Annual Review 2020 - Welcome - British Red Cross
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Welcome 3 Our response to the pandemic 7
Who we are 5 2020: the year in numbers 9
Disasters and emergencies 13 Health inequalities in the UK 45
Displacement and migration 33 Our priorities for 2021 55
Finance overview 59 Thank you 61 Get involved 63 Annual Review 2020
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Welcome: Mike Adamson, CEO
Welcome
Mike Adamson, CEO
As the coronavirus pandemic plunged the world Internationally, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Looking to the future, we have so much important
into crisis last year, you helped us to provide a Movement played a significant role in the global work ahead of us. We have launched Strategy
lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people response to Covid-19, reaching millions of people 2030, which will transform how the British Red
through the toughest times. I have never been around the world by supporting hygiene promotion Cross helps people in crisis over the next ten years.
prouder to be part of our movement. With your support, we’ll focus on those in the
At the British Red
and testing, transporting those who were sick,
running clinics, and providing emotional support to greatest need and the most vulnerable situations,
Across the UK, we witnessed an extraordinary and empower people to act with us. Helping
Cross, kindness
the most vulnerable.
outpouring of generosity. You donated whatever individuals and communities adapt to the changes
you could in uncertain times, shared our wellbeing Throughout the pandemic, the compassion and in our climate will be a critical part of this.
inspires everything messages on social media, and gave your time
to deliver food and medicine to people isolated at
generosity that you have shown, despite your
own fears, pressures and worries, is a scale of We are building a British Red Cross where
we do, and in our home. In one act of kindness after another, you
helped us rise to the challenge of the pandemic
humanitarianism I feel privileged to have been part of.
Thank you so much.
everyone is empowered to thrive. The events of
2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement have
150th year you and showed what remarkable things we can
achieve when we work together. With your support we helped people to cope with
rightly accelerated much-needed change, and I’d
like to thank our B.A.M.E.* network for their tireless
demonstrated just The incredible response to our Covid-19 appeal
other crises in 2020 too. In August, on the day of our
150th anniversary, a catastrophic explosion at the
and productive work. I am proud that we are
creating a programme to tackle racial inequality
how powerful it meant we could rapidly launch new services
to support those who needed our help. Our
Port of Beirut in Lebanon demanded all our energy
and focus. The way the volunteers of the Lebanese
in all areas.
can be. Coronavirus Support Line offered a listening ear
to people feeling worried or lonely. Our Hardship
Red Cross responded was extraordinary – delivering
lifesaving first aid, organising blood donations and
You – our supporters, volunteers and staff – are
at the heart of everything we do. One of our
Fund, in partnership with Aviva, helped those helping thousands of people across Beirut. The volunteers, Sandi, on our Coronavirus Support
struggling to make ends meet. And our doorstep immense solidarity you showed in your response Line, summed up everything the British Red Cross
support volunteers made sure people who were to our fundraising appeal, at a time of national stands for when she told me about how she had
shielding had the essentials they needed. emergency here, helped make that possible. spoken with a woman with dementia. She said:
“I was able to put a bit of hope in her mind.”
Together, we helped the country cope through With your help we were able to maintain our essential
one of the toughest times in recent history, services and support people in crisis throughout the Throughout 2020, your kindness enabled us to
reaching close to 1.5 million people across the year. Our movement connected communities so that go beyond what we ever thought possible. The
UK. We worked with other organisations, as people experiencing disasters and emergencies, devastating reality of this pandemic is that we
part of the Voluntary and Community Sector health inequalities or migration and displacement lost so many people, including some of our own
Emergencies Partnership, to coordinate our could get the help they needed – from those coping volunteers and colleagues. Our thoughts are very
response effectively, and we provided vital with flooding and house fires to survivors of human much with their loved ones.
support to the NHS by helping to ease pressure trafficking and slavery.
in A&E departments. We are now proudly Finally, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each
supporting the Covid-19 vaccination programme. And as the largest provider of services for refugees one of you. While there are undoubtedly challenges
and people seeking asylum in the UK, we kept our ahead, I know we’ll face them together with
drop-in support available where we could, moved our strength, courage and kindness.
family reunion services online and kept on speaking
*While we acknowledge that some terms are no longer sufficient, we are
out on issues affecting people seeking asylum. in the process of updating our terminology to better reflect our people.
3 4
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Who we are
Who we are It is our role as the British Red Cross to connect
people’s kindness with those in crisis. This is how,
for the past 150 years, we have mobilised the power
of humanity so that individuals and communities
We strive towards a can prepare for, respond to and recover from
disasters – both at home and around the world.
world where everyone We believe that every crisis is personal, which is
why we provide impartial support to people based
gets the help they on their need and nothing else. Our offer includes
emergency response, refugee support, independent
need in a crisis living services, first aid education and developing
the capacities of sister National Societies and
communities overseas.
We are an organisation made possible by everyday
acts of kindness. We are powered by more than
14,000 volunteers in the UK and nearly 4,000 staff.
It is their determination to support others, along with
the generosity of our supporters, that allows us to
help people in crisis when they need it most.
We are part of the world’s largest humanitarian
network, the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement, which has 14 million volunteers
across 192 countries. This gives us a unique ability
to respond to humanitarian crises around the world
– with a local presence in almost every country and
a global network, we can coordinate exceptional
responses to emergencies.
The British Red Cross plays a significant role within
the wider Movement, which consists of National
Play Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the
world, the International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). We have been
on the board of the IFRC for six years and are proud
of our role in its ongoing development.
We are guided by the seven fundamental principles
of the Movement: humanity, impartiality, neutrality,
independence, voluntary service, unity and
universality. These commit us to putting people
first in everything we do.
