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Postcard from Solferino:5 (well, kind of…)

By Mark Cox
June 29, 2009 at 3:58 pm

Can I have my blog back now please? Finally, after a week a week in Italy celebrating the Movement’s 150th anniversary, where I had to hand over this space to a bunch of mewling and demanding younglings (or British Red Cross youth delegates, to give them their proper name), Cox is now back in the blog driving seat. And back in the UK, in fact – after an eventful planes, trains and automobiles-type journey home yesterday.

It was a good week, all said, and a particularly fruitful event for the British Red Cross. As an impartial observer, I can attest – hand on heart, no word of a lie, guv – that the British Red Cross’ stand was one of the busiest and most welcoming in the whole place. On reflection, this is because:

1. Our volunteers and staff shouted out ‘Hello!’ and virtually grabbed at anyone and everyone who walked past. (Some other delegates just skulked uncomfortably when you approached their stand, as if you were rudely staring through their front window. One National Society, who shall remain nameless, handed out all their freebies on the first morning then promptly shut up shop.)
2. We had lots of free goodies (badges, mobile phone ‘flashers’ etc) to hand out.
3. Our stand provided ‘stuff to do’. Visitors could pledge to join our Positive images campaign, sign the giant wall filled with posters (we got hundreds and hundreds of signatures) or even relax and get a therapeutic massage.

It’s also worth mentioning that even our youngling delegates – when they weren’t picking on me and calling me Grandad – equipped themselves admirably. Throughout the week, they led workshops, got involved in all kinds of complicated-sounding committees and networked like dynamos.

On the final night, we joined five / eight / ten thousand others (no-one seems sure of the exact number) for the famous Fiaccolata – or torch-lit procession – marching for around ten kilometres in Henry Dunant’s footsteps. This was unquestionably the highlight of the whole week. Everyone was given a HUGE candle and then we set off – cheered on by friendly locals throughout – through the rambling Italian hills and villages.

We reached the peak of one particular hill just as day turned to night, and suddenly you could see this great snake of torch-lights stretching and weaving as far as the eye could see. People started singing and hundreds of smiling faces were bathed in candle-light. It was a magical and moving moment, and – predictably – also the point at which my camera battery ran out. Still, some images you’ll never forget.

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Tags: emergency response, First aid, Solferino, volunteer

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