British Counsel praises expat teamwork

in 

Spain

Paul Rodwell, the British Counsel, has praised the efforts of expats in Spain with helping new expats fit into the Spanish community.

He especially highlighted the work of special volunteer groups who he has dubbed “ambassadors” in the area of Alicante, one of the most popular destinations for British expats anywhere in the world.

These expat groups have been lauded for establishing a level of “teamwork” with Spanish authorities and helping other expats settle into their new homes. Speaking at the anniversary of his appointment, Rodwell said of the groups: “They are not just helping people; they are also acting as British ambassadors in Spain by showcasing the organisational skills and sense of duty towards their communities for which we are much admired throughout the world. I also want to give a big thank you to all the representatives of the Spanish authorities present here for their continuous help and cooperation, in particular to the staff of hospitals, social workers, police, charities and emergency services.”

British expatriates have long viewed Spain as the ideal destination, especially for retirement, but recently there has been trouble due to the Spanish property saga that has left a large number of expats without homes. For this reason, support and cooperation of the Government is more important than ever before. Rodwell added: “I want to reinforce our commitment to provide and improve the level of service the Consulate in Alicante provides to British residents in the region. In the past few months, we have worked closely with local Spanish authorities and associations to identify synergies and areas where they can work together with the many and well established British voluntary groups.”