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

Leading up to 17 October 2021, the Brussels-based charity Community Help Service (CHS) are inviting friends and supporters to walk 50 km in celebration of CHS’s 50th anniversary and raise money to support CHS’s valuable work.

Walkers will be asked to gather pledges for each km that they walk and on Sunday 17 October all will meet up to walk either 5km or 10km (the choice is yours) from the CHS offices in Avenue des Phalènes through the Bois de la Cambre to complete the challenge.

After this final exertion, all are invited for refreshments afterwards at CHS HQ, plus a visit to our next door neighbour's fascinating garden that featured in the BBC production of Les Miserables.

To register for this fundraising event or to obtain more information, please email CHS on: walkforchs@chsbelgium.org.

What does CHS do?

CHS has been supporting the international community in Belgium since 1971, regardless of nationality or circumstances . No-one should feel that they are alone – and help from CHS is only a telephone call away.

CHS operates a Mental Health Services Centre in Brussels, housing an international team of professional therapists who provide support for a comprehensive range of mental health issues. All the CHS therapists speak English and many also work in other languages. The therapists are supported by a team of volunteers who also manage the administrative aspects of CHS, a non-profit organisation.

CHS also operates a 24/7 Helpline in English, for children, adolescents and adults. Calls are free of charge, anonymous and confidential. The Helpline is staffed by a team of volunteers that is recruited, trained, supervised and supported by the mental health professionals working with CHS.

You can always donate direct to CHS via this web page. and the service also relies on volunteers.  

The British Chamber of Commerce in the EU & Belgium (BritCham EU & Belgium) is organising the 2021 edition of the Expat Financial Affairs event on Thursday 7 October from 17h00 to 20h00 at the British School of Brussels (BSB), Pater Dupierreuxlaan 1, Tervuren. This event is open and free for everyone and BBCA will be there! The event is kindly sponsored this year by The Fry Group, ING Bank, and The Brussels Times.

As an expat living in Belgium, you will have to make important financial decisions on a regular basis. Expat Financial Affairs is the most opportune event to obtain essential advice in English on how to effectively organise your finances as an expat or foreigner living in Belgium.

From buying real estate to planning your retirement. From financial planning to sustainable investments. All your questions will be answered during informative presentations during our event. And alongside the workshop sessions (see programme below), you can also visit our exhibition area with stands where you can network, engage in one-on-one conversations with experts and ask all your questions in person.

At the end of the event, you are invited for a drink in the exhibition area, where you can network with fellow expats, visit our stands and follow up directly with speakers on specific questions.

Make sure you register to secure your spot! See you there.

More information and registration for the event here.

Programme details below

It may still be summer, but its never too early to plan ahead!

It is therefore with great pleasure that the Brussels British Community Association (BBCA) requests your company at their annual Christmas Cocktail event to be held (subject to relevant COVID restrictions at the time) on the evening of Friday 10 December 2021 at a prestigious venue in Brussels.

Further details to follow including how to register for the event. We look forward to seeing you there!

Many thanks to everyone who came along to the BBCA Summer Party on 11 July. The event team has totted up the income from the various stalls and we can announce that around € 2000 has been raised for our charitable causes.

As well as donations to our four charities, the British Charitable Fund, Community Help Service, the Royal British Legion Brussels, and the Wednesday Club, that will be decided in the near future, the BBCA committee has decided to make an immediate donation of € 500 to the Croix Rouge Flood Appeal from the proceeds of the Summer Party.

More than 30 people have died in the floods, which hit large parts of Liège, Namur and Luxembourg provinces, as well as parts of Walloon and Flemish Brabant, in the week after our event. More than 100 people are missing and the destruction to property is immense. Today (20 July) a minute's silence was held at noon for the victims of the floods.

If you would like to make a personal contribution to the flood appeal there is a direct donation page accessible from the Belgian Croix-rouge website home page where you can donate using debit or credit cards, Bancontact or virement. The direct donation page is here.

Our thanks to everyone who supported the BBCA Summer Garden Party at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club on Sunday 11 July. It was great to see so many people - many for the first time, for a long time - and the weather was very kind too.

A close fought cricket match provided the background for Pimms, a BBQ, tea and cakes and some traditional children's games. Not forgetting the raffle and a short speech from Ambassador Martin Shearman.

Great fun was had by all and we hope to have raised a substantial amount for our four charities: the Community Help Service, the British Charitable Fund, the Brussels Branch of the Royal British Legion and The Wednesday Club.

