Land Rover and Red Cross partnership announces new project to tackle natural disasters in Mexico 

The Red Cross is announcing a new project supported by Land Rover – the 18th in the company's current five year relationship; today, October 13th, (Natural Disaster Reduction Day). The project, which will be run by the Mexican Red Cross, will strengthen disaster preparedness for communities in the mountainous area of Chiapas, Mexico.



Land Rover's partnership with the Red Cross dates back to 1954 and its vehicles are used by the Red Cross in projects as far afield as Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, South Korea, Burundi and Egypt (photo: Red Cross)

This is the fourth Land Rover project designed to help communities prepare for natural disasters such as monsoon and flood threats, bush fires, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Similar public preparedness projects funded by Land Rover are already running in Australia, Iceland and Nepal.

Chiapas is a rural, mountainous area, highly susceptible to severe weather, flooding and earthquakes. Mexico experiences an average of more than 90 earthquakes a year and is one of the world’s most exposed countries to natural hazards.

The project provides first aid and emergency response training coupled with practical drills and exercises for up to 55,000 people. In addition to the education and skills training, Land Rover has donated a vehicle to transport goods and volunteers around the region.

“We continue to be immensely grateful to Land Rover for their generous support for our work”, said Catherine Mackenzie manager of the Land Rover partnership at the British Red Cross.

“We now have Land Rover funded projects operating in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas, enabling us to help many thousands of vulnerable people around the world every day.”

The relationship with Land Rover, which goes back to 1954, was formalised into a strategic global partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and British Red Cross in 2010. Since then projects have included providing water and sanitation facilities, health and social care for the elderly, homeless and unemployed, as well as disaster prevention all over the world.