Defender
Supporting communities in crisis for 75 years.
About our partnership
In 2026, Defender renewed its partnership with the British Red Cross through to 2029, when the partnership will reach its 75th anniversary.
What began in 1954 with a specially adapted Series I Land Rover serving as a mobile dispensary in the Dubai desert has grown into one of the world's longest-standing humanitarian partnerships.
Together, Defender, the British Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have helped more than two million people in over 50 countries prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and emergencies.
Today, the partnership combines funding, vehicles, innovation, skills and volunteer support to help communities build resilience and access assistance when they need it most.
Looking ahead: 2026-2029
Over the next three years, Defender and the British Red Cross will work together to support communities facing the impacts of disasters, emergencies and climate-related challenges.
The renewed partnership aims to reach more than 100,000 people through projects in the UK, Nigeria and India, helping strengthen local resilience through training, infrastructure, education and cash assistance programmes.
Alongside funding, Defender will provide NGO-specification Defender 110 and 130 vehicles designed to help humanitarian teams reach people in even the most challenging environments.
Our impact so far
Together, Defender and the British Red Cross have:
- Helped more than 2 million people in over 50 countries
- Reached 134,196 people through recent disaster preparedness programmes
- Raised £180,600 through employee giving
- Trained 560 Defender colleagues in life-saving first aid
- Supported disaster preparedness, emergency response and long-term community resilience projects worldwide
A proud member of the Disaster Relief Alliance
Defender has been a member of the British Red Cross Disaster Relief Alliance since 2019 and remains a founding partner of the programme.
Through an enhanced contribution, Defender helps vulnerable communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. This proactive approach enables faster response when emergencies occur and helps communities build stronger resilience for the future.
For over seven decades, the partnership between the British Red Cross and Defender has supported humanitarian staff and volunteers to deliver vital support to people and communities in crisis in the UK and around the globe. We are delighted to be continuing one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian charity partnerships, helping to ensure that Red Cross and Red Crescent teams can continue to be here for when they are needed most.
Béatrice Butsana-Sita, CEO, British Red Cross
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Disasters and emergencies
We help people in crisis in the UK and around the world.