Charles Betty: A dedication to welfare on the Costa

Having been a driving force behind services that have helped his fellow Britons along the Costa del Sol, the name Charles Betty will be familiar to many foreign residents, especially those in Benalmádena, where the ex-Welsh Fusilier lived for almost 40 years. Betty, who participated in the D-Day Landings, arrived on the Costa del Sol in 1986 after retiring from a busy career in education and settled in Benalmádena with his wife Eileen. The couple became an active part of the expat community and devoted much of their time to helping Britons and other foreign residents integrate into Spanish life.

Realising the vital need to give clear information in English to the growing number of foreign residents using the public health service, Betty worked in collaboration with the British consul and the town hall to set up a volunteer medical interpreting service in Benalmádena, the first of its kind on the coast.

The oldest person to be awarded a PhD by a British university, the former school inspector was also one of the founders of Age Care on the Costa del Sol, an association which is still going strong today.

He was awarded a PhD after completing a 48,000-word thesis on the experiences of older British migrants who live in Spain.

Along with receiving an MBE from Prince William in 2022, Betty's dedication to the local foreign community was also recognised by Benalmádena town hall in November 2024.

Following a proposal from the PSOE, the local authority decided that his legacy should be forever recognised through a posthumous distinction, which was framed within the honours and distinctions regulations of the municipality. The council said at the time that Betty "will be remembered as an example of generosity and commitment to all citizens".

He returned to the UK shortly before his death at the age of 100 in November 2023.