If you want to relive the event - or see what you missed - take a look at the photo sideshow below, all images courtesy of our man with the camera Mr Simon Pascoe, or browse the images at your leisure here!

Please join the Brussels British Community Association for a celebration of summer at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club near Lasne-Ohain (see map here) on Sunday 11 July, from 13.00-18.00.

This long-awaited outdoor get-together around a live cricket match will be accompanied by seasonal refreshments and a raffle. Entrance is free and all proceeds go to BBCA constituent charities: the Community Help Service, the British Charitable Fund, the Brussels Branch of the Royal British Legion and The Wednesday Club.

Enjoy a BBQ with burgers, veggie burgers and sausages in baps, accompanied by salad and sauces (from 14.00), tea and cake (from 16.00) and not-to-be missed Tim’s Pimms, G&Ts and non-alcoholic cocktails served all afternoon. Tickets for food and refreshments can be purchased at the entrance (cash only) and drinks are also available from the club’s cash bar.

Please register via this link by close of business on 8 July so that we can ensue there is enough food and drinks for everyone and guarantee that the event respects current safety measures. In the event of heavy rain or extreme weather, organisers may cancel the event. All confirmed attendees will be notified by email. If you have any difficulties with registration or need more information, please contact us via BBCA.NewsAndEvents@gmail.com.

Providing an idyllic setting to the festivities is a ‘village cricket match’ The club captain is still signing up players, so If you’d like to join a team, please contact Nick Compton.

Although tables and chairs will be available, we suggest you bring along camping chairs and tables or picnic rugs to help us guarantee safe distancing and your comfort.

The BBCA and RBCC are looking forward to welcoming as many people as possible. We hope that you can join with us in making sure that this is an enjoyable, safe and (hopefully) sunny event for everyone.

*Covid-19 restrictions will be scrupulously respected according to current government guidelines. Please wear a mask in confined interior areas and when queuing for food and refreshments. Hand sanitizer gel will be available.

The Belgian division of British Guides will be meeting again from September and offers a warm welcome and exciting activities for anglophone young women aged 4-18. They are also looking for adult volunteers to help run their units in Tervuren, Kraainem and Waterloo.

There are four age categories active in Belgium - Rainbows (aged 5-7), Brownies (aged 7-10), Guides (aged 10-14) and Rangers (aged 14-18). All ages and units follow the British Girl Guide programme.

You can find out more information on the Girl Guides website and the Belgian Girl Guides Facebook page.

If you are interested in becoming an adult volunteer with Girlguiding in Belgium, get in touch with the local District Commissioner directly by email.

The BBRFC Celtic Rugby Club are actively looking for new players born in 2006 or 2007 to join the Club's Under-16 team in the new season.

The club has a great offer for young players with unique opportunities to develop talent. The U16 team will be competing in the first division in the upcoming 2021/2022 season.

In addition, each player will have the opportunity to try out for the Flemish National Team. Last year six of the club's players succeeded and this offers an excellent pathway to representative rugby.

There is a great team spirit and new team members will enjoy being part of a passionate group of players, playing for each other in a competitive but supportive environment.

Training is twice a week with the aim of making every player the best that they can be, but - most importantly - have a huge amount of fun whilst doing so. The training takes place at the VUB, Boulevard du Triomphe 40, 1050 Ixelles.

If you are interested in coming to training and would like to know more please contact the club coaches: Chris (email), Marius (email) or Nick (call 0498 950188).

Join the Brussels British Community Association for a celebration of summer at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club near Lasne-Ohain on Sunday 11 July, from 13.00-18.00.

This long-awaited outdoor get-together around a live cricket match will be accompanied by a BBQ, tea and cake, not-to-be missed Tim’s Pimms and a tombola. All proceeds to BBCA constituent charities.

More information to follow very soon… 

Today (4 June 2021) on the proposal of Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Council of Ministers approved a draft royal decree amending the legislation on the acquisition of Belgian nationality in the context of Brexit.

The draft decree will provide for the addition of the certificate and residence permits (M-card) issued to British nationals benefiting from the withdrawal agreement  under Brexit into the existing regulations relating to the acquisition of Belgian nationality, so that British citizens who are legally resident in Belgium on or before 31 December 2020 will retain the possibility to acquire Belgian nationality subject.

The project is now to be forwarded to the Council of State for its opinion.

Draft royal decree amending the royal decree of January 14, 2013 implementing the law of December 4, 2012 amending the Belgian Nationality Code in order to make the acquisition of Belgian nationality neutral from the point of view of immigration. See more (in French) here.