About The British Red Cross Society

The British Red Cross' services include:

• International relief and development
  The British Red Cross responds rapidly to disasters and conflicts around the world. It also helps other Red Cross and Red Crescent societies build the capacity to deal with emergencies in their own countries.
  
• Emergency response in the UK
  The British Red Cross has emergency response capability across the UK and is included in every local authority’s emergency plans. The British Red Cross has a special role as an official auxiliary to public authorities in the humanitarian field.
  
• First aid
  The British Red Cross trains over a hundred thousand people every year to be prepared to cope with medical emergencies in their everyday lives, as well as in the event of a major incident. It also provides first aid teams for public events.
  
• Short term support for independent living
  The British Red Cross is a major provider of medical equipment on loan to homeward bound patients. It also supports the statutory services in other ways, including transporting patients to and from hospital and assisting them in their homes.
  
• Refugee services and international tracing and message services
  The British Red Cross provides practical and emotional assistance to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers arriving in the UK. Using its international network, it also restore family links for anyone separated by war or disaster. On average, the British Red Cross reunites one family per day.

The Red Cross Movement is distinctive from other humanitarian organisations. Its role is recognised by international treaties and national laws. All its actions are governed by seven fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The British Red Cross depends on donations from the general public, companies, charitable trusts and the income from its network of some 400charity shops. Money is raised by supporters throughout the country for local services as well as wider work across the UK and internationally. It also receives some funds for specific projects from local and health authorities and central government.

Our history

The Red Cross was started in Britain in 1870, as the National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War, following the inspiration of a Swiss Businessman, Henry Dunant.

In 1859 Henry Dunant had been deeply moved by the appalling suffering and almost total lack of care for the wounded of both sides, following the Battle of Solferino.

He proposed that every country should create a voluntary agency of trained members who would care, impartially for the wounded of all sides, under the protection of an international treaty.

This led directly to the founding of the Red Cross, in 1863, the signing of the First Geneva Convention, less than a year later, and the adoption of the Red Cross (the Swiss flag reversed) as an international symbol of protection.

Today, there is a national Red Cross or Red Crescent society in almost every country in the world.