Mavis Bond arrived in Mellieha in July 1966 with her husband Bob, on holiday from Libya, where they were both teaching. They were offered a house to buy in Sammy Bartolo Street and agreed to purchase it. Mavis is still living in thishouse to the present day. This was the beginning of her ‘love affair’ with the village which has lasted more than 50 years.
September 1989: Mavis retired from her teaching career in the United Kingdom, Spain and Libya. Mavis joined the British Residents Association Mellieha Group. January 1991: Mavis was elected on the Mellieha BRA Committee as a Social Secretary.
March 1995: Mavis served on the BRA Council as representative of the Mellieha Group.
January 1996: Mavis became Chairman of BRA Mellieha Group for the first time.
September 1996: Mavis became Membership Secretary of the BRA Council.
March 2003: Mavis became Vice Chairman of BRA Council and later Acting Chairman of BRA Council.
November 2004: Mavis retired from the role due to ill health and an operation. However, Mavis continued to organise social events in particular an Annual Gala Night in Mellieha for the national BRA. This event is now in its 24th year and still takes place in a Mellieha restaurant annually, drawing BRA Members from all over Malta and even some from the United Kingdom.
January 2011: The Mellieha Group was in danger of folding, but Mavis, in spite of having to take care of her husband who was seriously ill, agreed to take on the role of Chairman BRA Mellieha in order to keep the Group going and with the help of several good friends, set up a new Committee.
Thanks to Mavis, BRA Mellieha survived the crisis and is still very active to this very day with over 100 Mellieha residents as members.
2011 – 2017 – Mavis who is now 83 years of age, is still serving as Chairman BRA Mellieha. She had decided to retire when she reached the age of 80 but agreed to carry on for another three years to keep the Group going on. Mavis still represents the Group on the BRA Council to this day in spite of the infirmity of her age. This year, due to lack of a full Mellieha BRA Committee, Mavis also acts as the Social Secretary of the Group, organizing a different interesting activity every month. Last year Mavis organized a visit to Parliament House and the year before a visit to the President’s Palace at San Anton. Under Mavis’ chairmanship, the Group organises a Coffee Morning every month in a Mellieha Hotel where members meet in friendship. During these meetings, which are very well attended, members are entertained by a Quiz twice a year as well as by talks by various mainly Maltese Speakers, on general information, Maltese history, medical and other important subjects. Members of Mellieha Local Council are regularly asked to give informative talks about the work of the Council. Important birthdays are remembered as well as big anniversaries.
Mavis chairs a committee once a month where Committee members discuss different ways of entertainment for the Group. Welfare plays a very important part in the agenda. Members who are sick or in hospital are visited and help given where necessary especially to the elderly living on their own. Under Mavis’ guidance and vast experience problems are solved as soon as possible.
As part of the appreciation of the Local Council‘s hard work for the town of Mellieha, the Group presented benches to be placed in the children’s play area and garden situated in Mellieha Heights.
Mavis has been a member of the Men of the Trees, now known as The International Tree Foundation Malta Branch, for many years. This Foundation plants indigenous trees to embellish the landscape. Several members of Mellieha BRA Group were members over the years and in fact some, including Mavis, still are members. They also send young people to do voluntary work in Orphanages and Homes. They have raised money for the setting up of the Garden for the Blind in Santa Venera and the Floral Clock in Valletta.
We all thank Mavis for all her hard work over the many years for our BRA Group.
Information supplied by Mellieha Group