branch

Thank you great photo

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Red Cross Society in Queensland Within weeks, 196 branches were established across Queensland, as the Society’s mission and ideals spread and thousands of people, mostly women, volunteered in towns all over the state. Joining the Society gave its volunteers a dutiful purpose and a sense that they could contribute to the war effort from the home front. Their tireless work provided money, clothing, comforts for the sick and wounded, and equipment for military hospitals in Queensland and overseas. The geographical distance between branches presented many challenges, and the nature of district activities was adapted for each branch location. Some branches held fundraising events, and knitted and sewed socks, towels, and vests, while others sewed uniforms, or put together comfort parcels containing soap, cigarettes, fruit cake, tinned foods, and handkerchiefs. Remote branches with few resources sometimes simply collected money. The Queensland division established its headquarters at 409 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, and it became the communications centre and distribution point for all goods made, collected, or donated in the branches. From headquarters, goods were repackaged and sent to military hospitals in Queensland, or overseas to England for distribution, directly to troops in France and Belgium, or to field hospitals in Europe, the Middle East, and India. In 1915, several Queensland branches raised £450 to buy motor ambulances to send to the front line. An Information Bureau was also established in 1915, to help families obtain information about their loved ones overseas. By 1917, the Queensland division had turned its attention to providing supplies for Australian prisoners of war in Germany. By June 1918, there were 225 Red Cross member-based branches in Queensland. Most were run by women, many of whom remained with the organisation after the war, to provide a lifetime of service. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/red-cross-society-queensland