The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC, ) is the national Red Cross society of Hong Kong

In lack of need in relief services in the territory, the society runs a range of humanitarian services to care for the underprivileged, such as schooling for children in hospitals, organising voluntary services in the ageing communities, organising uniform groups for youths and adults, and conducting first aid courses. In the case of disasters in neighbouring regions, the society raises funding and sends relief forces. In occasional floods in eastern China, earthquakes in China, Indian Ocean tsunami, the staff and volunteers from the Hong Kong Red Cross attended. In the early height of incoming Vietnamese refugees, the society also set up services for them in the 2000.

History

thumb|left|Former head office in [[Wan Chai]]

The Hong Kong Red Cross was established on 12 July 1950 as a branch of the British Red Cross Society, in the same year, the first group of lady volunteers was formed. It started to provide blood collection service in 1952, established its first hospital school in 1954 and formed its first cadet unit at St. Francis' Canossian School in 1956.

  • 1962 Inauguration of the Princess Alexandra Red Cross Children's Residential School.
  • 1965 Inauguration of the Hong Kong Red Cross Headquarters at Harcourt Road.
  • 1968 The Red Cross Holiday Camp was opened at Shek Pik, Lantau Island.
  • 1975 Medical Equipment Loan Service was introduced.
  • 1977 Started to offer first aid training courses to the public and the industrial workers.
  • 1979 Assumed management of North Kai Tak Transit Centre.(Ceased in March 1987)
  • 1984 Opening of the Blood Transfusion Service Centre at King's Park.
  • 1991 Hong Kong Red Cross rose over HK$144 million to provide relief for flood victims in Eastern provinces of People's Republic of China.
  • 1992 The first uniformed Elderly Volunteers Unit was set up.
  • In 1997, the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to The People's Republic of China (PRC) on 1 July 1997, but Hong Kong Red Cross' autonomy remained unchanged. Thirteen years previous to Hong Kong's sovereignty transfer, the UK and the PRC had reached an agreement on the future of Hong Kong and embodied the agreement by signing the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Under the framework of the declaration, Humanitarian aid activity is part of the way of life in Hong Kong, and can be preserved for fifty years. With humanitarian aid activity being protected under this declaration, Hong Kong Red Cross remains a full national member of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement today.

Organisational affairs

thumb|Signage at the head office

The 11 storey current head office, with of gross floor space, funded with $400 million Hong Kong dollars in donations, opened in 2015. It is on a plot of land in West Kowloon.

The former head office is in Wan Chai and opened in 1965.

The warehouse is in Chai Wan.

Volunteers

The society is largely managed by volunteers with some paid staff. For its development, the society organises both uniformed and non-uniformed units for volunteers of all ages. By age, the uniform groups are divided into:

  • Junior Units (8–12)
  • Youth Units (12–17)
  • Adult Units (above 17)
  • Elderly Units (50 or above)

Youth Units

Red Cross Youth Units, or RCY (formerly known as Cadet Units until 1997), as members of the International Red Cross Movement, aim at protecting life and health, serving the community and putting the spirit of humanity in action. These uniformed units are attached to secondary schools, youth centres and Hong Kong Red Cross Divisional Headquarters, and members are usually aged from 12 to 17.

The youth uniform units are notable in Hong Kong because of its widespread in secondary schools in the territory. The uniform units are educated with the spirit of Red Cross and the skills of first aid, drilling and others.

Divisional Headquarters

There are five Red Cross Divisional Headquarters located in different geographical position in Hong Kong. Two of them are located in New Territories, two of them in Kowloon and the rest in Hong Kong Island.

Head Office enacts a coordinator between all divisional headquarters.

Lists of Youth Units

Each headquarters hold a fraction of Youth Units. These lists are available in the intranet system of each headquarters.

Activities

The major events include:

  • The mass parade
  • First aid competition
  • Nursing competition
  • World First Aid Day
  • Best service project themes competition
  • World Red Cross Day health promotion programme
  • International friendship activities
  • Drill competition

Adult Volunteer Groups

Non-uniform units are named Adult Volunteer Groups. They are for members who commit less intensively, as they normally work regular day jobs as well.

See also

  • Hong Kong Humanity Award

References

  • CHAN Kai-ming, Knowledge of Red Cross (紅十字知識), 2004.
  • Official website of Hong Kong Red Cross