The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) was established in 1950 as a branch of the British Red Cross Society in Hong Kong, by the Director of Medical and Health Department appointed by the Governor of Hong Kong. It provided tracing services, refugee assistance and serving the military hospital. At the early stage, the HKRC mainly cares for the sick and wounded, providing books and newspaper for borrow, movie showing and also sending volunteer teachers for children in hospital. The Blood Transfusion Service was found in 1952, and the tracing service also started in 1954 to assist those separated families to search for the missing members. The first Red Cross Youth unit was also established in 1956.
In the '60s, HKRC built the Princess Alexandra Red Cross Residential School and the Kennedy Center located in Kwun Tong and Sandy Bay representatively in order to provide equal education opportunities to the disabled children. The third school for disabled students, the Hong Kong Red Cross Margaret Trench School was found in 1975. In the same year, the Youth Department also started the mobility equipment loan service for disables patients. Apart from providing emergency assistance and supplies during the influx of Chinese and Vietnamese refugees in the '60s and '70s, HKRC also took up the responsibility in monitoring the North Kai Tak refugee camp.
Most of the key services of the HKRC were on track in the '80s with steady development. The new Blood Transfusion Service Centre Headquarters was built in Kingspark, the new Youth Department New Territories Division and Hong Kong Island Division were established in 1984 and 1989, and the Princess Alexandra Red Cross Residential School was also renovated and expend. Entering the '90s, apart from celebrating the 40th Anniversary, HKRC also started actively participated in international Red Cross events.
Apart from working closely with the Red Cross Society of China on disaster relief and development of reconstruction projects as well as organizing disaster preparedness training, HKRC also supported international disaster relief works, including deployed the first anesthesiologist to Kenya in 1999 to assist the humanitarian work of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
At the same time, new service centres including the HKRC Bradbury Shatin Centre which provided multi-services, the Mobility Equipment Loan Service Centre in Tai Wo Hau and the new wing of the HKRC John F. Kennedy Centre sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club were being built gradually.
We strive for a world in which people respect and protect human life and dignity, and where people are ready to offer impartial and voluntary aid to help improve the lives of vulnerable people.
Our Mission
As part of the International Red Cross Movement, we dedicate ourselves to:
● Protect human life
● Care for the health of the vulnerable
● Respect human dignity
Our Values
● We adhere to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
● We value people, beneficiaries and providers alike.
● We provide quality service and are accountable to our stakeholders.
