British Red Cross deliver food and warn of risk to vulnerable people

11 January 2010

The extreme weather conditions experienced across the UK has resulted in one of the busiest periods for British Red Cross staff and volunteers in 30 years.

As part of a huge response across the country volunteers have been supporting ambulance services, transporting patients and crucial medical staff, helping stranded motorists, using village wardens to check on older people and getting hot water and food to people cut off without power.

Martin Annis, Head of Emergency Planning at the British Red Cross said: "As the freezing conditions continue to affect people country wide we are increasingly concerned about the risk to the vulnerable – such as the elderly, sick and destitute refugees and asylum seekers.

"We have staff and volunteers out in some rural communities checking on older and vulnerable residents as well as teams giving out food parcels to destitute refugees and asylum seekers in Birmingham."

• In North East Cumbria, the Red Cross are using 4x4s to help district nurses reach urgent cases

• Red Cross volunteers are on standby to assist pregnant women on the Isle of Skye as they reach their due dates and need to be taken to hospital

• In Herefordshire, village wardens have been mobilised to check on older and more vulnerable people in rural communities

• Loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and crutches have seen a huge increase due to winter injuries

• 4x4s carrying food parcels have been deployed in the North West to reach destitute asylum seekers cut off by the snow. In Birmingham, the Refugee Service has seen a three-fold increase in demand for food parcels

• As part of a partnership with EDF, British Red Cross volunteers have been providing blankets, food and in some cases delivering hot water to vulnerable people after power cuts in East Anglia, Kent and Sussex

• In Peterborough, volunteers helped to run a soup kitchen for homeless people and gave out blankets and hot drinks

• Extra vehicles have been supplied to the Red Cross by Land Rover, and the Yorkshire and Humberside 4x4 Club are on standby to provide extra support

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