In an uncertain world, the British Red Cross will always be there for those in crisis

Béatrice Bustana-Sita, Chief Executive | British Red Cross

4 min read2 hr Partner content

At its core, the British Red Cross is there to help people prepare, respond and recover when crisis strikes. In an ever changing and increasingly uncertain world, this is more important than ever. Chief Executive of the British Red Cross, Béatrice Bustana-Sita, talks about her experience of the work of the organisation since she joined fifteen months ago

It is now over a year since I became Chief Executive of the British Red Cross and in this short time, I have seen the huge amount of work the organisation does, both here in the UK and around the world.

We are dealing with the highest levels of humanitarian need ever seen. The challenges we face, both locally and globally, are immense - escalating emergencies, prolonged conflicts, economic inequality, and the growing impacts of climate change. We are rising to meet these challenges, both through our frontline services, which continue to adapt and innovate as our world changes, and through our work with decision-makers who can take action for the benefit of humanity.

At the heart of our Movement are the fundamental principles that guide our work, including ‘impartiality’ and ‘neutrality’.

The power of these principles has been evident in the most desperate circumstances around the globe, where the Movement has been able to make a difference to those in their darkest moments. Over the past 15 months, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies have reached millions of people with support including providing 1.6 million relief items in Gaza, alongside providing emergency medical care in Gaza and the West Bank. In Lebanon, the Movement has provided 1.1 million meals and reached 430,000 people with medical services. In Israel, Magen David Adom has responded to over one million emergency calls. Our Gaza Crisis Appeal will continue to provide lifesaving aid today and a concerted, ongoing humanitarian response and recovery effort in the many years ahead.

The role of the British Red Cross teams has included providing psychosocial support in airports in Cairo, Cyprus and Tel Aviv to provide humanitarian aid and welfare to people escaping the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as those displaced from Sudan.

This is just a snapshot of our global work, work that I have been privileged to see firsthand. Meeting the people supported by the Red Cross Movement around the world, and those that make it possible, has been a defining experience of my first year leading the organisation and a reminder that, even in the worst circumstance, the Red Cross will be there.

The work of the British Red Cross here in the UK is just as impactful, but often is less well known by people I speak to. For many, unless they have had a direct interaction with one of our teams, they do not realise the extent of our work at home.

Our emergency response teams mobilise every four hours to help communities in need in the UK. We set up rest centres during floods and provide wellbeing support during severe weather such as Storm Eowyn.

We also have extensive services supporting refugees here in the UK. Last year, we supported over 40,000 displaced people, and since the conflict in Ukraine began nearly three years ago, we’ve assisted more than 60,000 Ukrainians arriving in the UK.

Providing health and care support is also key to our mission at home, and we are now a major provider of community services, empowering people to manage their health. We operate over 200 different health services across the UK, supporting people in hospital and in their own homes.

What unites all these efforts is the mobilising power of humanity so that people can prepare for, respond to, and recover from crisis. Our mission is not just to provide immediate relief but to create lasting change. Key to this is ensuring that, here in the UK, we are speaking to policymakers who have it within their power to make the legislative and regulatory changes that can advance humanity at home and abroad.

That is why I am delighted that we will be celebrating the work of the British Red Cross, and all those that make that work possible, in Parliament this week. Our reception on Wednesday evening will be a chance to hear from the staff and volunteers, supporters and ambassadors of the British Red Cross, and I hope to see you there.

The British Red Cross will be celebrating the work of all those that support the movement at a parliamentary reception on the evening of Wednesday 5th February.

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