About Us - Robert Burns International Foundation

About the Robert Burns International Foundation

The amazing work carried out by the RBIF since it was established is down in no small part to the people who devote their time and energy to driving the foundation forward. The RBIF enjoys the support of some prominent individuals, testifying to the sterling work performed in helping sick and underprivileged children in Hungary.

Who we are…

We are grateful and excited to have this group of individuals join us and bring their expertise and perspectives to the work of the foundation to further our goal of helping sick and underprivileged children in Hungary.

Zoltán Magyar

The Founder

The Robert Burns International Foundation was born out of a desire to put fundraising on a professional and transparent basis that was sustainable and ensured sick Hungarian children got much-needed support. Someone had to take the first step, and as President of the Hungarian Scottish Society it was Zoltán Magyar who got the ball rolling.

The Board

RBIF Board

The Foundation Board currently consists of six members, Douglas Arnott BEM, Chairman, Péter Hajnal, CEO Moore Hungary, Robin Marshall, Editor-in-Chief of the Budapest Business Journal, Alan McGregor, AVC Advisory, Miklós Moldován, Senior Partner Moldován&Co, and David Thompson. It is their responsibility to set the goals, monitor performance and to ensure the highest standards of governance. Members also take an active part in the work of the foundation providing advice and practical assistance.

Sir Alex Ferguson

Honorary President

Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of Aberdeen FC and Manchester United and a self-confessed admirer of Robert Burns, is very interested in the activities of the foundation and is happy to lend his full support.

Prof. Dr. György Fekete

Advisory Post

The work of the foundation is greatly helped by our medical adviser, Prof. Dr. György Fekete, former Director of the SOTE 2nd Department of Paediatrics in Budapest. His expert advice enables the RBIF to select appropriate medical projects for funding in Hungary.

Mike Birch

Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Chairman of the Supervisory Board is Mike Birch, former partner at PwC before his retirement. He is assisted by the Rev. Ken Mackenzie, former Chair of the Supervisory Board, who left his post as the minister of St. Columba’s Church in Budapest to take up a new role as the Queen’s Chaplain at Balmoral, Dr Krisztina Szegedy, David Young and Dr. Barnabás Pákay round off the Board members.

Paul Fox

Joint Patrons

The British Ambassador in Budapest, Paul Fox, and the Hungarian Ambassador in London.
The RBIF was set up in 2005 with the assistance of the British Embassy. At the time it was John Nichols, British Ambassador to Hungary, and Béla Szombati, Hungarian Ambassador to the UK, who agreed to become joint patrons and lend their support to the work of the RBIF. Their successors have all generously agreed to take on the role.

30+

Hospitals Supported

1000s

Children Helped

5000+

Sponsors & Supporters

150+

Completed Projects

What we do…

Charity Fundraising

Working with the local and international community

The RBIF works continuously on forging links with companies and organisations in Hungary to develop and expand its fundraising activity. Having raised hundreds of thousands of euros, the RBIF is a highly efficient networking organisation. The foundation focuses its efforts on raising money to benefit sick and underprivileged children in Hungary and Central Europe. This fundraising is boosted by the SME Sponsorship Scheme, enabling regular donations to children’s medical facilities in Hungary every year.

Cultural Exchange

Taking Initiative

There are a number of bodies with an active interest in linking and promoting cultural activity within and between the two countries. To operate effectively, cultural exchange and cultural enhancement programmes frequently rely upon financial support, and are only partly effective or fail from poor funding. RBIF will use its networking skills to facilitate the funding of projects relevant to its mission. The Curatorium will review applicant bodies, decide upon projects worthy of support and through the foundation’s networks, focus upon fundraising facilitation for those projects.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Good management and sound finances

In Hungary, as elsewhere, state owned and private enterprises alike are being encouraged to place greater emphasis on corporate or social responsibility. The RBIF keenly supports organisations who work hard to promote such activities, acting as an added-value partner in their CSR activities. The RBIF sets a leading example of good practice by being fully committed to open financial management, accounting and auditing. All our overheads are sponsored and only direct costs are paid for from donations.

