The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

Thank you from the British Red Cross after the Escape from the Tower Events

 

Each year City of London Livery Companies support a fund-raising appeal on behalf of the British Red Cross, in which the Masters are Jailed, on various charges, at the Tower of London and have to be Bailed out through members donations to release them.

Last autumn many Members, friends and clients supported my appeal by raising £1,820 and the event as a whole raised over £30,000 to support the work of the Red Cross. This year you supported Richard by raising £1,850.

On Thursday Wendy and I were invited to attend a thank you reception at the wonderful venue of The Reveller at the Tower of London, pictured above (with no bail required this time!).

During the evening we were delighted to hear from 2 wonderful Red Cross volunteers

Dara Leonard, an incredible emergency response volunteer, who has spent the past ten years responding to emergencies across the UK – from floods and fires to evacuations and power cuts. He shared his personal journey and reflected on the critical role volunteers play in reaching people when they need it most with simple but powerful examples, such as offering a blanket to a child arriving from Sudan and lighting a torch during a storm to comfort an elderly person alone in the dark. His message was that humanitarian work isn’t about grand gestures, but about showing up, listening, and offering kindness when it’s needed most.

 

Carrie Garavan, an exceptional nurse and humanitarian recently deployed to the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah- a critical facility delivering emergency healthcare in one of the world’s most challenging environments. During her time there, she provided life-saving medical care to those affected by the ongoing conflict. Carrie showed a wealth of experience from this and previous deployments in Syria, Ukraine, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Benin, Iraq, and Romania., in all of which she provided life-saving medical care to those affected by conflict. Her reflections highlighted the extraordinary resilience of the teams of volunteers.

The presentations included many references to emergencies and conflict and the related experiences and demonstrate how the funds raised make it possible for volunteers to deliver both practical, emotional and life-saving care in the most challenging circumstances.

Thank you for your continuing support to the charitable appeals that the Company makes.

Mike Gibbons

Past Master