throughout the year, beginning with our Christmas Party and culminating in our no less popular summer party where our individual and corporate supporters enjoy good food, wine and music. Our fund-raising events range from social networking evenings and classical concerts to private art gallery viewings, conferences, and visits to the Houses of Parliament, Eton College, and Cambridge University. Guest speakers at our events have included the best-selling author Maria Dueñas, the coach of the Spanish national football team Vicente Del Bosque, the broadcaster and politician Michael Portillo, and Professor Luis Garicano of the London School of Economics. Our events have helped develop friendships and dialogue between our members, and strengthened links between the Society and the private sector by providing opportunities for sponsorship and crosspromotion. Boris Johnson. Gala Dinner 2013

5 DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS We are aiming to develop closer strategic relationships with organisations like The Institute Cervantes and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in ways that can bring benefits to our members, pooling resources on some events, in order to save costs and boost fund raising. However, we shall also continue to project in our own distinctive way our mission of cultural, educational and social engagement with Spaniards in the UK and their British friends. In addition to an energetic administrative staff, our organisation draws strength from the diverse skills, commitment, and passion of its British and Spanish volunteers, including those serve tirelessly as Trustees and Executive Council members. Summer Party Spanish Embassy. PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESS AND OTHER DONORS In the current climate, many young people are finding it hard to pursue their studies or find jobs, let alone develop the skills that might help bring them fresh opportunities. We continue to be deeply committed to helping where we can. It is a source of some pride that we can showcase our scholarship programme as an example of the positive outcome of our fund raising activities as a charity. It is also an opportunity to honour the talent of Spanish and British post-graduate students who with their research and work are contributing to a better future for themselves and their co-citizens. So we shall continue to encourage companies to participate in our scholarship programme as principal supporters. We shall also continue to offer companies the opportunity of helping sponsor our events programme, and to raise their profile further through our publications and our website. FOCUSED ON GOING FORWARD The last three years has seen the Society bucking the trend, and delivering positive results. We have been increasing our corporate and individual membership, with a marked increase in the recruitment of young professional Spaniards and British, and enduring support from the older generation - showing that we have a future while building successfully on our past. But we know we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. Which is why we remain open to new ideas, and want to encourage growing engagement across the board, from the individual member to our corporate partners, in a project we believe is worth it. The British and Spanish cultures and languages are part of our global future, as are the companies who invest in Spain and the UK, and the millions of people who visit or live in both countries. There has never been a better time to support the BritishSpanish Society. The objects of the Society to which we remain deeply committed are: A: for the benefit of the people of the U.K to advance their education about Spain, its people and cultures, its history and literature, language, institutions, folklore, and economy, in order to promote understanding, knowledge, and harmonious relations B: to educate similarly the people of Spain about the U.K We hope you will find this document informative. We would be very pleased to hear from you, and look forward to working with you to help the BritishSpanish Society grow and deliver. BIENVENIDO! WELCOME ABOARD! Jimmy Burns Marañón Chairman/Presidente

6 EXECUTIVE TEAM WHO S WHO Lucia Cawdron (Events) Amy Bell (La Revista) Marian Jiménez-Riesco (Corporate Supporters) Carmen Bouverat (Events) Jaime Arranz Coque (Treasurer) Jimmy Burns Marañón (Chairman) Jaime-Enrique Hugas (Vice-Chairman) Christopher Nason (Strategy) Lady Pilar Brennan (Institutions) Albert Jones (Grants) Sara Argent (Communications) Jose Ivars-Lopez (Corporate Development) Other members of the Executive Council (as on September 2013); Fidel Lopez Alvarez (Cultural Office-Spanish Embassy), Julio Crespo Mac Lennan (Director- Instituto Cervantes); Muir Sutherland, Sir Stephen Wright, Javier Fernandez Hidalgo (Spanish Chamber of Commerce), John Scanlan, Maria Victoria Yuste Gas, David Hurst, Paul Pickering. Honorary Life members: Dame Denise Holt, Lady Lindsay, Lady Parker, Adrian Wright, Siobhan Songour Honorary President: His Excellency The Spanish Ambassador, Federico Trillo-Figueroa Honorary Vice-President: The Duke of Wellington Secretariat: María Soriano Casado, Beatriz Gago Vazquez, Virginia Cosano Julia Burns: Brochure Design jib2uk@hotmail.com Richard Baker: Celebrity Photographer, Events, Parties and Functions richard@richardcbarker.com

7 (Clockwise direction): Summer Party; Scholarship award ceremony; Patrick Harverson talk ( Managing reputations in the Modern Age ); Spanish family at Wembley; Annual Classical Concert; Summer Party; Summer Party.

8 A society for people with a love of Spain and all things Spanish britishspanishsociety.org Our principal The BritishSpanish Society 102 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AN info@britishspanishsociety.org facebook.com/ britishspanish