British Red Cross Reg charity no: 220949

We are a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are.

The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on with their lives.

Reunite Joseph with his mum in our online game: Traces of Hope.

One morning five years ago, 16-year-old Joseph’s village in Northern Uganda was attacked and his father and sister were killed. Hundreds of people from nearby towns and villages fled the violence and, in the chaos, Joseph lost sight of his mother. He had to keep walking until he found safety in a camp for displaced people but he never stopped looking for her.

This story is based on tragic events that have happened to real people in any number of conflicts around the world. Joseph’s story forms the basis of an online game, called Traces of Hope, developed by the British Red Cross as part of Civilians and Conflict month in October 2008.

What we do every day

Every day our skilled volunteers and staff respond to major emergencies both at home and overseas. From fires and floods in the UK to earthquakes and conflict around the world, we help people to cope in crisis situations by providing essential survival items and emotional support.

As well as being the first to respond to emergencies, the Red Cross helps people prepare for disasters and emergencies. We teach life saving skills such as first aid, and have several practical healthcare and educational programmes around the world that help communities prevent and treat disease.

We also help thousands of people through other Red Cross services in the UK, these include: Fire and Emergency Support, International Tracing and Message, Care in the Home, the loan of Medical Equipment & Youth Education.

The Red Cross is represented by 97 million volunteers and 300,000 staff in 186 countries, who share a vision: a world where everyone gets the help they need in a crisis.