5 6
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Our response to the pandemic
Our response We gave We made
to the pandemic We provided
333,400
cash grants
totalling
97,100 food
deliveries
meals to £2.1 million and 13,800
food banks to over 9,000 medicine
people drop-offs
The Covid-19 pandemic Coronavirus Support Line
was the biggest crisis in We reached close
to 1.5 million people
a generation. In the UK across the UK
and around the world Our volunteers took
we responded swiftly, We supported pandemic over 18,000 calls,
supporting health services responses in 36 countries offering advice,
and delivering essential across Africa, Asia and practical help and
help to those who needed the Middle East a listening ear
it most.
We issued 600 mobility aids
to people with Covid-19 to
support their recovery
Covid-19 support for people seeking asylum
We helped at the start of the
vaccination programme – delivering
over 21,700 vaccinations – before
We made sure We provided
going on to help deliver thousands
more in 2021 over 4,400 refugees over 10,800
and people seeking food parcels
We reached over 1.1 million asylum had safe and over 1,800
people with our Covid-19 places to stay cash cards
education resources
7 8
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 The year in numbers
The year in numbers
22 new and ongoing
international emergencies 82,200 people 29,900 people
supported to live supported
3,700 UK responded to, as well as
our Covid-19 response independently through refugee
emergencies at home services
responded to 45 people
28,000
deployed to mobility aids 8,200
people seeking
support the global issued asylum
Red Cross and 32,800
patient
supported
through
243
families
Red Crescent destitution
186,900 Movement
journeys reunited
people helped 71,000 deliveries 8,400 people helped
in a UK 1.3 million people
made by our to look for, find or
community keep in touch with
emergency reached with our online
education resources equipment service missing relatives
9 10
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 The year in numbers
Your kindness in numbers
The compassion you
showed during 2020 was When a shocking You recreated Over 4,800 of you
incredible. Despite your explosion tore Olympic sports in your reached out to help others
own worries caused by through the Port of living rooms as part of by signing up to volunteer
the pandemic, you stepped with us and almost
Beirut in August, our Team GB Tiktok 80,000 of you signed
up to help others in your you donated over partnership and kept up as community reserve
thousands. everyone’s spirits up with
£7 million to volunteers, ready to help your
those in need. 201 million views. communities if needed.
Your generosity enabled
us to respond effectively
to Covid-19 and continue
our vital ongoing work You travelled over You helped us
in the UK and overseas.
You donated
500,000 miles for Miles £8.6 million to share vital Covid-19
for Refugees, raising over information to help
Thank you.
£2 million for our work
our Kindness Will people stay safe, with
with refugees, people Keep Us Together over 146 million views
seeking asylum and and I Have The on our TikTok channel
migrants in the UK. Power appeals. in one week alone.
11 12
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Our UK coronavirus response
We reached close
to 1.5 million people
At times of crisis in the UK, the British Red
Disasters
Cross plays a vital role. Powered by kindness,
across the UK
we go the extra mile to give the most
vulnerable people comfort, dignity and hope
during the toughest moments. On average,
we respond to an emergency in the UK
and
every four hours.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic meant we
were needed more than ever before. We were
able to respond at speed and scale because
emergencies
thousands of incredible people stepped up to
help. Red Cross teams assisted the emergency
services, supported the NHS, and delivered
food, medicine and practical help to people
who urgently needed it.
Our pool of community reserve volunteers grew
by almost 80,000 people, each one ready to be
called on if needed. And through the Voluntary
and Community Sector Emergencies
Partnership, we worked with local and national
organisations to connect with the government
We provide life-changing support and ensure a coordinated response.
to people in crisis and make
sure that those who are most
vulnerable get the help they need.
In 2020 we responded to the
coronavirus pandemic, one of
the greatest challenges in our
150-year history. A supporter who has
Your kindness
been giving one-off
donations to our appeals
says: “You make me feel
that as long as you’re
there, people will always
Hardship Fund Coronavirus Support Line First aid champions have someone to go to
Global coronavirus response Empowering women in Bangladesh and I will always have a
way to show that I care
and help, even in a
small way.”
13 14
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
Delivering
Jaguar Land Rover lends essential
Your kindness
vehicles
essentials To support our pandemic response,
Jaguar Land Rover lent over 200 cars to the
British Red Cross, and more to Red Cross
organisations worldwide.
“It’s a lifesaver, definitely,” Hugo said
of the food and medicine deliveries
The vehicles helped our community
we made to him during 2020. “I’m
volunteers reach more people who were
tremendously grateful for this service.”
isolated with essential support and supplies.
To help raise awareness of our work, Land
Hugo is used to being active and
Rover ambassador and rugby star Bryan
independent. But injury and illness
Habana spent time packing food parcels
left him especially vulnerable to
with our Hackney refugee support team on
coronavirus, and he was advised to
International Volunteer Day.
self-isolate at home.
Our volunteers stepped in to deliver
essentials each week. “I wouldn’t
have ever foreseen that I’d be in
a position like that,” Hugo said.
“This was really a godsend.”
“It helped me to Watch here
be safe and live
a little longer.”
Through our
corporate
Your support on social media
partnerships
A supporter You helped us to grow our movement on TikTok during
Your kindness
we received says: “You 2020, racking up 146 million views and 300,000 followers
within a week with content about coronavirus. We partnered
an incredible make me feel
a part of what
with Team GB to create the #IsolationGames, challenging
people to find creative ways to recreate Olympic sports
£1.5 million in is good in in their living rooms while raising money for our Covid-19
response. In total, we raised over £257,000 through social
gifts in kind the world.” media channels over the year.
Play TikTok Play TikTok
15 16
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
Supporting
Coronavirus Support Line
In April, we launched our Coronavirus Support Line.
It’s a free and confidential phone line for anyone
feeling lonely or worried, or needing food or medicine people in “I’m grateful for
the Red Cross
crisis
during the pandemic. Translators were on hand to
offer support in more than 200 languages.
for giving me
the opportunity
to be able to
Read
more help others.”
In 2020, volunteers took Throughout the pandemic, our
Your kindness
partnership with Tesco has helped
over 18,000 calls us to reach those most in need, with
their £2 million donation to support our
community-based response. Tesco also
promoted our Coronavirus Support Line
to over five million customers, helped
“It’s a lot of responsibility, Calls peaked in us to tackle digital exclusion among
but it always makes me July with over refugees by providing mobiles, and
gave our teams priority access when
feel very positive, even shopping for vulnerable customers.
if dealing with very sad
situations. It just keeps 3,000 Our partnership’s ‘Emergency Protocol’
has further helped provide food
and essential items to communities
me going, and I’m very “Somebody called me an angel,” Cecilia facing crisis, by enabling our staff and
(pictured, above) said. “I don’t feel like volunteers to access goods from local
grateful for that.” coming in over an angel, I’m just doing my job.” She Tesco stores during emergencies.
the month volunteered to answer calls to our free
A volunteer on our support line Coronavirus Support Line last year.
People phoned needing help with food
and medication, or extra support for
We received valuable
“I felt supported isolated friends, family and neighbours.
Your kindness
support from the “It is always a nice feeling when you can
Johnson & Johnson
Foundation during 2020.
This enabled our
and reassured help someone,” Cecilia said.
She’s been part of our psychosocial support
Coronavirus Support Line
staff and volunteers to during a worrying team for eight years, helping child refugees
in Calais and people affected by the Grenfell
provide vital and ongoing
assistance to thousands
of people impacted by
time in my life.” Tower fire. “I’ve been lucky enough to be
able to volunteer with the Red Cross, and
they’ve given me a lot of training over the
Watch here
the pandemic. A caller to our support line years, so it’s great to put it to good use.”
17 18
British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
Helping “I’m so proud of
We’ve worked with leading
Your kindness
savings, retirement and insurance
business, Aviva since 2016.
families Our Hardship Fund the relationship Their funding has made a huge
in the UK between Aviva
impact, helping us reach more
The Covid-19 lockdowns and people more quickly with life-
restrictions pushed many people changing help. It enabled us
into dire financial situations. In
partnership with Aviva, we launched
the British Red Cross Hardship
and the Red Cross.” to launch a Hardship Fund for
those facing urgent financial
crisis, supported our network of
Fund to support those in greatest community reserve volunteers
need. From July 2020, when we Steve has been volunteering who delivered food, medicine and
started collecting data, 40% of with the Red Cross for ten years, welfare packs, and helped
people referred to us were from and is a project manager with us respond to partners’ most
B.A.M.E.* backgrounds, 41% had insurance company, Aviva. critical needs across the global
no recourse to public funds and During the pandemic, they allowed Red Cross Movement.
almost 50% were from the most Steve to volunteer three days a
vulnerable groups in society, such as week for two months. He delivered
those facing homelessness, seeking food to people’s homes, and
asylum or fleeing domestic violence. transported patients to and from
hospital as a trained member of
Read
more *Whilst we acknowledge that some our ambulance crew.
terms are no longer sufficient, we
are in the process of updating our
terminology to better reflect our Steve remembered taking one man
people and the people we support. home to find his family waiting to
welcome him. “I could tell, even
“It was the British Red Cross though he was a bit wobbly on his
feet, a bit frail, that he wanted to
that helped me out.” walk off the ambulance, have that
moment of pride walking down his
own driveway.” So Steve walked Watch here
Will* was running a successful restaurant when he lost alongside him.
everything and became homeless. He worked hard to
keep supporting his two young daughters, but then
Covid-19 struck and he was let go from his job.
“I felt so alone After Will called our Coronavirus Support Line we were
and helpless. Your able to arrange food parcels, plus ongoing cash grants to The Wimbledon Foundation donated
Your kindness
cover his gas and electricity through our Hardship Fund, to our Disaster Fund and our Hardship
help bought me in partnership with Aviva.
things I desperately
“That was a big lifeline,” Will said. “It was just speaking
Fund to give people vital help through
the toughest times. With the We gave
needed... and lifted to people that just want to help you... I think it made me
Championships 2020 unable to go
ahead, the Wimbledon Foundation also grants totalling
my spirits greatly.” realise that there are still good people out there.”
*Name changed.
donated thousands of Championships
towels to our Refugees Services teams £2.1m to over
Someone helped by
our Hardship Fund
to help those in need of essentials.
9,000 people
19 20British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
You have
the power “We’re inclusive towards Our LGBT+ Network
everybody and everything, Luke (pictured, left) is one of our
In March, as coronavirus restrictions kept
people apart, we launched the Kindness
no matter what.” emergency response volunteers. He has
Will Keep Us Together appeal. As well been busy delivering food as part of our
as raising over £4.2 million to support Covid-19 emergency response.
our Covid-19 response, it helped bring
people together at a time of isolation Luke is part of our LGBT+ Network
and further build the momentum of our and has previously been involved in
kindness movement. Then, in November, organising a British Red Cross float for
we launched the I Have The Power Manchester Pride. Although the 2020
appeal to show people just how powerful event was canceled due to coronavirus,
their kindness could be. Through videos Luke said the values of the Red Cross
and stories, we illustrated that even if you and Pride go hand in hand. “We are
can’t be there in person, by supporting through and through an inclusive
the Red Cross you can help get someone organisation… through the values that
through whatever crisis they’re facing. Watch here we’ve got.”
