Red Cross and Christmas
Howard Lake | 23 December 2002 | News
No ban.
Red Cross has not banned Christmas
In response to misleading and inaccurate reports in the media, Sir Nicholas Young, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross, explains about Christmas decorations in British Red Cross shops.
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“The British Red Cross has not ‘banned Christmas’. Our volunteers and staff are welcome, and actively encouraged to celebrate their own particular religions and festivals whenever and however they please. It has always been a policy at the British Red Cross not to display materials of an overtly religious nature in shop windows or elsewhere. Doing so runs the risk of identifying us with one particular faith. We are not, and have never been, a religious organisation.
I know that the public might find it difficult to understand – the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement is a complex organisation, that works in sensitive, complex situations across the world. We have a unique role to play during wars and conflicts, ensuring safe passage for civilians, medical staff, family messages and relief supplies. We visit detainees on both sides of a conflict. This is our unique role. We must continue to do this. We have to stand by our principles, which include impartiality, independence and neutrality.
Throughout our 130 year history, the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement has sought to serve all sides. To do so successfully, to be trusted by all sides to do so, it is essential that we are not seen to be linked with any political groups, religious organisations, or particular communities.
It is vital that we continue to do so, wherever, and whenever we can. It may sound dramatic, but lives really do depend on it.
Let’s not be distracted from the major issues we are working on at the moment: in every community across the UK we are currently caring for vulnerable people. We are also, for example, working round the clock to get vital food aid to 26m people presently facing major food crises in many countries in Africa.”
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.