The history of the Robert Burns International Foundation

How did the Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) come into being? Well, in the beginning was The Supper, and The Supper was with the Hungarian Scottish Society, and The Supper was The Hungarian Scottish Society. Except that it’s all a little more complicated than that… (read more)

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital in Budapest is one of the largest level-2 NICUs in the country. Each year, the unit cares for between 500 and 600 premature infants, with a capacity to accommodate…

In 2024 we once again reached out to the Peter Cerny Foundation, a charitable organisation based in Budapest that has been operating now for 35 years with the prime objective of saving premature babies in the Central Hungary region. With staff…

Following a first and successful donation in 2023 for the Jávorszky Ödön Hospital in the city of Vác, just north of Budapest, the Foundation Board of the RBIF decided to continue its support of this health-care institution that performs…

For many years now as part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme, and in collaboration with FirstMed Centers, the Robert Burns International Foundation has supported the Infant and Paediatric Department at the Szent Rafael Hospital in Zalaegerszeg. This…

The Tűzoltó Street Department of Budapest’s Paediatric Clinic looks back on a history of more than 135 years in child health care. This clinic was the very first beneficiary of a donation from the Robert Burns International Foundation back…

Now that we have successfully completed the Burns Supper we are looking ahead to our SME Sponsorship Scheme for 2024, and are actively seeking small and medium-sized businesses to take part. In 2023 we helped hospitals all around the country…

For six years now, the Robert Burns International Foundation has supported the Infant and Children's Department of the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Health Care Centre with generous donations, totalling almost HUF 6 million. The equipment purchased…

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital - Outpatient Clinic in Budapest is one of the largest level-2 neonatal intensive care units in the country. The neonatal wing can deal with anything between 500 and…

With our SME Sponsorship Scheme we normally team up with like-minded companies and on occasion individuals to support worthy projects helping children’s healthcare around Hungary. In 2023 though, for the first time we partnered up with a school…

In 2023 as part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme we were delighted to team up with a new partner, HFI Kft., and we decided to continue our support of the Children's Department at the rural hospital in Mezőtúr, in eastern Hungary. Dr. Ferenc…

What used to be the 2nd Department of Paediatrics in Budapest and is now the Tűzoltó Street Department of Budapest’s Paediatric Clinic looks back on a history of more than 135 years specialising in child health care. Upon contacting the…

The first of our SME Sponsorship Scheme projects to be completed this year took us to the Jávorszky Ödön Hospital in the city of Vác. In conjunction with Norhot Kft., a business we have partnered with for several years now, in 2023 the…

Inter Relocation Kft. has been a long-standing supporter of the RBIF and its projects over the years, and was one of the first companies to take part in our SME Sponsorship Scheme, helping small and medium-sized companies take part in our fundraising…

The Robert Burns International Foundation has been fundraising for children’s hospitals in Hungary since 1998. The very first piece of equipment donated was an operating table, which was gifted to the 2nd Department of Paediatrics at Semmelweis…

Linking up once again with Norhot Kft. in 2022 as part of the SME Sponsorship Scheme, the Robert Burns International Foundation reached out to the Peter Cerny Foundation, well-known in Budapest for operating a fleet of well-equipped ambulances…

The Robert Burns International Foundation has been supporting the Premature Baby Unit of the Péterfy Sándor Utca Hospital for many years. This assistance has enabled the doctors and nurses to care for their patients in a safer manner,…

In 2022 as part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme we were delighted to team up with a long-standing partner of ours, WhiskyNet, who have supported the RBIF in its work for many years. Using money generously raised by WhiskyNet customers with…

A few months after our successful 25th Annual Budapest Burns Supper we would like to give you a bit of feedback on the progress we are making with the funds that you all raised in January. We have identified projects with 6 different beneficiaries…

Anyone who has been to a Burns Supper will not forget the rousing sound of bagpipes and drums in full flow. It really lends a great deal of authenticity to the event, and makes it a memorable night for Scots and non-Scots alike. But how much…

A huge thank you to all the helpers and sponsors that assisted with the 25th Annual Budapest Burns Supper at the Corinthia Budapest. Many people, companies and organisations support us in different ways, both financially and with products or…

The RBIF has supported the Infant and Paediatric Department at the Szent Rafael Hospital in Zalaegerszeg for a number of years now, in collaboration with FirstMed Centers, as part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme. In 2021, despite not being…

In 2021 the Robert Burns International Foundation continued its support of the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Paediatric Department of the Csongrád-Csanád County Health Care Centre. This donation was part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme, and was…

The Robert Burns International Foundation has donated equipment to the 2nd Department of Paediatrics at Semmelweis University in Tűzoltó utca every year since the roots of the Foundation were laid in 1998. Following in his late father’s…

The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of Budapest’s oldest and largest hospitals with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for many different ailments and conditions. The neonatal wing is run…