He said it “means quite a lot” to be able
to celebrate his LGBT+ identity within the
Red Cross. “We’ve got Pride lanyards,
so even when we’re out there doing
everyday volunteering we can still say
‘I’m proud of both aspects of my life – the
volunteering side and the LGBT side’.”
21 22British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
Global Throughout 2020, Goldman Sachs
Your kindness
Gives supported our response
coronavirus
to Covid-19 in the UK and to the
explosion in Beirut. They said:
“We have been proud to support
response the British Red Cross relief efforts
in the UK and in response to
developments around the globe.
Throughout the pandemic their
In 2020, we supported Covid-19 responses work has offered vital assistance
in 36 countries across Africa, Asia and the in response to the emerging needs
Middle East. We also adapted our existing of the most vulnerable.”
international programmes so we could keep
providing a lifeline to exceptionally vulnerable
people during the pandemic. And we helped
our partners scale up their health work,
including running health clinics, supporting Thanks to the Foreign,
coronavirus testing, transporting people to Commonwealth and
hospitals and providing psychosocial support. Development Office
and other donors we
were able to contribute
over £43 million of
funding to help people
overseas in the
toughest circumstances
stay safe and cope
with the impact of
coronavirus.
Standard Chartered generously
Your kindness
donated $4.04 million to support
the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement’s Covid-19 response
We received over £1.3 million across 11 countries.
Your kindness
from HSBC for both our UK
and international response to This incredible support helped
Covid-19, enabling us to direct fund urgent medical care,
assistance to where needs were personal protective equipment
greatest. HSBC also provided (PPE) for Red Cross teams, and
additional local donations to a food, care and education for
number of our sister national people impacted most heavily
societies around the world. by the pandemic.
23 24British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
Essential support
Kindness When Maggie and Barry’s home was
after a
With your help, we were able to
devastated by fire, our emergency
maintain our essential services and
response volunteer Julia (pictured,
support people in crisis throughout
house fire
below right) was on hand to help. She
the year, such as those coping with
got Maggie and Barry (pictured, below
flooding and house fires.
left) out of the rain and into a British Red
Cross campervan. She gave them tea,
dry clothing and blankets.
Then Julia helped them call their
insurance company and find a roofer
who could secure the property. “We
Supporting didn’t know who to ring or anything,”
said Maggie. “Both of us were just a
a flood-hit
gibbering wreck and she just reassured
us... I just feel like she was like family.”
community
In February and again in November 2020,
storms brought heavy rainfall to parts of the UK.
Flood defences were overwhelmed and drains
overflowed onto the streets. We checked on
vulnerable residents, supported families who
had to be evacuated from their homes and
provided them with food, water, medicines and
“Everyone emotional support.
was extremely On Christmas Eve, Northamptonshire was rocked
by storms, resulting in flooding that forced the
grateful to us.” residents of a caravan park from their homes.
– Stephen Stephen (pictured, above) and Jenny volunteered
at a rest centre for those affected. They helped
“Both Barry and I
run the registration desk, and gave refreshments
and advice to those affected. Although social
distancing requirements made things more
have said, ‘how would
challenging, they were able to offer care and
kindness at a really difficult time. “I don’t know
we have coped without
how many times I heard the words ‘thank you’,”
Jenny said. “It was truly amazing.” her?” – Maggie
25 26British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies
First aid training First aid champions
Coronavirus restrictions meant we We taught over 69,000 children and
had to scale back our training educators how to save a life through
activities in 2020. But we continued First aid our new first aid champions website,
to run essential first aid courses courses which is available to schools for free.
following Covid-19 safety guidance.
Over 62,700 people attended in-
person training on first aid at work,
Mental
and health and safety courses. health
Our digital first aid, fire marshal and
and mental wellbeing training wellbeing
sessions were completed by over
8,400 people.
Watch here
First aid
champs
Watch here
Watch here
27 28British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies – International
Disasters and emergencies – International
Rebuilding
Our international
emergency work
Our international emergency work
continued throughout the year. after the
bushfires
We supported the International
Federation of the Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to
provide food, water and health care In early 2020 Australia was hit by
to hundreds of thousands of people catastrophic bushfires which burned
as they dealt with horrific crises – millions of acres of land, killed people
from widespread flooding in East and animals, and destroyed homes
Africa to swarms of locusts in Our Beirut and communities.
Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
emergency Peter and Nirbeeja escaped
appeal raised Australia’s bushfires with their lives
and a few essentials. Their home,
over £7 million and the self-sufficient life they had
built, was destroyed.
Support from the Australian Red
Beirut
Cross has been crucial in helping
In August, a devastating explosion destroyed the Port of
Beirut, tragically killing more than 200 people and leaving
“It has been an them on the road to recovery. “The
giving from humanity has really blown
amazing help for us
emergency
300,000 homeless.
me away.” Nirbeeja said.
Jeremy is a British Red Cross delegate for the Middle East this year, because
appeal and North Africa region, based in Beirut. His home is just
300 metres from the site of the blast, but he was in his car it has taken the
when it happened.
pressure off.” – Peter
“The dust made the whole street almost black and all you
could hear were screams and the sound of cascading glass
We raised over
and falling metal,” he said. £780,000 to help the
After the explosion, Jeremy helped with the clean-up and Australian Red Cross
supported the Lebanese Red Cross’ response. “There have
been armies of Lebanese Red Cross volunteers and others A supporter who has been distribute food, water
Your kindness
on the streets handing out water, sweeping rubble, checking
buildings to make sure no one is trapped,” he said.
donating to our emergency
appeals for the last 10 years and hygiene supplies,
said: “I am always comforted
when I see the BRC in the
fund evacuation and
Watch here “Trees in my forefront of all major disasters
around the world, doing
recovery centres, and
street were ripped sterling work.” provide emotional
from the ground.” support to those who
were affected.
