British Red Cross

The British Red Cross
The British Red Cross was founded in 1870 as a way to help people in need all around the world. The charity has over 18,000 domestic volunteers.

The global humanitarian network operates under the mantra of “refusing to ignore people in crisis”, underpinned by the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, universality. Following the outbreak of the first world war the British Red Cross joined forces with the St. John Ambulance, establishing the Joint War Committee and Joint War Organisation. The utilisation of these parties gave way to such innovations as the motorised ambulance and the International Message and Tracing Service, a catalogue of wounded or missing soldiers.

Once the ferocity displayed European theatre had been annulled, the newly named “International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies” concentrated its efforts on improving the quality of life across impoverished nations and states now recovering from almost half a decade of war.

1939 saw the organisation return to its battlefield heritage, with volunteers taking positions across hospitals, care homes, rest stations and nurseries thanks to a monumental fundraising campaign from the Duke of Gloucester. Throughout the course of the second world war the Red Cross upheld the standards of treatment of prisoners of war, providing them with food, medical supplies, and books.

More recently the organisation has been active far closer to home, providing care after the London Bombings of 2005, the Lockerbie disaster of 1988 and the Aberfan coal slide of 1966.

OBVERSE
The obverse of the coin was designed by Jody Clark and features the fifth coinage effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

ELIZABETH II D G RED FID DEF 5 POUNDS

REVERSE
The reverse was designed by Henry Gray. It features a map of the British Isles with a cross in the centre. The text reads:

1870 BRITISH RED CROSS 2020
THE POWER OF KINDNESS

Gray said he wanted the design to cover the “five modern roles of the British Red Cross: crisis response, first aid, independent living, refugee and asylum seeker support, and international work.”

The edge text features the Red Cross moto, “PER HUMANITATEM AD PACEM” which means “THROUGH HUMANITY TO PEACE”.