The British Red Cross supports health and social care projects around the UK. From helping people home from hospital to supporting people to feel less lonely, we can help.
From helping people home from hospital to loaning wheelchairs, the British Red Cross does a lot more to promote health and wellbeing in the UK than you might think. In fact, we have been providing health and social care services for around 70 years.
Here are ten things you may not know about our health and social care work in the UK.
We know what you’re thinking: “Who knew the British Red Cross worked with the NHS?” Well, we actually have a long and proud history working in the health and social care sector. Join us on a journey through the years.
There have been lots of stories in the media recently about the pressures faced by hospitals across the UK. During this busy period, the British Red Cross stepped-up some of our existing health and social care services to help. We also pointed out that the health and social care crisis could get worse without urgent action.
We’ve been listening to the debates and your comments on social media. Here are a few answers to some of the key issues raised.
How can you improve women’s health in Guinea? Or help people in Haiti who have lost everything after Hurricane Matthew?
You could give to an emergency appeal to fund our life-saving work. But if you’re after something with a bit more direct involvement, then taking part in a mapathon could be the answer.
Missing Maps is a volunteer-led project that sees people from across the world create maps that could help people survive and recover from crisis. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection. More
This blog was updated on 15 May 2019
Yemen is in the grip of an unprecedented cholera outbreak.
It is the largest and fastest-spreading epidemic since the World Health Organization began recording outbreaks in 1949. After the outbreak peaked in 2017, a second wave of cases began in August 2018 and has continued into 2019.
Since Cyclone Idai tore through southern Mozambique in March, there have been at least 6,596 cases of cholera. More than 90 health centres were either damaged or destroyed and sanitation facilities remain inadequate, making the situation very dangerous.
In this blog, British Red Cross health adviser Greg Rose explains the threat posed by this potentially life-threatening disease.
What would you do if cyclones flooded the farmland you depend on every year?
Imagine living in an area that floods nearly every year.
For two to three months, you earn can no money and have to leave your home because it is surrounded by several feet of water.
Your house and farm animals can even get swept out to sea.
Despite working hard and saving between the cyclones, your family gets caught in this cycle year after year.
In 2013, the Red Cross, with our partner the Bangladesh Red Crescent, started supporting people in coastal villages in a new way.
If you were a granny in Afghanistan, you would be one of the most influential and respected members of your community.
“Afghan grandmothers are valued authority figures,” said Justin Dell, Afghanistan country manager at the British Red Cross.
“Many younger women in rural communities have to do what others tell them to do, particularly their fathers or husbands.
“But everyone will listen to grandmothers and follow their advice.
“This includes men, many of whom are the women’s own husbands, sons or sons-in-law.”
© Steve Debenport
The new academic term is a time for meeting fresh faces, getting to grips with new timetables… and freshers’ flu. But are you sure that’s what your flu-like symptoms are?
Students sometimes miss the signs of a much more serious illness known as meningitis because its symptoms are similar to that of freshers’ flu – the collective coughs, fevers and viruses caught during your first few weeks at university.
Meningitis is rare – but can be life threatening. Students are at more risk of it because they often live in close proximity to one another.
So if you’re heading to university this month, make sure you know the signs.
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