As part of our SME Sponsorship Scheme we endeavour to support smaller yet no less important projects around the country, and in 2021 we were delighted to be able to return to Székesfehérvár to provide support for the second time. Norhot…

On 29th August 2021 the RBIF held its fourth annual BBQ at the Chefparade Country venue in Etyek. The day started in bright sunshine in keeping with the end of August date, and we welcomed around 90 people to the fantastic venue that is Chefparade…

A big thank you to everyone who ordered one of the Burns Supper Hampers, and we hope you enjoyed a traditional Burns Night meal from the comfort of your own home. Despite being largely closed since the spring, the team at the Corinthia Hotel…

To many of us who have lived in Budapest for a number of years, Paul Mizener needs no introduction. Formerly chef at Budapest’s only Scottish bar The Caledonia shortly after he arrived in Hungary, Paul is now well established as a professional…

For a number of years the RBIF has collaborated with the Nursery Project team, and 2020 was no different, with another ambitious upgrade project in the village of Istenmezeje, in Heves county. A region badly hit by unemployment after the…

The Gyöngyvirág Children’s Home in Budapest’s 18th District is home for up to 40 children between 3 and 18 years of age. Some are orphans, but the majority are children who have been taken into care by law. They are looked after by a team…

In 2020 the Robert Burns International Foundation continued its support of the Paediatric Department at the Csongrád-Csanád County Health Centre in Hódmezővásárhely purchasing equipment that ensures non-invasive respiratory support for…

For the second year running and in cooperation with our long-time sponsor Budapest Airport, the RBIF was able to support the Neonatal Department at the Bajcsy-Zsilinsky Hospital in Budapest’s 10th district. The department cares for approximately…

The SME Sponsorship Scheme has gone from strength to strength since it was launched a number of years ago, and we were delighted this year to be able to support a hospital in Fejér county for the first time. Norhot Kft. is a real estate…

Every year the Robert Burns International Foundation encourages small and medium-sized businesses to get involved in our charity work by means of the SME Sponsorship Scheme. Running for several years now, this scheme enables companies to…

The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of Budapest’s oldest and largest hospitals in Budapest with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for many different ailments and conditions. The neonatal…

The forecast all week held out the prospect of rain, but again we were fortunate with the weather as 100 guests descended on the wine village of Etyek for the RBIF’s 3rd Annual BBQ on 30 August 2020. With plenty of space for kids to run…

On 31 July - 1 August 2020 the RBIF took part in a charity golf weekend to help raise money for the Foundation for Saving Premature Babies and Paediatric Intensive Care in Zalaegerszeg, one of the RBIF’s key partners in 2020. This…

January 2020 seems so long away now given all that has happened in the meantime, but at the RBIF we have been working hard to make sure the funds raised at the 23rd Annual Burns Supper are spent on worthy causes, as promised. We have supported…

In retrospect we were lucky to be able to hold our Burns Supper in late January 2020, given that so many events have been cancelled since March, and we still don't know when things will return to normal. But Covid-19 has not stopped the RBIF…

It was with great sadness that we learned yesterday of the untimely passing of our friend Steven Dick, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Budapest. When Steven arrived in Hungary in November 2019 he kindly accepted our invitation…

On Saturday 15 February 2020 the Robert Burns International Foundation together with the British Embassy took part in the 10th Anniversary Ball of the Premature Baby Rescue and Paediatric IC Foundation in Zalaegerszeg, a body that performs sterling…

A huge thank you to all the helpers and sponsors that assisted with the 23rd Annual Budapest Burns Supper at the Corinthia Budapest. Many people, companies and organisations support us in different ways, both financially and with products or…

The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of Budapest’s oldest and largest hospitals in Budapest with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for an array of ailments and conditions. The RBIF has been…

Following the generosity of the sponsors and the guests at the Burns Supper in 2019 and in cooperation with our long-time sponsor Budapest Airport, the RBIF sought a new project close to the airport. Advice was given by medical adviser Professor…

The RBIF’s SME Sponsorship Scheme is not just about helping small and medium-sized companies take part in our fundraising and donation activities, it’s also about building relationships. This is why the RBIF once again made the journey…

The Szent Rafael Hospital in Zalaegerszeg not only functions as a health-care institution for the 60,000 people who live in this town situated in the south-west of Hungary in Zala county. It is also the main hospital for the surrounding area,…

The Robert Burns International Foundation has donated equipment to the 2nd Department of Paediatrics at Semmelweis University in Tűzoltó utca every year since the Foundation was established in 1998. We support other hospitals as well but…

