WHAT’S UP WITH THE RED CROSS?
The short answer to that is … plenty. Red Cross has been much in the news recently with the revelation that one of its nurses working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Syria, has been missing since 2013. Louisa Akavi with six of her companions had been abducted then, and this sad situation is made all the worse for us because she is a New Zealander. NZ Red Cross Secretary General Niamh Lawless in an online release to members said: ‘Louisa has dedicated her life to those affected by war and violence, and she went to Syria because people needed her. She wanted to use her skills to make a difference for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.’ An experienced nurse and midwife, Louisa has been working with the organisation since 1987 when she was deployed to Malaysia to help Vietnamese refugees. Syria was her 17th field mission, and she has always been well aware of the risks and dangers faced in the interests of helping people in need.
Her story is just one of many examples of people who belong to the Red Cross. In Martinborough the Group members, although not facing such danger or extreme circumstances, are still united in their wish to help people.
Red Cross activities have changed and increased radically since its inception in the 1860s; inspired by a vision of Genevan born Jean Henri Dunant; who was appalled by the sufferings of wounded soldiers in the Battle of Solferino, and afterwards dedicated his life to ensure they would never occur again. In 1862, he wrote a book entitled “A Memory of Solferino”, which outlined his idea to foster the creation of a world-wide society for the relief of the military wounded. And so the ‘Red Cross’ was born. Each year, the Society all over the world use Dunant’s birthday (8th May) to have a birthday of its own. Here in town, we do too; and will be having a mini celebration outside Pain & Kershaw’s store. Look out for our balloons and festive table and have a piece of delicious cake. We are not requesting donations, by the way; it’s a party and a way of remembering our mission statement ‘Always Needed, Always There’. The date is WEDNESDAY 8th MAY, from about 10a.m. See you there!
Maree Roy (Co-ordinator)
ph 3069319/0274329634
email maree.greenfrog@gmail.com.
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