Limassol Branch
The Limassol Branch consists one of the Subsidiary Units of the Cyprus Red Cross Society (CRCS). Its first President was Mrs Lella Cacoyianni. She was succeeded by Amarandi Shitta, Ino Zachariades, Evangelitsa Marcoulli, Stathoula Sykopetriti and Niki Hadjitsangari.
The Limassol Branch has been very active all these years. In 1969 the Limassol Branch was the first to organise voluntary blood donations, with the pioneering assistance of Dr Michalis Psiloinis. Such blood donations continue until now, at local colleges, Lyceums and TEPAK university, offering valuable blood supplies to the Limassol General Hospital. In 1986 it acquired its own ambulance (donated by Laiki Bank) which acts as a mobile blood bank. In 2010 it was offered to the Limassol Hospital.
Following the 1974 Turkish invasion, the members and volunteers of the Limassol Branch took immediate action to meet the multiple needs of the people who were forcibly displaced. There were 200.000 refugees, hundreds missing, many enclaved. The volunteers of our Branch visited displaced families who first sought refuge in school buildings and later in refugee settlements, where they offered clothing, medicines, foodstuffs and other necessities. Even before the International Red Cross sent a team to the island to provide help, the C.R.C.S. including the Limassol Branch formed the original liaison service to restore contact among relatives and collect information about missing people.
The Branch contributes financially towards the upkeep of the C.R.C.S. Children Therapy Centre Stella Soulioti (formerly Home for Sick Children) which has been built at Polemidhia, Limassol.
Since 1990, the Limassol Branch has been offering breakfast to deprived children of elementary and secondary schools. The Limassol Branch was the first to launch the door to door money collection in 1991. Following its great success, the idea grew into an annual island-wide fund raising campaign two years later and is now the main source of revenue for the C.R.C.S.
In 2005 and 2012 the Branch, with the help of a donor who wants to remain anonymous, refurbished the wards, sitting room and chemotherapy chamber of the Oncology Centre at Limassol Hospital. It also provided equipment to the Casualty Department of the Hospital worth about 40.000 euros.
The Branch keeps an emergency store and has a special Disaster Management Plan. In 1995 when an earthquake hit Paphos, the Limassol Branch rushed to Polis Chrysochou and, together with the Paphos Branch, offered help to the people affected by the quake, taking large quantities of emergency supplies from its Limassol stores. In 2006 it helped in the care of refugees from Lebanon, in cooperation with the Ports Authority and the Civil Defence force. When a whirlwind hit Limassol, the Branch provided clothing, blankets, bed-sheets and foodstuffs to stricken homes. It also helped families who were forced to flee their homes during disastrous fires at Saitta and Kellaki, always in cooperation with the Civil Defence.
In addition to these activities, the Limassol Branch pays regular visits to hospitals, Homes for the elderly and children's care centres, offering books, sweets, toys and other presents. Various events are held from time to time, such as concerts, dinners, fashion shows, bazaars, theatre performances and mini football games, to raise funds for the Branch.
Since 2012, the Branch is housed at its own premises situated at 119 Ayias Phylaxeos street from where it can operate more efficiently in order to meet the needs of our fellow citizens who visit our offices on a daily basis. They are offered foodstuffs, clothing and footwear items, baby food, toys, and above all, much needed moral support and love.
