Board of Directors
Phillip Klinker (Chair)
Douglas Munro
Kieran McManus
Cristina Betts.
A The BritishCharity Foundation (FBB) has been working since 1947 to promote the dignity and well-being of older people.
About us
Specialist and Person-Centred Care for Older People
Aware that ageing is an inherent part of life and that it is a reality involving biological, psychological, economic, social and cultural changes, the British Charitable Foundation works to promote the dignity and wellbeing of those aged 60 and over who, for whatever reason, have seen their independence and their support and care networks compromised by the passage of time.
The Foundation’s work, which is divided into five programmes carefully developed by our team, has had a significant impact and made a real difference to the lives of dozens of elderly people who have needed, need and will continue to need assistance with throughout their lives.
In this way, we can give something back to those who have already done so much for us.
The FBB was established and is maintained by the British community and, for this reason, has the British Society São Paulo as its main ally and sponsor. The British Society is a charitable organisation whose aim is to promote and preserve British cultural heritage in the state of São Paulo; it regularly mobilises its community and organises charity events in support of the charitable work carried out by the British Charitable Foundation.
The Foundation’s work, which is divided into five programmes carefully developed by our team, has had a significant impact and made a real difference to the lives of dozens of elderly people who have needed, need and will continue to need assistance with throughout their lives.
In this way, we can give something back to those who have already done so much for us.
The FBB was established and is maintained by the British community and, for this reason, has the British Society São Paulo as its main ally and sponsor. The British Society is a charitable organisation whose aim is to promote and preserve British cultural heritage in the state of São Paulo; it regularly mobilises its community and organises charity events in support of the charitable work carried out by the British Charitable Foundation.
- Welcoming
- Openness
- Solidarity
- Ethics
Our history
Caring for the elderly for 79 years
The history of the British Charitable Foundation began even before its formal establishment in 1947 and is intertwined with the history of the British Society of São Paulo. In 1940, British citizens residing in the state of São Paulo elected a Community Council, which was later renamed the British Society São Paulo, to promote the interests of veterans of the British Armed Forces who had served during the Second World War.
After the end of the conflict in 1945, the community decided to remain active in order to continue its social activities and services in the city of São Paulo. Two years later, in 1947, Helen Stacey, a deeply committed British citizen, opened the doors of her home in Jardim Prudência, in the southern district of São Paulo, to provide assistance to her compatriots in vulnerable circumstances, most of whom were elderly. And so Stacey House was born, a place which, as well as being a cosy home for the elderly, has come to serve as a place where the entire British community in São Paulo can come together and build stronger bonds.
The building that housed Stacey House was a cosy home for around 130 elderly people from the community for almost 60 years, and the starting point for the creation of the British Charitable Foundation. However, as time went on, the residents’ advancing age meant they required increasingly intensive care, and the home’s facilities were no longer sufficient to look after them properly and in a financially sustainable manner.
Consequently, in 2006, the FBB board decided to close Stacey House and transfer the elderly residents to long-term care homes, which already had staff and the appropriate infrastructure to provide 24-hour care for their residents. This marked the beginning of the Acolher Programme.
Expansion of the work
The shift from Stacey House to ILPIs marked a shift in the institution’s focus and culminated in actions that redefined its guiding principles. The British community realised that the Foundation’s work could be expanded and that the time had come to give back to Brazilian society for the welcome and care that their ancestors had received in Brazil. With this in mind, further programmes and projects were established, dedicated to supporting older people in general, regardless of their background.
All these changes demonstrate just how much the Foundation’s work has evolved, grown and adapted over the past 79 years. But there is one thing that has never changed: the care and respect shown to our elders. May the strength of our commitment to those who have already done so much for us help us to go even further in the years to come.
ABOUT US
Meet our team
Executive Board
Andrew Greenlees – Chairperson
George Osborn – Vice-Chairperson
Nicholas McCarthy – Treasurer
Rachel Govier – Secretary
Charlotte Cowell – Director
Richard Lawrence – Director
Philip Read – Director
Audit Committee
Melissa Schleich (Chair)
Dennis Galo
Henrique Furtado
Operations Team
Ana Rodrigues – Social Projects Coordinator
Marina Matheus – Social Worker
Sandra Pavani – Finance Supervisor
Beatriz Dantes – Administrative Assistant
Debora Pivotto – Communications Coordinator
Cristina Almeira – Social Counsellor
Tatiane de Oliveira – Social Counsellor
Certifications
OSCIP – State Public Benefit Organisation – GCMI – SICAP – Silver Seal – BDO Audit
Activity Report
View our annual report and find out about the impact generated by each programme
TESTIMONIALS