The British Charitable Fund

[Pickles]

I hadn't heard of this organisation, but it looks like it may be of interest to those who hit very hard times in France, or for the information of those of you who come across desperate cases - which we have read of in the past on this forum:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27937747

[idun]

A very interesting article Pickles.

The example of the young couple though initially made me very sympathetic....... until they said, he had to work in the UK for three weeks a month............ boo xxxx hoo!

Yes,  lots of people have to work away to make a crust. In fact about 60% of the couples I know in the UK have been in exactly that situation all or most of their married lives and I know a few in France too.

AND frankly if he has a job in the UK, they could move back, OR are they like the Duke of Windsor and not permitted.

Maybe this is down to journalists, but frankly, I get annoyed when they  report  'normality' as if it is something other than it is.

[Gardengirl]

I'd never heard of them before we received an email from them last week; they were asking us to publicise their work to members of an association we belong to in France. I also heard an interview with somebody from them - it sounded as though they do a lot of good, as does the article.

[PaulT]

It is difficult to know how realistic and common things are you see on the TV.

I am amazed at some of the programmes where people with young children are going to leave the UK and go to another country and open a business. They do not speak the language, never been in the business they propose and seem to have no business plan or even carried out any research.

Presumably some of these then fail and look to be bailed out.

The case of the electrician - wonder if he knew there was a difference between UK and French wiring etc.

[idun]

I think that this organisation is a good idea to give people a little help. No one should 'depend' on them surely, there is after all welfare benefit in France these days.

I know of a young couple who did just as you said PaulT, no spannish when they moved to Spain years ago and started a business. And they did well, spoke spannish, had their family there and then ended up going into bigger better business with very charming con men and lost everything. They didn't take to spannish streets though. They returned to the UK, where they had to plead poverty for about a two months. Both got jobs, and started afresh. They have paid their taxes etc since their bumpy return and done well.

When we first moved to France within three years, we had a 16 odd %mortgage on a half finished house that would have been unsellable if we had had to leave. Our savings gone on said house, which in comparison to UK prices at the time cost a fortune, as where I lived in France was very expensive. Within 5 years of living there and a mortgage that was not even paying off all the interest every month, we owed more than we had borrowed by then, our old house in the UK had gone up to the point where it was worth more than our french house.

IF it had gone pear shaped, which it could have, well we would have simply moved back and started again with nothing, well debt to be honest. Personally I do not get the trapped thing, for the young, just get on with it and start again, and I would always say, making a new start is probably easier in the UK.

The old, well, good sense should tell them many of these things can influence life abroad ie exchange rates, not being near family, what would happen when one of them died, because unless they went together, that is inevitable. And living in the middle of nowhere, is that practical? Which it NEVER would have been for me at any age, unless I was filthy rich. They make their choices and are their problems any one else's?

As I said, this sounds like a great charity to give a little support, and a 'little' everytime can go a long way can't it.