New Year Honours 2023 Overseas and International List: Order of the Bath and Order of the British Empire

The Society offers congratulations for the following awards.

Paula Boast, vice-chairwoman of the Bahrain British Business Forum, is made MBE for services to UK-Bahrain business relations.

Ewan Robert Reekie, chieftain of the British Caledonian Society Awali, is awarded the BEM for services to the British community in Bahrain.

Christopher Ian Woodrow, chairman of the British Club Bahrain, is also awarded the BEM for services to the British community in Bahrain.

AGM 11th October 2022

After three years that saw COVID and the various lockdowns, finally the Committee were able to have a meeting followed by the AGM where all accounts were presented and of course the main news was the change of Chairman from Brigadier Peter Sincock to Mrs. Heather Harper.

After the formalities about 70 members and their guests enjoyed a convivial evening on HQS Wellington ably organised by Ian Grimshaw and a full report is under the AGM and Buffet Dinner tab on the web page.

AGM 11th April 2019

The AGM proved a great success. We had more people attending than we have for many years. We all had a welcome glass of wine or soft drink of choice before the meeting and after the meeting there was a large quantity of excellent sandwiches and a bar at Army and Navy Club prices. Members took the opportunity to chat and the general conclusion was that it was a great event.

Talk by Stefan Kemball

On Tuesday 11th December 2018, Stefan Kemball gave a most interesting talk at the Army & Navy Club. He told us about the early days of the Gulf Mirror and many anecdotes concerning his, later, involvement in arranging trade exhibitions in Bahrain up to 1982.

Visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

From 15th to 17th May 2018, eighteen members of the Society visited Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard. The trip was organised by Enid Billington and, those who travelled a distance, stayed at the Royal Maritime Club, just around the corner from the Dockyard. The food was excellent and everyone had a good time.

Talk on religions diversity and peaceful co-existence by the board of the King Hamad Global Center

On Tuesday 8th May 2018, members of the Society along with persons from other organisations attended a talk, at the Army and Navy Club, on religious tolerance in Bahrain. Representatives from several religions attended including representatives of the Coptic Church, the Jewish religion and the Hindu Religion.

The event was the result of HH King Hamad’s Declaration of July 3rd 2017.

CPISP

On Wednesday 30th August 2017, Ava Garbutt gave a really interesting talk about the Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Programme (CPISP). She explained that, over the last 19 years, the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, has personally financed the programme since 1999. Approximately 400 Bahraini students apply each year. These are whittled down to between 60 and 70 candidates after sitting a qualifying test. They are all given a years’ intensive training in leadership, report writing, IELTS (International English Language Testing System), SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), Certificate in Management, research techniques and other life skills. Ten students are selected from the candidates. Of the 10 recipients of the scholarship, two boys and two girls from private schools, go directly to University in UK or USA and six (3 boys & 3 girls) from Ministry schools, go to boarding school in UK for a 2 year A level course or to the USA for 2 year prep school AP course. These 10 recipients are covered all the way through until PhD if that is what they wish to do. In 2006, major companies in Bahrain donated funds towards the program to assist in paying towards studying up to the PhD level.

See the beginning of her talk here.

Newsletter – Summer 2017

The Daily Telegraph did an article on Bahrain on 28th March 2017. It can be found here.

At the AGM of the Society, held on 24th March 2017, revisions to the Rules of the Bahrain Society were agreed. The changes were proposed to reflect the changing structure of the Society and to make them more appropriate for the current time. The revised rules can be seen here.