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Experience

Feature

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Im leaving a legacy to say thank you

To tweet or not to tweet

Social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook can be a great way for volunteers and staff to promote the British Red Cross. If you want to tweet or comment with your Red Cross hat on, here are a few success stories and faux pas to bear in mind before hitting the post button

Photos on page 14: Subjug/iStock, Simon Hadley/UNP. Photos on page 15: Giorgio Magini /iStock

Share your love of volunteering

The Olympics provided the perfect opportunity for event first aid volunteers to talk about their work, share photos and generally spread the feeling of goodwill created by the event. RED CROSS ALEX ROBERTS The Red Cross Olympics photo gallery on Facebook reached ARE FAB...DONT KNOW 150,000 people and got 684 likes, making it the most WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE TODAY WITHOUT YOUR successful item ever to have appeared on the organisations HELP AT VICTORIA STATION page.
TODAY WITH MY SON AND HIS BROKEN TOE! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!

Help raise funds

The British Red Cross used Twitter to good effect in the wake of the Japan earthquake reaching a staggering ten million people. Another NOREEN BASHIR RED CROSS 70,000 people shared the Japan appeal IS ALWAYS READY TO FACE donation page on Facebook. This shows ANY SITUATION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! I URGE PEOPLE that during appeals, volunteers and staff can TO DONATE TO HELP THE make a huge difference by forwarding links SUFFERING VICTIMS IN JAPAN... to the donation page on redcross.org.uk to I AM GLAD THAT MY DONATION their friends and followers.
ALWAYS REACHES WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST

Family album: Richard meets his Latvian relatives (second from right in back row of both colour photos); Richards father (top right)

The international tracing and message service put Richard Teraud in touch with more than 80 family members he never knew he had. As a result, Richard, from Halesowen, has pledged to leave the British Red Cross a legacy in his will
When the Red Cross called me in October 2004 to say that I had family in Latvia, who were trying to trace my father, it came as a complete surprise. I knew that my dad, Richard, was Latvian and that he arrived in the UK in 1947, but that was about it. He died in 1983 and never spoke about his past. My cousin, Rigonda, initiated the search through the Latvian Red Cross. She wanted to know what had happened to my dad, one of six brothers, who disappeared during the Second World War. She was compiling a family tree as a gift to her father and there was one box empty. My dads Latvian name was Rihards Terauds. Although he had anglicized it, my name is so similar that the Red Cross traced me through the phone book. Two months later, I travelled to Latvia with my wife, sons and brother to meet my new family. The reunion was filmed for an ITV documentary and was very emotional. There were more than 40 people in the room and the tears were flowing. My dads family was so pleased to know he survived the war and made a life for himself in the UK. Rigonda has since visited his grave, which I think also gave them some comfort. The reunion has totally changed our lives. We travel to Latvia nearly every year, exchange Christmas and birthday cards and keep in touch online. We are in contact with more than 80 family members and will never forget the part the Red Cross played. When my wife and I were due to rewrite our wills, we decided to include a gift to the Red Cross. We also give a regular donation and fundraise during Red Cross Week. Leaving a legacy is another way of saying thank you. When weve departed, we know where the money will go. Reasons to remember Many legators have a special reason for including the British Red Cross in their will. They include: > people, such as Richard, who have benefited from a current Red Cross service > former prisoners of war (and their families) who received food parcels or other help during the Second World War > former volunteers and staff members, and their relatives > supporters, motivated by UK and international work or specific emergency appeals. Tell your Red Cross story on twitter.com/britishredcross and facebook.com/britishredcross RedRoom search: social media guidelines

Would you say this in a crowded room?

Making offensive remarks about other people in the virtual world is just as unacceptable as it is in the real world. Dont say things about someone via social media that you wouldnt say to their face. The arrest of a Twitter user alleged to have made malicious comments about Olympic diver Tom Daley shows the police take these issues seriously. If you identify yourself with the Red Cross in your profile, you also have a responsibility to protect the organisations reputation and uphold its fundamental principles.

Accidental howler
If you want to tell people youre out enjoying a pint or two, thats fine just make sure youre not doing it in association with your work for the organisation. One American Red RYAN FOUND TWO MORE Cross employee accidentally tweeted the FOUR BOTTLE PACKS OF comment opposite from @RedCross. Both the embarrassed employee and the American Red Cross quickly acknowledged the mistake and handled the incident with humour, even resulting in a few donations.
DOGFISH HEADS MIDAS TOUCH BEERWHEN WE DRINK, WE DO IT RIGHT #GETTINGSLIZZERD

DID YOU KNOW? LEGACIES ACCOUNT FOR ONE POUND IN EVERY FOUR DONATED TO THE BRITISH RED CROSS (SEE BACK PAGE).
Red Cross Life October 2012