The British Community Foundation (BCF), a new non-profit initiative aimed at supporting the welfare of Qatar’s 23,000-strong British expatriate community and fostering stronger ties with the country, was launched on Monday.

The event, hosted by UK’s Ambassador to Qatar Neerav Patel at the Embassy, brought together top officials and representatives from across the country’s British expatriate community. BCF’s upcoming calendar of events was also unveiled.

Patel, who also chairs the BCF Council, praised the ‘vibrant, diverse, and engaged community’ of Britons in Qatar, noting the ‘multi-generational link’ the two countries shared.

“We know that life here can be rich and diverse and really rewarding. But I also am conscious that sometimes you need a bit of support and you need a community to help situate you and generate it. We wanted to do something to energise and bring the community together in a more organised way,” he said.

Patel extended an invitation to all British nationals in Qatar to participate in upcoming events. The Foundation’s upcoming calendar for the autumn and winter seasons includes a weekly playgroup for parents and pre-schoolers, a monthly mixer for Brits in Doha, support groups and family days for British Special Educational Needs families, town hall meetings for community feedback, and a Winter Bazaar to be held at the ambassador’s garden.

The BCF operates independently, but in close co-ordination with the British Embassy in Doha, the British Council, and other community organisations. It will be overseen by a Council of six volunteers from the British community in Qatar, with Deputy British Ambassador Duncan Hill serving as vice-chair, and David Lish of Doha College acting as treasurer.

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