In Perspective – The Gibraltar Red Cross

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 Wednesday, June 24, 2020 - 09:04

One of the most recognised charities in the world

The Red Cross itself is perhaps one of the most recognised charities in the world, and introductions concerning their activities across the globe are unnecessary. Founded in 1863, the “special status of this new movement was recognised in the first Geneva Convention which was signed in 1864, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield”. Since then, the movement has reached 160 million people each year; its aims being to “prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found, making no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions”.

The Red Cross is made up of an International Committee which itself covers “18,000 volunteers, together with the 192 national societies which make up the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)”. The Gibraltar Red Cross is but one of them.

The Gibraltar Red Cross “originated as an Overseas Branch of the British Red Cross Society and was formed in 1948”. Its activities began here during the Second World War, with the British Red Cross sending its members to care for the wartime garrison numbering approximately 30,000. “Formally, we are still a branch of the British Red Cross Society, but we have our own constitution which allows us the autonomy to act independently of London on almost everything. We remain responsible to our British Headquarters for financial matters, though we are allowed by the constitution almost complete freedom to raise and spend money as we see fit, but acting at all times in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross Movement”.

Gibraltar’s many charities have found their own niches to serve community needs from animal welfare to educational-environmental projects. As a result, “the Gibraltar Red Cross does not fully reflect the activities of the Red Cross in the United Kingdom and cannot hope to do so”. Evidently, there are no disaster specialists as the larger societies have; “nor storerooms full of blankets or water-purifying tablets. Nor do we, for example, offer First Aid Training, as this has historically been done in Gibraltar by St John Ambulance”. Thus, they concentrate largely “on the provision of mobility equipment for the elderly and infirm” and have been successful in raising money to spend on community projects and other causes. “Our constitution is broad enough for us to be able to help others under the heading of "alleviation of human suffering", which effectively allows the Committee to direct assistance to those areas where locally we feel that there is most need. Recently this has included financial assistance to those providing food for people in need during COVID19, as well as direct aid to some individuals”.

Examples of their services range from £20,000 spent on mobility scooters, and helping other charities such as Calpe House, the Senior Citizens Association, and the Cancer Relief Centre. They also collect money for international appeals, “such as that for the Boxing Day Tsunami where Gibraltar raised over £500,000, or Hurricane Matthew or the Nepal Earthquake. What we do ensure is to tell everyone when we are collecting for an international appeal, as in the normal way, every penny collected here stays in Gibraltar”.

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24-06-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR