Red Cross celebrated in Tea Gardens

WORLD Red Cross Day (8 May) was celebrated at the Tea Gardens Uniting Church on Sunday.

Members of the Tea Gardens Red Cross (TGRC) joined the congregation for a service, followed by morning tea in the hall.

“Today, Red Cross Sunday, we celebrate the birth of the founder of the Red Cross, Swiss businessman and humanitarian Henri Dunant,” said TGRC Secretary Jenny Kelly.

“In 1859 he witnessed the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Solferino, Italy, and saw so many wounded with no medical support.

“By 1863 he founded the International Committee of the Red Cross, advocating for neutral relief organisations, promoting the Geneva Convention, and became the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.”

The Australian Red Cross was founded by Lady Helen Munro after the start of WWI, to support sick and wounded soldiers and prisoners of war.

A bureau for the recording of missing persons was also founded, which continues to operate today as ‘Register-Find-Reunite’, and is activated in the wake of disaster events.

The Tea Gardens Red Cross branch celebrates 91 years of continuous service this year.

“[The branch was] was established in 1935 to raise and provide funds for food, shelter, water, medical supplies and to protect life and health in all communities,” Jenny explained.

“Our branch today continues raising funds for disasters such as floods, fires, drought, cyclones and earthquakes, but also to support local communities, the aged care sector, the Lifeblood service, and emergency services.

“The Red Cross Calling program, held in March each year, raises funds to support people recovering from disasters and social isolation.”

Locally, Red Cross members have supported several community service groups, including the Tea Gardens Lions’ Christmas Fair, the Progress Association’s Seniors Concert, past breakfast programs at Tea Gardens Public School, the Pindimar-Tea Gardens RFS, Myall River VIEW Club, Wednesday Craft Group and the Free Clinic Bus.

“This year we have raised funds for Destiny Haven, a residential program for women recovering from addiction,” Jenny said.

“They are given opportunities to start a new life, learn new skills and coping mechanisms, and education through TAFE and university.

Last month Red Cross members supported Adam Cook from the Medowie Assembly of God, with donations of clothing and non-perishable food items to their charity op-shop, ‘Opportunity Knocks’.

The shop funds ‘Foodway’, a program supplying hot meals and facilitating a food hub where basics can be purchased for minimal cost.

Members also recently donated Trauma Teddies to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter base in Newcastle.

“We got a tour of the workshop and morning tea,” Jenny said.

The new Trauma Teddy knitting program meets at the Uniting Church hall from 9:30am on the fourth Tuesday every month.

Quite a few of the Tea Gardens members are trained in Psychological First Aid, which enables them to be called to assist during disasters in evacuation centres and recovery programs.

Several more members recently attended a training seminar in East Maitland.

Psychological first aid (PFA) is a support activity that helps people impacted by an emergency, disaster or traumatic event, using a humane, supportive response to another person who is suffering and may need support.

PFA teaches the latest, internationally recognised, evidence-based practice in psychological first aid, fundamental skills to use when responding to a crisis, understanding how to take care after an event, as well as effective self-care techniques in a stressful context.

“We believe that a neighbourhood reflects the care and support within it, and we believe that this strength lives on in our  community, as we follow our fundamental Red Cross principles of impartiality, humanity, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, universality,” said Jenny.

Tea Gardens Red Cross meets locally at the Uniting Church Hall on the fourth Monday of the month at 10:30am.

By Thomas O’KEEFE