The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) hosted SRC partners, former Council Members, management, and volunteers at an Open House on 7 March. 

Through a comprehensive guided tour of the Red Cross House, they learnt more about the building, which is gazetted as a conservation building with 63 years of history. The Red Cross House underwent a 1.5-year-long refurbishment, and was officially re-opened by SRC Patron President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on 3 October 2023.

Showcasing heritage items, the Red Cross House features a foundation stone originally laid by Lady Goode in 1959, and a plaque unveiled at the opening of the Red Cross House by former President Yusof Ishak in 1961. A bust of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, contributed by the India Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu Branch, is also displayed in the refurbished building.

One of the highlights of the building is the sustainability elements aimed at retaining, recycling, regenerating and repurposing resources. Solar panels were installed on the new roof terrace to regenerate solar energy into renewable energy. A rainwater harvesting tank recycles water for washing, irrigation, and flushing. 

An extensive global and thematic stamp collection of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, courtesy of Secretary General / CEO Benjamin William, is showcased in Red Cross House as well.

One of the visitors, Mr Kek Teng Cheong, attended the open house with his son. He recalled accompanying his late father, Mr Kek Siew Kok, to Red Cross House as a young primary and secondary school student in the 1960s and 1970s. The late Mr Kek was a passionate and steadfast volunteer with the SRC who had volunteered in the night ambulance service, and was part of the response team to several major disasters in Singapore; the Bukit Ho Swee Fire, the Spyros Explosion, the cable car accident of 1983, and the Hotel New World collapse.

The Red Cross House is steeped in history and heritage. Whether it is within its headquarters, satellite offices, or care facilities, SRC’s employees, volunteers, and stakeholders remain committed to uplifting lives and enhancing resilience in communities, locally and internationally.

Photos by Billy Wong, volunteer photographer