News and Events -----------

The recently formed Brussels Philharmonic Chorus (BPC) is looking for new recruits. The BPC offers the opportunity for you to perform traditional and contemporary choral literature and major works in collaboration with the BPC’s artistic partner the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra (BPHO).

Details of the audition process for potential chorus members, together with information on proposed performances can be found in the poster above and via the QR code.

If you have further questions you can email the BPC Artistic Director, David Navarro Turres.

The next free webinar from the Commissioner.Brussels Expat Welcome Desk (EWD) will be on Tuesday 9 September from 12h00 to 13h30 and will cover "How to access healthcare in Belgium".

Are you an expat living in Belgium and wondering how the healthcare system works? Join the next EWD webinar to learn how to get affiliated with Belgian health insurance, understand the role of mutual insurance, and find out how medical expenses are reimbursed. You will also discover the EU procedures related to sickness and disability insurance. This session will give you the essential keys to navigating the Belgian healthcare system with confidence.

The webinar will be moderated by Selma Mitri, EWD Manager and the speaker will be Dr. Gabrielle Caceres-Frasquiel, International Relations Department Legal advisor at INAMI (the Belgian National Sickness and Disability Insurance Institute).

To register for this webinar send an email to inscription@commissioner.brussels before Friday 5 September. A link to access the meeting will be sent via e-mail to your registered email one day before the webinar. Spaces for the webinar are limited, so register asap!

Your country needs you! Well UKFC, an 11-a-side football team of UK expats and friends, playing in the Brussels Euroleague, needs you.

UKFC manager, Tom Denney, is looking for fit UK expats with the ambition to represent the UK in an international football league competition that consists of over a dozen European country-based teams. All the Brussels Euroleague matches take place in or around the Brussels region throughout the week in the evenings or at weekends.

Tom is looking for new players in all positions to strengthen the UK team squad for the upcoming 2025/26 season. The UK team organises its fixtures, team selection etc through whatsapp and email.

If you are looking to initiate, or rejuvenate, your international football career then get in touch with Tom by email on ukfcofficial@gmail.com.

The 2025/26 season will kick-off for the UK team against Romania at 20h15 on 8 September at the Centre Sportif Petit Chemin Vert in Neder-Over-Heembeek (Brussels 1120).

If so, you may be able to help Gil Verbeke, a doctoral researcher in the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy at Ghent University, who is looking for native speakers from Southern England (preferably the London area) to take part in a short speech production task as part of a Speech Research Study.

Participants in the study would be asked to record a few words and sentences. These recordings will be used strictly for research purposes only.

To be eligible you should be a native English speakers born and raised in the southern part of the UK, in a native English-speaking household. The study will take place at the university in central Ghent and your contribution should take no more than 30 minutes. A small compensation fee of €10 is offered as well as reasonable travel expenses.

If you are interested, or know someone who might be, feel free to get in touch with Gil via this email: gil.verbeke@ugent.be.

Thanks in advance – and please help spread the word!

The Bridge Theatre's Musical Theatre Summer School for young people is back for 2025. The School offers an unforgettable week where youngsters can build confidence, make new friends and have the time of their lives.

The intensive school runs for five days packed with acting, singing and dancing, and  led by theatre professionals.

The 2025 school will run from Monday 18 August - Friday 22 August at the Stassart House, rue de Stassart 34, Ixelles 1050 (nearest metro Porte de Namur) and is open to young people aged 10-18 years old.

Find more information and how to register via this link. 

And you can get a taste of the Musical Theatre Summer school in this YouTube clip.

On the weekend of September 12 -14, the small Limburg town of Bilzen, roughly halfway between Hasselt and Maastricht, will be hosting its 38th Scottish Weekend (Schotsweekend): a three-day festival celebrating all things Hibernian including music, dance, food and drink, and much more. So, dust off your kilt and get down there!

The first event, a one-day pipe band competition, was organised in 1986 by a few enthusiasts in Bokrijk in Genk. This was a great success attracting some 17 bands to participate.

Over the years the event often moved location but found its base in Bilzen in 1994. And the programme has greatly expanded too. From the initial pipe band competition, a solo competition was added and then Highland Games and Highland Dancing. The concept of a full Scottish Weekend was born in 1989.

With the addition of folk performances, the Scottish market, children's activities and other attractions, the Schots Weekend is a family-friendly, atmospheric festival celebrating Celtic culture and enjoyed by young and old!

Find more details about the event and the 2025 programme here.

The community enjoyed our traditional Summer event on the afternoon of Sunday 22 June 2025 at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club, Lasne. This fun family day out featured typical British food and drink including a BBQ, cream teas, and the famous Timm's Pimm’s Bar!

The refreshments were complimented by a live cricket match, a raffle and traditional children’s games. The occasion was graced by UK Ambassador to the Court of Belgium and BBCA Honorary President Anne Sheriff, who helped draw the raffle.

All the pictures here were taken by BBCA committee member Simon Pascoe and you can find more of his pictures from the day here.

Entrance was free to all and surplus proceeds will be distributed to BBCA constituent charities: the Community Help Service, the British Charitable Fund, the Brussels Branch of the Royal British Legion and The Wednesday Club.

A relaxed crowd enjoyed some increasingly typical Belgian summer sunshine and a closely fought cricket match.

Our thanks to everyone who attended. This year we experimented with a car shuttle service between the RBCC and Braine L’Alleud trains station thanks to Chris ‘Taxi!’ Dalton.

Huge thanks to Ryan from Stonemanor for the BBQ, all BBCA committee members and friends who helped to make the event such a success, and a special thank you to Nikki Hayes, our events coordinator, and past BBCA Chair Glenn Vaughan, who postponed birthday celebrations to be with us on the day.

Cheers – and here’s to the next time!

After an absence of more than 10 years, the Caledonian Society of Brussels is reviving this beloved Scottish tradition. Why not join them for a night of live music, traditional dancing, great food (yes, there will be haggis!) and a proper ceilidh spirit. But be quick - over half the tickets for the Ball have already been sold, and they're selling fast.

The Ball will take place on Saturday 29 November 2025 at the Steigenberger Wiltchers Hotel on Avenue Louise in central Brussels. Tickets cost €150 and includes dinner, drinks and dancing. What to wear? Dress code is kilt, black tie or evening dress.

Live music for the evening will be provided by the ceilidh band The Hoggies and all the dancing will be called, so beginners are welcome!

To book your ticket(s) email calsocbrussels@gmail.com. Pay via the Caledonian Society of Brussels account - IBAN number BE79 3100 6283 1333 – adding the communication: St Andrews Ball with your name + partner name.

Our summer 2025 e-Newsletter has just been published and sent to our members and contacts list.

As ever the newsletter highlights recent community news and forthcoming exciting community events including BBCA events – don’t forget our Summer Garden Party on 22 June! A range of other community activities plus many dates for your diary into 2025 are also featured.

You can access a pdf copy of the newsletter here. Enjoy!

The annual Royal British Legion Brussels Branch commemoration at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in Evere (the Brussels City Cemetery) is happening on Saturday 21 June. 

The commemoration will start promptly at 11h30 and attendees are asked to arrive by 11h15 at the latest. The Military Wives Choir will be present and perform.

The CWGC cemetery is a 5-minute walk from the main entrance gates of the Evere cemetery.  Further details are in the poster below and a location map can be found here.