British Red Cross Society. Originally a nursing reserve, it has grown over the years to provide other community based programmes.

In 1955 an Island wide blood typing project was started with some 14,000 residents being typed. This produced a register of over 2,500 volunteer donors who were then matched with patients as the need arose.

Bermuda's new hospital opened in 1965 and the Bermuda Red Cross was asked by the Bermuda Hospitals Board to manage the blood bank which they still do.

Blood is provided free in Bermuda to both residents and visitors. In 1995 there was a name change to Blood Donor Centre, in order to avoid further confusion with the hospital lab.

By the end of 1998, a total of 2,168 units of blood were collected. In 1996 they became the "umbrella'' organisation for the promotion and distribution of Organ and Tissue donor cards, and information about this life-giving contribution.

The local group is affiliated with the New England Organ and tissue Donor Bank, and Bermuda is categorised in their number one priority group. This high priority results from Bermuda's close proximity and accessibility.

Several transplants are done at King Edward Memorial Hospital by local ear and eye surgeons. In the past 10 years Bermuda has donated more than 10 organs and tissues to the New England Donor Bank.

The Bermuda Red Cross started the Hospital Equipment Rental Service in 1967 which provides all types of medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, commodities as well as children's equipment for use outside of the hospital.

Health Insurance is compulsory in Bermuda so most of the rental cost is recoverable from insurers. They have over 900 pieces of equipment and serve some 750 customers.

They are bursting at the seams at their present location in the old hospital.

It is their hope that this service gets moved to their headquarters, Charleswood, on Berry Hill Road in the near future.

Excess supplies of this equipment are frequently sent to their sister societies in the Caribbean.

In 1970, to mark the 100th Anniversary of the International Red Cross, they started their Centennial Transport Service.

Volunteers using their own cars provide free transportation to the elderly, needy, handicapped and blind. They drive to the indigent clinic, doctor's offices, the laboratory, X-ray, dialysis, and physiotherapy. In 1998 their volunteer drivers made over 4,000 drives.

They have operated Red Cross Youth groups in several schools. This activity teaches youngsters the origins of the Red Cross and it's principles, home nursing, basic first aid and involves them in visiting senior citizen homes where they read to and play games with the residents.

They sponsor the Golden Hour Club, a senior citizen's group that meets every two weeks for fellowship and entertainment.

In the area of Disaster Preparedness, they are a member of the Emergency Measures Organization (the National Disaster Unit) and have a representative on the Steering Committee that enables them to play a part in a coordinated approach to disaster preparedness and disaster management.

For 2000 they had a colouring contest for all primary students aged 5-11.

These were distributed during Red Cross week (8th May) and winners announced during Hurricane Awareness Week.

As a Branch of the British Red Cross, Bermuda is a part of Subregion III of the Americans in the International Federation of Red Cross Crescent Societies.

This area consists of the Islands and Territories of the Caribbean and Bermuda. Historically Bermuda's Red Cross has assisted our neighbours to the south in times of natural disasters.

In the recent past these have been Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica (1988), Hurricane Hugo in Montserrat and the Eastern Caribbean Islands in (1995), Hurricane George in Central America (1998) and Hurricane Mitch in the Eastern Caribbean Islands (1998).

Over $277,000 was raised to cover these disasters in public appeal that was matched by a similar amount from the Bermuda Government. Bermuda Red Cross is involved in the allocation and distribution of these funds to provide relief and rehabilitation to the victims.

They have also assisted in other worldwide appeals: Princess Diana Landmines Appeal (1997) raising $24,000.

The Kosovo Refugee Appeal (1999) raising $170,000.

The Turkish Earthquake (1999) raising $22,500.

The Venezuela Flood Appeal (1999) raising $19,000.

Mozambique Flooding (2000) raising $26,000.

Ethiopian Drought (2000) has just been launched.

In May, 1991 they joined the International Development Project (IDP) of the American Red Cross. The Carnegie Corporation of New York funds this programme.

The central goal of the IDP is to create and maintain active and meaningful partnerships (pairings) among 20 American Red Cross field units and 20 Red Cross National Societies in Southern Africa and the Caribbean.

Bermuda Red Cross was paired with the Salt Lake City Area Chapter in Utah.

While the project provided some funding in the form of "seed money'' and matching grants, the main advantage for the participating overseas societies is that all the programmes of the American Red Cross are available to them with the pairing chapters assisting in training.

Early in 1993 they began teaching the American Red Cross Community First Aid & Safety programme. Under a unique agreement with the American Red Cross Bermuda has been authorized to issue American Red Cross First Aid and CPR certificates.

To date the Bermuda Red Cross has trained over 2,240 people in first aid and CPR using 11 instructors.

Since 1997 they have trained 121 students ranging from the ages of 12 to 17 in their babysitting course.

Prior to June of 1992, they were an all volunteer organization except one employee in the Blood Donor Center.

The introduction of their First Aid & CPR programme and their need to increase their profile in the community made it necessary to employ a part time Branch Administrator in 1992 and effective 1st October, 1999, the branch administrator was promoted to director.

The Bermuda Red Cross purchased "Charleswood'' at 9 Berry Hill Road, Paget in May 1995. They occupy the ground level with offices, training rooms and storage facilities.

A Capital Campaign was launched in May, 1996 in order to reduce the debt on their headquarters. A total of $1.5 million was raised in pledges and donations. Today they own the building.

Nursing reserve of 1950: Front row seated, left to right: Mrs. Betty Pitman, Mrs. Edna Gamble, and Mrs. Peggy Lines. Back row, left to right: Mrs. Mac Frith, Mrs. Joy Mitchell, Mrs. Ethel Zuill, deceased and Mrs. Thelma Gibbons, deceased.