Goan awarded in King’s Birthday Honours in UK



LONDON

A Goan has had the distinction of recently being awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours for his services to the community in the Borough of Ealing.

Antonio Flavio Gracias has been closely associated with the Goan Welfare Society (GWS), offering help to those in need, and has also been involved with the Goan Association (UK).

LIFE IN KENYA

Flavio, the son of late Balduino Gracias of Colva and Victoria D’Souza of Velsao, was born in Mombasa, where he completed his primary and secondary education. His father worked for Souza Jr & Dias. The company folded in the 50s, but Dias continued as the Portuguese Consul in Mombasa and Flavio's dad worked for the Portuguese Consulate in Mombasa.

After completing his secondary schooling at Goan High School (which was later renamed as Sacred Heart High School) in Mombasa, Flavio undertook two years of teacher training and later worked as a teacher for four years at the Aga Khan School.

SOCIAL WORK IN UK

Flavio emigrated to the UK in 1968, where he settled down and worked in industry. He joined the Goan Association (UK), after he arrived in UK and got involved in its management in 1985, shortly after it was incorporated as the G.O.A. (UK) Ltd.

In 2015, after stepping down from the Board of the Directors of the G.O.A (UK), he was appointed the Chair of Trustees of The Goan Welfare Society UK (GWS), a charity founded by three enterprising Goans and which was active since the early 1980s, until it became dormant around 2013, following the deaths of two of the three Trustees.

The remaining Trustee, Norma Menezes-Rahim, offered the charity to the G.O.A. (UK) but under the Charity Commission rules, GWS had to remain an independent entity. However, the G.O.A. (UK) was allowed to appoint the Trustees in its first year of operation with a new constitution.

Given that the GWS would be working in the interests of Goans, Flavio agreed to become Chair of Trustees, succeeding Paul de Mendonca. At the time, the other Trustees were Norma Menezes-Rahim, Raymond Lobo and Cornelius Monteiro.

Under Flavio's leadership, GWS went about recruiting members, holding its own AGM and fund-raising but working closely with the G.O.A. (UK) and the Goan Chaplaincy in London, in the interests of the community.

"It was essential that the GWS, became a successful Goan charity that helped Goans in need," said Flavio.

Since 2015, GWS has been actively providing assistance to Goans in the UK and Flavio has remained at the helm as its chairman, with a Board of Trusteees, who are currently Paul De Mendonca, Norma Menezes-Rahim and Rosy De Souza.

The GWS has assisted with the repatriation of the deceased back to Goa for burial, at the request of the bereaved families. During the pandemic, the work involved helping bereaved families to register the deaths of their loved ones and arranging funerals or cremations.

In addition, GWS has been helping Goans with health issues, which included arranging individuals to travel to Goa for medical help and supporting families financially in cases of hardship.

During the Covid pandemic, the GWS co-operated with the G.O.A. (UK) to operate a temporary food-bank in Hounslow to help needy families.

Flavio has not only served the Goans but has often helped individuals of other communities as part of his job in Practice Management at a local doctors' surgery for the past twenty-five years.

“My passion to help others stems from my very nature and I continue to assist those in need as much as I can,” says Flavio.

INSPIRATION TO OTHERS

When asked about his social work and the BEM award, Flavio said he hopes it will inspire other Goans to follow in his footsteps. Flavio is looking at succession planning, as he would like to pass the baton on to someone younger.

The number of Goans in the UK has increased exponentially in the last few years and the GWS workload has increased accordingly and to quote Flavio "the harvest is big, but the labourers are few".

Occasionally, he comes across obstacles, and the most recent is the decision of the High Commission of India not to renew the passports of children of Indian nationals, where both parents are not Indian nationals.

“It has affected our community disproportionately. I cannot understand why the Indian government would wish to make these children stateless and preventing families to travel to Goa, even for emergency medical treatment, creating a lot of anxiety among families, whilst at the same time celebrating Goa's statehood – it does not make sense,” said Flavio.

Always an optimist, Flavio hopes that commonsense will prevail in such circumstances and he will continue his unsung service with the unwavering support of his wife, Bernie, and their son, Martin, who has a qualified doctor.

Flavio is the brother of Bishop Agnelo Gracias, who is great supporter of the GWS, and who is currently the Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Mumbai and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Jullundur in Punjab.