A BRITISH Red Cross psychosocial support team has travelled to North Africa to help Britons involved in the Algerian hostage crisis.
The team of six will provide emotional support and practical help to British nationals caught in the situation and their relatives.
The team forms part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Rapid Deployment Team, which travelled to North Africa this (Jan 18) morning.
Simon Lewis, head of emergency planning at the British Red Cross, said: “Our psychosocial support team will be providing emotional support and practical help to Britons as part of the FCO’s response to the Algerian hostage crisis.”
Adds a spokesperson: “In accordance with its role as an auxiliary to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, the Red Cross is responding at the request of the FCO, which is responsible for providing consular assistance to Britons overseas.
“In previous deployments, psychosocial support teams have assisted Britons following fighting in Libya and events in Egypt in 2011, Haiti’s earthquake, flooding in Madeira and the transport chaos as a result of the volcanic ash cloud in 2010, and the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008.”
ENDS
For further information or interview discussing previous deployments (we will not be able to give details of this deployment while it is ongoing) please contact
Rebecca Lefort 0207 877 7548 rlefort@redcross.org.uk or out of hours mobile 07710391703
British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies.
We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on with their lives.
www.redcross.org.uk
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Contact: Rebecca Lefort
Phone: 07710391703
Email: rlefort@redcross.org.uk
Website: http://www.redcross.org.uk
