Jamaica Red Cross turns 60
| Sixty years ago, in 1948, the British Red Cross established an Overseas Branch in Jamaica, which was then a British Overseas Territory, to co-ordinate the work already being carried out by the many existing voluntary organisations.
At that time, Red Cross Branches could be of most help to their communities by providing trained volunteers to perform auxiliary work for medical and health services. The Branch undertook specific projects, such as opening infant welfare clinics and convalescent homes, and providing aftercare for TB patients. The Red Cross also established a Junior Red Cross group in Jamaica. | |
| Many settlements were very far from the nearest doctor, so Jamaica needed trained first aid volunteers as well as emergency response teams who could respond to disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes. | | | 
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Growth of the Branch
Jamaican Branch held its first official meeting on 8 April 1948. After six months, the Red Cross had been accepted by the community by: | |
- visiting patients in hospital
- providing aftercare at children’s clinics
- establishing Junior Red Cross units in schools
- teaching in the children’s ward of Kingston Public Hospital
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| running an outpatients' canteen at Kingston Public Hospital
taking responsibility for welfare work at the Military Hospital
setting up a panel of drivers to provide transport for nurses and blind people
appointing representatives in each of the 14 parishes to help with emergency planning.
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| Branch membership and services continued to grow over the following years. The Red Cross started a library scheme for hospitals, a medical loan service in 1950, an ambulance service 1951 and six hospital canteens by 1955. | | |  | |
Welfare and youth work also expanded with services such as meals on wheels and the Junior Red Cross' annual summer camps for disabled children.
Emergency relief
Emergency planning and disaster relief were very important for the Jamaican Branch due to the threat of hurricanes. One such threat occurred in August 1951, when the Red Cross identified 21 strong buildings as shelters and provided food in preparation for a hurricane.
In Kingston, where thousands of homes were destroyed, volunteers staffed offices and shelters, and people were fed from Branch headquarters. Large consignments of food were sent to remote areas. The Red Cross provided clothing until the end of September, by which time 78,907 people had received items.
In 1952 work continued to help those who had suffered from hurricane damage. In 1954 Jamaican Branch was the main hub of a major disaster relief effort after heavy rains caused flooding in the northern Caribbean.
In 1957 the Red Cross provided relief after an earthquake in March and a train crash in September. In 1960 the Red Cross was again on hand to provide support after a plane crashed in Montego Bay and after floods in St Thomas and other districts.
Hurricane Hattie
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| In 1962 the Branch was called upon to play a leading part in relief operations for British Honduras (now Belize) after Hurricane Hattie. Jamaican Branch acted as intermediary between British Honduras, national headquarters in London and the West Indian Islands. | | |  | |
| The Branch dealt with requests for assistance, gifts of relief supplies and money, and welfare enquiries. Volunteers met and visited many evacuees from British Honduras.
Gifts of clothing and shoes poured into Red Cross headquarters and members worked hard to sort, mend and pack cartons for shipment. Gifts from the UK, America, Canada and from Branches in the Caribbean were also forwarded by the Branch.
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| The Jamaican Amateur Radio Association was the only link between the stricken country and Jamaica. Messages they received in their radio room at Branch headquarters were transmitted to the government as soon as they were received. | | |  | |
| Thousands of Cuban refugees entered Jamaica and the Red Cross ambulance transported them from the airport to accommodation. The Branch also provided cooking appliances for the refugees.
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| In October 1963, Hurricane Flora caused torrential rains to flood large areas. The Red Cross looked after people taking refuge in six shelters in Kingston. Volunteers in four other parishes assisted flood victims. The Red Cross continued to prepare a disaster plan to deal with any hurricane event every year.
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Plans for a national Red Cross
Jamaica gained independence from the UK on 6 August 1962. The Branch immediately began making plans to form a Red Cross National Society.
Miss Hazel Armstrong, Branch secretary, spent three months in England to see Red Cross activities and study what was involved in setting up an independent organisation.
Miss Catherine Malone from the youth and juniors at Kent Branch, spent five months in Jamaica to help train Juniors and their leaders.
Throughout 1963, priority was given to planning the new Jamaica Red Cross and preparing the Act of Incorporation, which was laid before the House of Representatives in December. All the smaller parish representatives of the Red Cross were brought under the administration of one Branch.
Jamaica Red Cross became the 103rd member of the League of Red Cross Societies in the first week of October 1964.
British Red Cross Overseas Branches 1896 - 2008
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