RED CROSS CELEBRATES A BIRTHDAY on MAY 8th

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements celebrate a ‘birthday’ each year on May 8th; the birthdate of Henry Dunant who is the founder of the movement.
Our Red Cross in New Zealand is just one of the 186 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies throughout the world. There are now over 100 million volunteers worldwide and the organisation prides itself on being free of government influence and being without political, religious or cultural bias.

In 1931, the New Zealand Red Cross Society was formed by Nurse Beth Charpentier in the wake of the Napier earthquake and was officially recognised by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Martinborough was not far behind. The first meeting of our own Branch was held in 1939!
The first official Red Cross & Red Crescent Day was held in 1948. Prior to this observance and following the end of the First World War, however, there had been an initiative known as the ‘Red Cross Truce’; initially a three day truce in former Czechoslovakia which took place during Easter time.
At that time, there was general consensus that people wanted peace following years of fighting. The Red Cross Truce led the way for a global peace initiative to be introduced. After the Second World War, and following approval by the Red Cross Executive Committee, the proposal for a worldwide PEACE DAY was accepted. And of course it is quite appropriate to use May 8th to celebrate peace and the ‘birthday’ of the Red Cross together.
Martinborough Group likes to celebrate too! Members of the group want you to share in the happy occasion by having a sweet treat for morning tea. Look for our table outside P & Ks where we will have some delicious home baking to give you. Happy Birthday Red Cross!
Maree Roy