29 30British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Disasters and emergencies – International
Disasters and emergencies – International
Empowering
women in “We hope this
Bangladesh group will change
women’s lives
In disaster-prone Barishal, Bangladesh, and our future.”
– Josna
slum communities live with the constant
threat of cyclones, flooding and disease
outbreaks. Women and girls are worst
affected by such disasters because of
their lower social and economic status.
So we launched our It Starts With
Her campaign, aid matched by the UK
government, to empower women and
give them the tools, training and support
they need to earn an income.
When coronavirus hit, the women’s
squads created as part of the
programme stepped up to help. They
shared vital health messages and
information, and encouraged people to
get tested if they were sick.
Reshma, a squad member, said: “We
live in the most vulnerable communities.
People, particularly women, face many
problems. A woman alone cannot
solve the problems but [we] can do
collectively.”
Josna (pictured, centre), squad leader,
agrees. “We are working together.
Our appeal raised over
It helps to empower the women in the
community. It also helps to build trust
in each other... We love the women’s
£4 million to empower
squads because this group leads the
community.”
women in Bangladesh
Watch here and help communities
cope with crises
31 32British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
In the UK
We’re the largest independent provider of
We helped support
Displacement
refugee support in the UK. Through services
in 58 towns and cities, we give people
food, clothing and toiletries, help them find
over 29,900 refugees,
somewhere to stay and enable them to form people seeking asylum
connections. Our teams also help people
and migrants
and
to register with a doctor or dentist, access
counselling, claim benefits and ensure they
receive everything they’re entitled to. We also
provided specialist support and advice to
347 survivors of trafficking in 2020.
migration
We help people forced from their homes
to build new lives by protecting them at
every stage in their journey, and supporting
those who seek safety in the UK.
Support throughout the pandemic Reuniting families Building a kinder future
Helping people worldwide Helping displaced people in Yemen
33 34British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
Displacement and migration
Support
Philanthropist Jane Thompson Helping young refugees
Your kindness
supports our work with refugee
women and young people. She says: Hamza was forced to flee Syria aged 14. When he arrived
throughout “When the pandemic hit, I knew
in the UK, we helped with his asylum claim.
the pandemic
the most vulnerable would be Now Hamza has joined our RnB project in London, which
disproportionately impacted; not just helps young refugees make friends and have fun. Since
financially, but also from loneliness the pandemic, we’ve kept the group going via video call. Watch here
and isolation.
In response to Covid-19 we ramped up It’s been a lifeline. “It’s very difficult for young people who
our support for refugees, and convened a “I asked the British Red Cross to use
cross-sector group to share insights with the my donation for those most vulnerable,
don’t have their families here and have to isolate at home
without anyone to look after them,” Hamza said. “I always feel
government so it could extend and adapt
services. We provided more than 10,800 food
particularly to help refugees and
migrants who are already at risk of falling We also helped Hamza reunite with his family in better after
parcels and distributed over 1,800 emergency
cash cards. We made sure more than 4,400
through the community safety net.
Now more than ever, supporting the
lockdown, after they’d been kept apart for eight years.
“The Red Cross helped my case to reunite with my
speaking to
refugees and people seeking asylum had safe
places to stay and supplied phones and data
British Red Cross is a small way I can
help right the ship. Their professionalism
family,” he said. “All the time, they were in touch with my
lawyer. The Red Cross helped my family to come to this
my friends.”
to help people keep in touch with loved ones. and kindness supports people on a country, to get a visa. They paid for flights for my family.”
Working with Doctors of the World and others, scale I never could on my own.
we translated coronavirus health advice into “British Red Cross is very, very important in this country.
60 different languages. “I feel very privileged to be able to They help a lot of people that are refugees or people who
support the work of the British Red need support.”
Cross.”
Read
more
“If you’re alone Support for mothers
Connecting with others and pregnant and children
you need
“The exercise helps British Red Cross volunteer Adi has
somebody who
In Newport, Wales, our refugee and
been running online art sessions asylum seeker service worked with the
all of us from our for refugees and asylum seekers in will be walking Birth Partner Project to support two single
different cultures Liverpool. “We drew a map and did a
alongside you.”
mums through pregnancy and birth.
virtual walk to independent galleries
to connect.” and museums in the city so after “They are stuck inside, feeling very
lockdown they’ll be able to walk there lonely,” explained Theresa (pictured, left),
for themselves,” she said. Red Cross project coordinator. Theresa
bought formula milk, nappies and wipes,
The group discusses artworks and delivered them along with food
together and does creative exercises. supplies and nutritious meals.
They’ve even managed a virtual reality
tour of the Open Eye Gallery. “It was “The first time I delivered the parcel…
a tremendous experience,” said Adi. I got a message from one of the mothers
Inspired by the visit, they produced saying, ‘Thank you very much for your
work that’s now featured on the help, God bless the Red Cross.’ And I just
Open Eye Stories website. thought, that’s nice, that’s why we do it.”
35 36British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
Displacement and migration
Reuniting Volunteering
families to bring families Fay is a volunteer with our family
back together
tracing service in Glasgow. When
refugee families in the UK have lost
When families are forced contact with loved ones, she works
to flee their homes, they with people around the world to
often end up separated. help find them.
