Help International Benidorm is a registered charitable organisation, with no political or religious affiliations, run by volunteers to provide help to residents and visitors of all nationalities in emergencies, times of need and illness. They may have nobody else to turn to. Help operates in English though many of our volunteers speak Spanish and new members are always welcome of any nationality. We cover the area from Altea down to Villajoyosa and inland to Callosa. If you our outside this area see the other Help groups in Directory
HELP INTERNATIONAL BENIDORM – (A POTTED HISTORY)
In September 1994 Patrick Campbell, the British Consul, of the time, held a meeting in Benidorm to discuss the idea of creating a Help organization here. About a dozen interested people turned up.
Enough enthusiasm was generated at that meeting for Benidorm HELP to be conceived. Colette O’Neill who was enjoying the beginnings of early retirement from Social Services in the U.K. Eva Pickles, who had been a nurse in the U.K. and was working as a home help in Benidorm, together with Collette took the project forward.
Eva and Colette, decided to investigate a new community centre just opened. Having been suitably impressed they made a successful application to the manager Lorenzo and so at last Benidorm HELP had a place in which to hold meetings.
It was decided that a room should become a meeting place for the volunteers. Here they would be organized to carry out home visits.
Colette placed an advertisement in the Costa Blanca News. It announced the inaugural meeting of the Benidorm HELP group on the last Friday in January 1995.
Since that time HELP has grown and developed giving aid, assistance and advice to hundreds of people in their homes, in hospital or just visiting the area. HELP has succeeded, through a succession of Presidents and Committees to improve the scope and effectiveness of it’s assistance to the community. That goal of continued development continues.