RED CROSS PRESIDENT RETIRES

At the beginning of June, Allison Wilson retired after 12 years as County President of the Red Cross. She feels proud to have served an organisation whose success depends upon the dedicated work of volunteers. As President, Allison sat on the management committee and was Chairperson of the Trustees, a policy-making group, which meets four times a year.

The Red Cross is the largest Charity organisation in the world. It was founded by a Swiss banker named Henri Dunant, who had witnessed the terrible suffering and lack of medical aid at the battle of Solferino in 1859, during the Franco-Austrian War. Upon returning home, he wrote a book in which he suggested the setting up of neutral organisations to aid soldiers wounded in time of war. This led to the signing of the first Geneva Convention in 1864. This Convention set out the rules for the treatment of wounded soldiers, together with doctors, nurses and the hospitals in time of war, and now covers the treatment of all people in a war situation, whether it is between nations or civil, such as in Bosnia. Concern for prisoners of war is one of the major concerns of the Red Cross.

The International Federation of the Red Cross, based in Geneva, is responsible for co-ordinating the peacetime work of all the national societies, now numbering more that one hundred. This work involves helping people who are victims of natural and man-made disasters all around the world, such as earthquakes, floods, famines and epidemics.

The local Red Cross branch, over which Allison Wilson has so ably presided, has many strings to its bow. These include the 'Family Special Needs Resource Centre', (a support service unique to our county), a counselling service for parents with children who have Cerebral Palsy, a First Aiders training department and a Community Care department with weekly Day Centres. Elements of the Red Cross also form part of the County Emergency Plan for such things as motorway and plane crashes. Although some of the services provided are free, some involve a very reasonable fee as funds received from outside agencies do not cover all costs, hence an Appeals and Fund Raising department is essential. There is a very active Youth department with 9 branches throughout the City and County, with a membership of 300. In these, training in first aid is given and there is full involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme.

Allison and her husband Jim live in Gaulby and are both directors of Graham Gardner, the school outfitters. The company was started by Allison's Grandfather in 1906.

Allison has spent a good part of her life serving the community in one way or another. She has been a magistrate for 22 years and chairs the Probation Committee. She has also sampled local politics in the past as a member of both the City and County Council. She is also proud of her Civic role as Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire. In recognition for her public and political service she was awarded the CBE in 1987.

You may well ask how Allison, the director of a commercial undertaking, managed to find time to preside over such a large and complex organisation as the Red Cross. The story does not end there, however, as Allison is also a Churchwarden at Gaulby, plays tennis and swims. I found that meeting someone with such a full and active life to be stimulating in the extreme, and a very pleasant experience.

I know that Allison is very keen to thank all members of the Red Cross in the County for their hard work and dedication. On behalf of the readers of the Kibworth Chronicle I would like to thank Allison and all Red Cross members for their hard work and enthusiasm, and for being their when we need them.

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