We help bring people back
together. Over the year we “When you reunite a family, when
helped over 8,400 people someone comes back into the
from 112 countries to look office with their husband or child –
for, find or keep in touch everybody is in tears then of course,”
with loved ones. We enabled Fay said.
243 families to physically
be together, and we’re In 2020, Fay and the team helped
working with a coalition of an Eritrean boy in Glasgow track
organisations to bring down down his brother in London and
barriers to reunion and give speak to him on the phone. “It was
families the support they just marvellous, unbelievable that we
need to build new lives could actually hear the two of them
together in the UK. The fight to reunite long-lost sisters talking.”
When Eden* left Eritrea as a young child, she was Fay’s been volunteering with the
separated from her baby sister. She navigated Red Cross for more than 42 years.
unimaginably difficult challenges to reach the UK, For our 150th anniversary, she was
but couldn’t stop thinking about the sister she had awarded a commemorative £5 coin
left behind. “I was always wondering about her,” in recognition of her work.
Eden said.
“I’m trying to Incredibly, they were reunited in 2019 when Eden
be strong and
discovered her sister was living in Ethiopia and
travelled to meet her. Leaving her sister behind in
a dangerous situation was hard. “I promised to her
independent and myself that I would bring her here to join me,”
Eden said.
for my sister.” Family reunion rules make this very difficult, but
we’ve helped Eden find a solicitor to support her “I’m just proud of the whole
case. “My sister has no one else, no other family
member in the world to look after her,” Eden said. service, I think we do an
essential job and very few
“I understand not everyone that needs help can
come to this country, but me and my sister have
no choice.”
*Name changed.
people know about it.”
37 38British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
Displacement and migration
Building a
Ten years of partnership
Your kindness
Philanthropists Lizzie and Mark
kinder future Philip-Sorensen are partnering
with us to launch a new project for
migrant women facing violence.
They said:
We want to create a fair, humane and
effective asylum and refugee system “We have been working with the
that respects the needs and dignity British Red Cross for 10 years on
of those who use it. As part of the projects in South Africa, Japan
Asylum Reform Initiative, a partnership and the Philippines.
led by six sector-leading organisations,
we’re building a long-term influencing “We recently recognised a dire
Miles for Refugees
Your kindness
strategy to push for wide-ranging need for specialist help and
reform of the UK asylum landscape. funding for female refugees and
In September, our amazing supporters
asylum seekers in the UK who
raised over £2 million by walking,
need help shielding from domestic
running, cycling or swimming as part
abuse. This has been particularly
of the Miles for Refugees challenge.
apparent during the pandemic
Each person chose a distance that
when vital services and facilities
reflected part of a route refugees may
have been few and far between.
take to reach safety, such as the
108-mile journey from Calais to London.
“We have a great deal of trust in
In total, they travelled over 500,000
the British Red Cross and have
miles, raising crucial funds for our work
built a good working relationship
with refugees, people seeking asylum Watch here
with them, which is why we
and vulnerable migrants in the UK.
know that our funding will always
be used highly efficiently and
effectively.”
Rebecca raises money
When Rebecca (pictured, left) ended up
housebound due to fibromyalgia and back pain,
VOICES Network getting a British Red Cross wheelchair was the start
of her journey back to independence. “We rang
Through the VOICES Network, up the mobility aids service and they have been
refugees, people seeking asylum absolutely brilliant,” she said.
and migrants in the UK can speak
out about issues affecting them By 2020, after months of physiotherapy, Rebecca
and other displaced people around was well enough to take part in Miles for Refugees.
the world. For Refugee Week 2020, She raised money through walking and gym
they produced a powerful video exercises, and shared what she was doing on
about the impact of Covid-19. social media. “I think helping refugees should be
important to everyone,” she said. “Nobody should
Watch here have to flee from where they live.”
39 40British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
Displacement and migration
Helping
people
worldwide
As part of the Red Cross and Red
Crescent movement, we help people
around the world who have been
forced to flee their homes. Working
with other National Societies, we
protect people while they’re living in
camps or on the move, help them
to stay safe as they travel between
countries and support them to build
new futures.
Bangladesh West, East and North Africa
More than 740,000 people who fled Myanmar Through the Action for Migrants Route-based
are now living in makeshift camps in Cox’s Assistance (AMiRA) programme, we’re supporting
Bazar, Bangladesh. Through our Myanmar people along migratory routes in West, East and
Appeal, we provide support in partnership with North Africa. Working with other Red Cross and
the Bangladesh Red Crescent. In 2020, we Red Crescent National Societies, we provide
also allocated over £1.2 million to tackle the medical care, food and psychosocial help.
coronavirus pandemic. The funding helped give Last year, border closures left many migrants
thousands of people food, clean water and better stranded. As a result, the programme recorded
sanitation, and supported two field hospitals. 123,000 instances of support.
Myanmar Covid-19
Appeal response
Syria
Our Syria Crisis Appeal provides food, Syria
Appeal
mattresses, blankets and essential services
for displaced people. With more than six
million people still internally displaced,
we’re working with the Syrian Arab Red Covid-19
Crescent to raise awareness of Covid-19, response
and provide clean water and health care.
41 42British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Displacement and migration
Displacement and migration
Helping displaced
A supporter who has recently
Your kindness
given to the Yemen appeal
said: “Yemen is a cause I
people in Yemen am particularly concerned
about. The Red Cross directs
support to people who would
otherwise be ignored.”
Fighting in Yemen forced Mohammed
and his family from their home.
“I am displaced,” he said. “My great
need is a tent or house for shelter,
blankets and mattresses… and an
income which enables me to buy food
and water for my family.”
