Historic name change for Red Cross, but community service will continue

Narrabri Red Cross branch met for the last time earlier in July.

The meeting marked a historic milestone – Narrabri Red Cross branch no longer exists, but the re-badged Narrabri Red Cross Club has emerged in its place to carry the local service forward.

Fortunately for the community, the Narrabri Red Cross Club will continue virtually unchanged.

“We will go on exactly as before – but as a ‘club’ not a branch,” said liaison officer, now former president, Max Pringle OAM.

The name change signifies a slight change in the Red Cross’s role, but the service will remain virtually the same, said Mr Pringle.

“We will no longer be attending emergency events as Red Cross, but we will continue with all our other community services, fund raising and local support.”

Red Cross members are all unpaid volunteers.

“As a Red Cross Club we will not be called on to attend disaster emergency events and we don’t have to have regular meetings or keep minutes,” said Mr Pringle.

“But we can still raise funds for Red Cross. We will be doing what we do now, fund raising and advocacy.”

Community volunteers will be welcome to go along and help Red Cross, perhaps at fund raising stalls or similar local activities.

And one of Red Cross’s signature services, the knitting of ‘Trauma Teddies’ will continue.

Trauma Teddies have been produced in their thousands, distributed to kids in hospitals and in situations wherever a cuddly, woollen teddy bear can bring comfort.

Red Cross is well recognised as a dependable community service group, always there when needed over many decades.

Red Cross nationally supports an extraordinary range of services in Australia and overseas. All monies raised are spent on those humanitarian services.

The Narrabri Red Cross Club ‘go to’ person in future will be a ‘liaison officer’ and former president Max Pringle accepted the role.

Judy Michell will be treasurer.

Among other things, the change to a club status reflects the difficulty faced by many community organisations – a shortage of new members coming forward.

A motion from member Kath Davis that the branch become a club was unanimously adopted.

“It’s a sad day, but otherwise we shut up shop,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Narrabri Red Cross Club is gearing up for what the club hopes will be a well supported community event – a ‘founders’ birthday’ lunch at the Bowling Club on
August 13 to celebrate 110 years of Red Cross.

The lunch will mark a historic milestone in the life of Red Cross as a valued national volunteer organisation which has supported thousands of people in war and times of disaster, and always with a grassroots presence helping people at the local level.

“Everyone will be welcome,” the club said. “It will be an opportunity for the district community to recognise the role of Red Cross and show their appreciation.”