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Our volunteers: 150 years of helping people in crisis

Story
5 minutes

To mark our 150th birthday, we look back at some of the thousands of volunteers who've made the British Red Cross' work possible, one kind act at a time

150 years of our volunteers

Then and now: meet some of our most inspiring volunteers

Florence Nightingale

The legacy of Florence Nightingale, the first professional nurse

Her influence is still felt more than a century after her death

Article
3 minutes
JB-Gill

Six notable people you didn't know volunteered for the British Red Cross

Just a few of the notable names who have volunteered with us

Article
3 minutes
Two police officers and two other men lift cardboard boxes into the back of a van at the time of the mining disaster in Aberfan.

Memories of a Red Cross volunteer at Aberfan

John Cole was one of hundreds of British Red Cross volunteers who helped the local community in Aberfan. Now, his daughter Anna shares his story.

Article
3 minutes
A photograph of Dr John Alcindor.

The famous Black doctor of Paddington

A doctor who overcame prejudice to help others during the First World War finally won recognition a hundred years later.

Article
3 minutes
Hollie Booth, wearing a British Red Cross t-shirt, and her mother Claire stand next to each other in a Red Cross wheelchair wharehouse.

It's been such an amazing journey

Just a year after the Manchester bombing, survivor Hollie Booth and her dance group performed on Britain's Got Talent using Red Cross wheelchairs.

Article
3 minutes
Laszlo

One nurse and Red Cross volunteer on caring for others through coronavirus

Long-standing Red Cross volunteer Laszlo shares his story

Article
4 minutes

Stephen and other children from Christchurch Primary School practise first aid in school.

We campaigned to get first aid on the curriculum - now children are saving lives

By British Red Cross

When Stephen saw a woman who had collapsed in the street, he knew what to do because he had learned first aid at school with the help of the Red Cross.

How Stephen saved a life

Coronavirus: in the world's hour of need, our Movement is there to help

A Red Cross volunteer wears a mask and face shield to protect herself and others from coronavirus.

How the Red Cross is helping in the global fight against coronavirus

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have stepped up their responses to the pandemic

Story
5 minutes
Syria Red Crescent disinfects public buildings

Coronavirus reaches refugee camps: why we must act now

The pandemic could take an even bigger toll on conflict-affected countries

Article
3 minutes
A sign in a window in support of NHS workers

This is how we’re supporting the NHS through coronavirus

Our volunteers are getting people home safely and keeping communities connected

Story
5 minutes

150 years of the power of kindness

Red Cross Spanish Flu poster

Spanish flu: what the Red Cross did in a global pandemic

This is how we helped in the 1918 health crisis

Article
4 minutes
Celebrating 150 years of the British Red Cross

Celebrating our 150th on a Royal Mint coin

A look at the inspiration and history behind the design

Article
3 minutes
NHS anniversary main

The Red Cross and the NHS: a history of helping

A look at how we've worked with the NHS for over 70 years

Article
3 minutes
150 years of the British Red Cross

The beginnings of the British Red Cross

Our museum and archives curator explains how it all began

Article
3 minutes
Princess Diana holds flowers and smiles at a group of adults and disabled children at a British Red Cross camp.

From beans on toast to landmines, memories of Princess Diana and the Red Cross

We look back at the life of a dedicated humanitarian

Story
4 minutes
A British Red Cross nurse from the first world war holds a letter and looks thoughtful in a garden.

Letters from a First World War nurse

These letters from our archive show the challenges of nursing during difficult times, as well as some of the lighter moments.

Story
5 minutes

Family hugging

We help support refugees at every stage of their journey

By British Red Cross

Seeking asylum in the UK can be traumatic – but we are here to reunite families and help people settle in. Here are ten things you didn't know about our work with refugees.

Find out more

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©2021 British Red Cross The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949), Scotland (SC037738) and Isle of Man (0752).

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