In a country devastated by conflict, the
coronavirus pandemic has only made
things harder. Mohammed (pictured,
right) said the idea of self-isolating was
“terrifying” because they had to go out
daily to get food and water.
The British Red Cross has worked with
the Yemen Red Crescent Society for
years to prepare for and respond to
crises like this. As well as helping to
fund health services, we’re supporting
the ICRC to deliver safe drinking water,
health care and emergency food.
“Coronavirus came to
Yemen differently than
the whole world.”
Watch here
43 44British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Health inequalities in the UK
Supporting the NHS Our hospital and
We played a critical role in supporting the NHS community-based
Health
through the coronavirus crisis in 2020. As
increasing numbers of people were admitted
services supported over
to hospital, we prevented vital services from 82,200 people to live
becoming overwhelmed by scaling up our
hospital discharge service to help free up beds.
independently at home
inequalities
Our teams enabled over 58,600 people to be
discharged from around 100 hospitals. We
drove them home, supported them to settle
back in, and kept in touch to make sure they
were coping.
in the UK We were also on hand to give one-to-one
emotional support to patients, their families and
hospital staff, and help administer Covid-19
tests. And we worked with NHS commissioners
and providers to address unmet social needs
that may have been exacerbating people’s
physical or mental health issues and causing
them to access health care more than
expected. We’re the largest provider of this
specialist service in the UK.
We work hard to tackle health inequalities in
the UK and the social isolation and loneliness that
can worsen health crises. In close collaboration
with the NHS and social care partners, we provide
patient transport and ambulance support, helping
people avoid hospital admission and minimising
their stay. And we support tens of thousands
of vulnerable people in their homes.
Our ambulance service Support at home Connected Communities
Digital education Celebrating our Black history
45 46British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Health inequalities in the UK
Health inequalities in the UK
Our Leaving a legacy
Your kindness
ambulance
Viv Apple explains why she’s left a
legacy for the Red Cross in her will:
“For many years I’ve taken part in Open
service Gardens; had people throwing money
in my collection bucket in supermarkets
whilst hearing how the Red Cross have
helped them; attended Red Cross lunch
Amy and Carrie (pictured, right) are
events with friends to learn how we’ve
mum and daughter. As volunteers
helped ease many burdens worldwide.
with our ambulance support service
in 2020, they transported people with
“Then I thought, ‘What happens when
coronavirus and other vulnerable
I’m gone and I can’t hold a bucket any
patients to and from hospital. Carrie
more?’
said the job could be very physical,
especially when “you’ve got plastic
“Simple answer, of course. Leave a
aprons, face masks, plastic gloves
legacy to the Red Cross in my will, to
and someone who needs literally
help carry on the work for me.
carrying up two flights of stairs.
That is the tough bit.” But they’re
“No bucket?
both proud they were able to use
No problem.
their expertise and training as part of
our coronavirus response. Amy said,
“The Power
“I felt that with the skills I had, it was
of Kindness.”
very important to step forward.”
“We are aiming not Every year, over
just to deliver a a quarter of our
service, but to deliver Red Cross ambulances fundraised income
the highest quality and crews transported comes from the
around 64,000 people kindness of people
that there is.” to or from hospital like Viv, leaving us
during 2020 a gift in their will
47 48British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Health inequalities in the UK
Health inequalities in the UK
Support A new life
A supporter who has given to our I Have
Your kindness
The Power appeal said: “Two lovely Red
Cross ladies... brought me home from
at home for Andrew hospital yesterday after my operation
on a broken ankle. This donation is in
recognition of their kindness and care
when bringing me home.”
“I’d just been evicted again, I had Another supporter said: “You found me
no money and I hadn’t eaten for five one Christmas 28 years ago after the
weeks,” Andrew recalled (pictured birth of my daughter, I had nothing and
below, right). “Then I started to feel no one to help me. Your hamper helped
really unwell.” In January 2020, he me more than you will ever know, totally
We issued over 28,000 pieces of ended up in hospital with a blood clot. unexpected... I hope I can help someone
mobility equipment last year. By else in need feel the way I did all those
providing wheelchairs, toilet aids and That’s where he met our support years ago. Thank you.”
other specialist equipment we enabled worker, Melanie (below, left). After
thousands of people to leave hospital, years of homelessness, she helped
live independently at home and enjoy Andrew get new clothes, a phone,
holidays and days out with family. food and somewhere safe to live.
“I felt like she was there to support me
Getting a Red Cross wheelchair has and stand up for me,” Andrew said.
been life-changing for five-year-old
James (pictured, right). “Even just Melanie helped Andrew apply for
“Things feel
walking to the local shop, with the benefits and think about the future
too. “She’s really helped me turn
different now...
wheelchair it means that he has that
ability to be able to come and not be things around,” he said. I feel positive,
in pain,” said his mum, Zenna.
like I can take
James has Perthes’ disease, which
hurts his hips. “Having the wheelchair
some control.”
just means that he’s got more
independence,” Zenna said. “He loves
being able to push himself as well. “Since we’ve
So he’s really enjoying being able to
do that.” had the
It’s made a difference to the whole wheelchair,
family, as James can now join them for
walks. “He’s loving it. We’re all loving he loves going
it,” said Zenna.
to school.”
49 50British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Health inequalities in the UK
Health inequalities in the UK
Connected
“I have no idea
Jasmine and Charlie
how I would
When Jasmine’s baby, Charlie, needed have coped if
communities
hospital care she wasn’t able to stay with
him. So Tracey, one of our staff, made
not for Tracey.”
sure Jasmine could get there safely to
visit him. “I’d just had a C-section and
was missing my newborn,” said Jasmine.
