Editorial: Red Cross a gift to the world

The Havelock North Red Cross Shop puts your clothing spend to good use.

On November 10, 1915, Governor-General Lord Liverpool arranged a meeting to co-ordinate the activities of groups of people raising money and sending medical supplies to New Zealand troops at war overseas.

From this meeting the New Zealand Branch of the British Red Cross was born.

Almost a hundred years later, Red Cross is still going strong in Hawke's Bay and throughout the country. In fact the first woman national president, Helen Lowry, was from Hawke's Bay.

To celebrate, Professor Margaret Tennant has written a book, A History of the Red Cross in New Zealand 1915-2015.

She will speak at a book launch at the Hastings RSA today, from 2.30pm.

Red Cross is not an organisation you tend to see in the headlines. Instead it tirelessly works away behind the scenes, particularly in times of war and disaster. Four Bay members went to Wanganui to help after the flooding.

Hawke's Bay Red Cross members run Save A Mate (SAM) courses, teaching children how to stay safe from drugs.

It runs seminars for secondary-school girls called Women In War and runs Meals On Wheels and children's and adults' first-aid courses.

That's just a taste of what this organisation, whose core base is volunteers, does daily.

I can remember when we used to get Red Cross envelopes in the mail box and someone would come knocking on your door to collect them.

These days, along with many other charities, members have to stand on street corners to fundraise.

These people make the world a better place.

-To get a copy of the book, contact the Napier or Hastings Red Cross service centre.