NT - Australian Red Cross

PAGE 2
AROUND AUSTRALIA
Message from the
President and CEO
The year began with floods,
fires and cyclones across
the nation. During this
challenging time, Australian
Red Cross members,
volunteers and staff showed
the world what the power of
humanity can achieve.
Every day, since the summer of
disasters, your commitment to helping
vulnerable people has not wavered.
Along with many Australians, many of
you gave generously to our appeals to
provide relief to affected communities.
These major appeals have now closed:
• Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal 2011
• Victorian Floods Appeal 2011
• New Zealand Earthquake Appeal 2011.
For donating to various appeals,
holding fundraising events, or
volunteering for any one of our
services - thank you.
We’d like to take this opportunity to
highlight the value of our Red Cross
members, an integral part of the future
of Red Cross. If you volunteer for Red
Cross, and would like to become more
involved, consider becoming a Red
Cross member. As a member, you join
the world’s largest humanitarian
movement and can help shape our
future. Contact your state or territory
office (details on page 12) or go to
www.redcross.org.au to find out how.
In other news, we have launched an
innovative new campaign to reignite
the push to ban the use of nuclear
weapons. The campaign draws
attention to the horrific humanitarian
and environmental effects of nuclear
weapons, and calls on the international
community to do more to ensure
nuclear weapons no longer pose a
threat to our future.
You can help. Head to
www.targetnuclearweapons.org.au
and vote ‘yes’ to ban the use of
nuclear weapons. Enter your name
and email address to receive further
information about the campaign and
the forthcoming ‘social explosion’.
With this campaign, we are using the
power of social media to talk to people
about critical humanitarian issues.
While you’re online, join the Red Cross
network on Facebook and Twitter for
news, stories and videos.
We’re facing another critical
humanitarian issue: the devastating
drought and famine in East Africa. The
United Nations reports more than
12 million people are in need of
humanitarian assistance in the region.
Red Cross is running the East Africa
Drought Appeal 2011 to provide
drought-affected communities in
Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia with
emergency relief including food, water
and health assistance. You can help
too by donating to the appeal.
Visit www.redcross.org.au or call
1800 811 700 to donate today.
The commitment and dedication of
Australian Red Cross aid workers is
well known and greatly respected, not
only by those within the Movement,
but by the thousands of people they
help. Australian Red Cross nurse and
aid worker Noela Davies has been
awarded the prestigious Florence
Nightingale Medal in recognition of her
outstanding work in many areas of
conflict around the world. We
congratulate Noela on receiving this
award – she is an inspiration to us all.
Once again, thank you to all members
and volunteers for your tireless efforts
this year. As we approach the end of
2011, we look back on a year that all
of us can be proud of.
Keep up the wonderful work.
Greg Vickery
President
Australian Red Cross
Robert Tickner
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Red Cross
Cover photo: Australian Red Cross