“Tracey knew just what to say and how
to help. It meant absolutely everything to Watch here
me to be able to visit my baby and the
Red Cross helped to make that happen.”
Living in connected communities Tackling loneliness Loneliness after lockdown
helps people cope when crises hit.
That’s because they’re supported by With coronavirus restrictions increasing the risk We published two major reports on
of isolation, we built an online hub featuring loneliness last year: Life after Lockdown
neighbours, friends and local people information, advice and tools to help and Lonely and Left Behind.
who truly understand their unique people feel less alone. The hub, funded by the
needs and how to help. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport We made the case for a renewed
((DCMS), houses podcasts, films, animations, a government commitment to tackling
We want to make sure people can Spotify playlist and wellbeing cards. For people loneliness during and after the pandemic.
with no internet at home, we distributed 32,000
get the support they need locally in printed wellbeing packs. Our reports have had a significant impact.
emergencies, both in the UK and The UK government launched a £7.5 million
overseas. We do this by strengthening Our Sport England partnership funded six fund to tackle loneliness over the winter,
connections and helping people and Connecting Communities services, supporting and announced a new cross-government
communities build resilience. These people aged over 55 who were facing loneliness ministerial group to address the mental
to build relationships through exercise, virtual health impacts of the pandemic. We’re now
aims are at the heart of all our work. meetings and other activities. We also ran three working with a range of partners to make
similar schemes with DCMS and another three all of our proposals a reality.
local services. In total we reached over 100,000
people with loneliness support.
Read
more
Read
more
The Kind Place
Listen to podcast
51 52British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Health inequalities in the UK
Health inequalities in the UK
Digital education and
wellbeing resources
As many of us transitioned to
Celebrating our Black History
working and learning from home,
Black people have made huge
we developed a range of wellbeing
contributions to the British Red Cross’
resources to help people cope. LEARN ABOUT life-saving work, both in the UK and
Over a million people benefited
KINDNESS THIS overseas, since we were founded in
1870. In 2020, we launched a new online
– from parents home schooling DECEMBER exhibition celebrating black humanitarians.
and teachers delivering remote
education to those accessing
first aid education to alleviate
pressure on the NHS and people Above and right: View exhibition
experiencing loneliness or isolation. Dr John Alcindor
Our Kindness curriculum helped and Mary Seacole,
people deal with loneliness, whose stories are
change and uncertainty, and learn featured in our
about the benefits of being kind to online exhibition.
themselves and others.
Anti-racism resources
We’re hugely proud of the work we’ve
done around anti-racism over the year.
We released two resources in 2020:
one that discusses and encourages
reflection on the Black Lives Matter
movement, and one aimed at parents
and teachers to help them discuss
race and racism with young people.
During Black History Month we also
Our online education
created a resource about the work of
black humanitarians, helping people
to challenge stereotypes and explore
prejudice while reflecting on the
qualities of a humanitarian.
resources reached
Read over 1.3 million
people in 2020
more We marked Black History Month with
videos from our team on social media.
53 54British Red Cross Annual Review 2020 Priorities for 2021
Priorities for 2021
We are responding to coronavirus in
the UK by:
Responding to a global pandemic Our UK Covid-19 response – providing practical and emotional support
through our national support line, staffed by
As the world moves into the second year of the Here in the UK, as we plan for recovery and a return
skilled and trained volunteers
coronavirus pandemic, the British Red Cross to business as usual, we will continue to respond
remains focused on responding to Covid-19 alongside others to new needs as they arise. We will – supporting easy access to local vaccination
and the impact of lockdown measures on focus on those who are most at risk and people in centres for high-risk groups
people’s lives and livelihoods, both in the UK areas where health inequalities are highest.
and internationally. – providing rapid cash assistance to those
Using our 2020 baseline data, we will ensure we facing economic hardship and those with no
The pandemic has shown just how vital our can reach more people in the most vulnerable recourse to public funds
work is across the three priority areas of our circumstances, providing responsive support to
2030 strategy: disasters and emergencies, deliver the best possible outcomes. – helping people return home safely and
health inequalities, and migration and quickly from hospital
displacement. A global emergency, Covid-19 These include reducing the impact of destitution and
social isolation, improving access to support in the – securing accommodation for those in the
most affects communities that have the worst asylum system
health outcomes, and marginalised groups community to reduce nonclinical extended lengths
such as displaced people and those seeking of stay in hospital and achieving a coordinated, – providing a range of tailored online education
asylum. Our response is harnessing the power scalable, multi-partner, collaborative person and resources and digital learning opportunities
of kindness to support the people whose community centred response to crisis.
needs are greatest. – working through the Voluntary and
Our data-driven approach will enable our face-to- Community Sector Emergencies Partnership
face delivery, telephone support and online help to to help communities identify and respond to
be carefully targeted. And it will underpin our work local crisis needs
as we continue to advocate for urgent policy and
system change by allowing us to amplify the voices – shedding light on the human impact of
of all those who need these changes most. the pandemic, and influencing the national
The pandemic has It’s also important that we’re able to mobilise all of
response to ensure people are safe and
don’t fall through gaps in support
shown just how relevant our capabilities where they are needed. That includes
our volunteers, as part of a coordinated voluntary – supporting local targeted test-and-trace
our work is across the and community sector emergency response, both services at scale
three priority areas of nationally and locally. We will build a more nuanced
– helping people to stay connected with loved
our 2030 strategy approach to how we deploy our capabilities across
all four nations of the UK, so we are better placed to ones.
respond to shifting needs over time.
55 56You can also read
