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LAND ROVER SUPPORTS RED CROSS DISASTER PROJECTS WORLDWIDE

International Volunteer Day

 

Natural disasters can strike at any time, so Land Rover and Red Cross volunteers have been helping people in remote areas to prepare for the worst. Volunteering support has never been more important.

 

The World Disaster Report 2018 estimates that 134 million people need humanitarian assistance this year. The report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) says challenging terrain, limited infrastructure, conflicts, and natural hazards can all make it difficult to get help to where it's needed. That is why we are celebrating International Volunteer Day on 5 December and saying thank you to the amazing people who dedicate their time to help us improve the lives of others.

Land Rover funds a community preparedness project in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, which aims to support 55,000 people in vulnerable communities. In the last two years, the Mexican Red Cross has travelled over 23,000 miles in order to reach these isolated communities. Following the 2017 earthquake, the Mexican Red Cross were able to mobilise 1,200 search and rescue specialists and 31,000 volunteers to support the rescue efforts to deliver earthquake relief and response to more than a million people.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED URGENT HUMANITARIAN AID

Alexander Matheou
Executive Director of International at the British Red Cross

Land Rover’s close relationship with the IFRC began with the donation of a vehicle to be used as a mobile dispensary in the deserts of Dubai in 1954. Since then, we have donated more than 120 vehicles to the IFRC and continues to help the organisation improve the lives of vulnerable people in isolated communities across the globe.

Alexander Matheou, Executive Director of International for the British Red Cross, said: “Millions of people worldwide are in crisis and need urgent humanitarian aid. In the past decade earthquakes have caused more than 350,000 deaths and the recent disaster in Indonesia has left a trail of destruction, bringing the importance of our humanitarian work to the forefront. “These events are truly devastating. Through our partnership with Land Rover we’re able to gain access to some of the hardest-to-reach areas and support vulnerable people throughout the world. We’re committed to working together to continue helping communities prepare for and recover from disasters.”

Jessica Lara, Chiapas Programme Co-ordinator, said: “Working in such remote communities can be a challenge. We work with lots of people from different cultures and we have to earn their trust. The earthquake was one of the factors that have let us into these communities, who now understand they are exposed and that disasters can happen at any moment.”

Land Rover has worked in partnership with the Red Cross for more than 60 years. Since 2013 the partnership has raised more than US $12.8m for people in need, funding 18 humanitarian projects in 25 countries. Together we have reached almost one million people worldwide through the provision of emergency response vehicles, help at home services in the UK, and overseas projects to build stronger, more resilient communities in areas vulnerable to disaster.

For more information about Land Rover and the Red Cross https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/land-rover/

 

The DISCOVERY SPORT 

VERSATILITY, DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY