Times Christmas Appeal 2006
At the launch of this newspaper’s Christmas appeal in aid of the British Red Cross, of which I am proud to be President, it was rightly noted that many people underestimate the role and importance of this singularly dynamic, humanitarian organization. This year has vividly illustrated the power of the voluntary spirit that lies at the heart of the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement’s work. Across the globe, and particularly here in the United Kingdom, its volunteers give selflessly of themselves to bring succour to those who, all too often, have nowhere else to turn.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Pakistan, which I visited last month. A little over a year before, a devastating earthquake had killed more than 70,000 people and left millions homeless. As I walked through the village of Pattika, 6,000ft up in the Kashmir hills, I was struck again and again by the scale of the destruction, and by the hardiness of the people of Kashmir as they struggle to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. More than 90 per cent of the village’s buildings were destroyed, many beyond repair, and it is inevitably taking time to replace what they have lost.
With my wife, I struggled across the rubble that was the girls’ school where 100 children died. We were appalled by the devastating loss. But we were able to meet the survivors, all smartly dressed in their school uniforms, and being taught in tents as they wait for their school to be rebuilt. The generous people of the UK gave £18 million in a few short weeks to fund the relief and reconstruction effort. Most of this has gone already in vital supplies of “ winterized” tents, food and hygiene kits, seeds and tools and the invaluable corrugated iron sheeting that people in the hills are using to make shelter against the fast-approaching winter snow.
The British Red Cross has been part of a massive international response, with teams of volunteers from the Pakistan Red Crescent working closely with Red Cross teams from 40 other countries in a huge co-ordinated relief effort. Livestock are central to the local economy, but perished in their hundreds during the earthquake. I can only applaud those involved in a massive campaign to resupply the hill folk with buffaloes and cows. The challenge now, of course, is the reconstruction effort. With 400,000 houses to be rebuilt, plus thousands of schools, clinics and small businesses, the Government of Pakistan faces a daunting task. The international community’s continued support is therefore vital.
Closer to home, the British Red Cross’s work to support vulnerable people in crisis is just as vital. There can be no greater comfort than the knowledge that whatever crisis one faces, wherever one may be in Britain, there is a Red Cross presence ensuring one need not face that crisis alone. Volunteers are the backbone of the charity; the practical help and emotional support they provide, without fear or favour, are uniting and strengthening communities across the land. What could be more critical in these ever-uncertain times?
Next year is especially important as it marks 100 years of the formation of Red Cross branches in the UK. I trust it will be a joyous celebration of the many extraordinary, quiet acts of kindness performed by ordinary volunteers, every day, for their neighbours in need, and that are the hallmark of the British Red Cross. This compassion in action was evident in the way the organization responded to the needs of those affected by the dreadful terrorist attacks in London on July 7 last year, and is a golden thread that runs through its swift response to emergencies of whatever scale in local communities, such as attending a house fire or helping a vulnerable older person live independently at home. But it is also its non-partisan, independent approach that merits special note.
Above the fray of politics, the Red Cross inhabits a unique place that enables it to reach and assist people in need that many others cannot or will not. In so doing, it can act as a bridge between communities that may otherwise be polarized and fragmented, and disinclined to enter into a dialogue that fosters respect and tolerance. Today, more than ever, the need for an organization that catalyses mutual understanding across divides cannot be underestimated. The humanitarian values of the British Red Cross are, mercifully, making the world a smaller place. That is why this remarkable organization warrants all our support.
The Prince of Wales