Various electronic devices including TVs, washing machines, microwave ovens, fridges, irons, vacuum cleaners and reading lamps as well as new beds and a sofa were all part of the package the Gyöngyvirág Children’s Home was able to purchase…

On 1 September 2019 the RBIF held its second annual BBQ at the Chefparade Country venue in Etyek, just 30 minutes outside Budapest. In glorious sunshine, the RBIF returned to the beautiful location in the wine-village of Etyek for a fun family…

Organising a Burns Supper takes a bit of coordination, making sure that all the elements that make up a successful event are planned, arranged and delivered on time to celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s most famous bard. In the 22 years…

A huge thank you to everyone that attended the Annual Budapest Burns Supper on 26 January 2019. The 22nd annual event was held as ever in the Grand Ballroom of the Corinthia Hotel Budapest. As a Burns Supper there are many traditional elements,…

Douglas Arnott, the Chairman of the Robert Burns International Foundation

The Chairman of the Robert Burns International Foundation, owner of EDMF Language Services Kft. and long-term Hungary resident Douglas Arnott has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the UK’s New Year’s Honours for services to charity…

In recent years the RBIF has been intensifying its activities beyond the boundaries of the capital Budapest, and 2018 was no exception. As part of the SME Sponsorship Scheme, and as ever with the medical advice from Professor György Fekete,…

Very early one cold December morning, when it was still dark, we hit the road to Zalaegerszeg in western Hungary, a place hitherto notable to me only for the unpronouncability of its name. I’ve since nailed the pronunciation (I…

The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of the larger hospitals in Budapest with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for an array of ailments and conditions. The Péterfy Sándor Hospital has been…

The keen-eyed among you will have noticed that the RBIF launched a brand-new website in 2018, a platform that makes it much easier for us to let you know exactly what we are doing and helps us to interact more with everyone on social media. Designing…

On 15 November 2018 the RBIF held a charity wine-tasting event in the fantastic setting of one of Budapest’s finest hotels, the BuddhaBar Hotel. The ultimate objective of the wine-tasting was to choose the wines that we will serve…

In 2018 the RBIF and its supporters and sponsors helped renovate a nursery in one Budapest’s most disadvantaged districts. The Wesley János nursery in Dankó utca, district 8 in Budapest, accommodates many children during the day who for…

Hampden Park, Scotland's national football stadium, has been host to the Scottish Football Museum since the turn of the millennium. The insightful article by Stewart Miller revealed the impact that Ferenc Puskás had on him as a young boy,…

Sponsor of the Year / Ferenc Puskás Trophy

The Ferenc Puskás – Sir Alex Ferguson Sponsor of the Year Trophy goes to the company judged to have made the most significant contribution to the work of the Robert Burns International Foundation during the course of the previous year. Stewart…

How did the Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) come into being? Well, in the beginning was The Supper, and The Supper was with the Hungarian Scottish Society, and The Supper was The Hungarian Scottish Society. Except that it’s all…

(also known as Robbie Burns, Scotland’s favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden of Solway Firth, the Bard of Ayrshire and in Scotland simply as The Bard) Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the…

The Péterfy Sándor Street Hospital, located in District 7, is one of Budapest’s oldest and largest hospitals in Budapest with nearly 1,600 beds, where patients can be treated for an array of ailments and conditions. The RBIF has been…

The Robert Burns International Foundation strives to work on an overhead-free basis as far as possible.

This means we are very careful about where and how we spend our funds, to which end we have to know and be confident that our finances are in order and beyond reproach.

This is why our accounting and financial tasks are taken care of by Moore Hungary a global accounting firm, who ensure that we operate on a sound and tax-efficient footing.

We prepare special financial statements each year to present in a clear and easy to understand format where our donations come from, the expense we incur and who we have given donations to. These financial statements are audited by KPMG, another leading accounting firm.

Both Moore Hungary and KPMG provide their services as sponsors, for which we are extremely grateful.

About the Robert Burns International Foundation

Who we are…

Zoltán Magyar

The Board

Sir Alex Ferguson

Prof. Dr. György Fekete

Mike Birch

Paul Fox

What we do…

Charity Fundraising

Cultural Exchange

Corporate Social Responsibility

The history of the Robert Burns International Foundation

The history of the Robert Burns International Foundation

Financial Reporting

The Robert Burns International Foundation strives to work on an overhead-free basis as far as possible.

This means we are very careful about where and how we spend our funds, to which end we have to know and be confident that our finances are in order and beyond reproach.

Our latest financial statements

Robert Burns International Foundation

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