A warm end of year thanks to the Monaco Red Cross

Once again during the festive season this winter, the Monaco Red Cross arranged to offer some warmth and kindness to over 900 beneficiaries.

• Social welfare services: a touch of humanity for more than 300 people

Under the watchful eye of social workers, volunteers from the Monaco Red Cross for days prepared the 169 food parcels and small gifts for pensioners registered with the Social Welfare Office and the lists of the Monaco Red Cross, and for the beneficiaries of the Middle East Refugees Collective. Those who took part in the event had the opportunity to meet the Royal Couple during a ceremony organised for the occasion.

121 other individuals, living in Beausoleil and La Turbie, in a retirement home or in hospital, as well as beneficiaries of the Saint Vincent de Paul Association, also received these Christmas parcels. The Monaco Red Cross did not forget the inmates of Monaco Prison either, to whom 35 boxes of goodies were delivered.

• Magic for the younger ones

The Rosine Sanmori Crèche/Nursery, located in Fontvieille, was once again in full festive spirit this year with a show prepared by the children especially for the Royal Couple based on the 5 senses. T.S.H. Prince Albert and Princess Charlene then handed out beautiful gifts to the 97 little ones.

The children of Monaco Red Cross staff also enjoyed their own Christmas celebration when they received gifts and chocolates at the organisation’s head office, in the presence of Santa Claus who invited the young and older children to enjoy this festive moment in the main function room next to the big Christmas tree.

Finally, once again this year, Christmas presents were distributed to children at the Princess Charlene Children’s Home, whom the Royal Couple honoured by paying them a visit. On this occasion, young and older children had prepared Christmas decorations and desserts.

• A comforting Christmas for over 500 elderly people or in hospital

The Monaco Red Cross also is active in four retirement homes in the Principality. And the Christmas festivities, with the distribution of gifts, are eagerly awaited by the residents.  In Cap Fleuri and La Qietüdine, HSH Princess Stéphanie, accompanied by her daughter Camille, paid them a visit full of good will, whilst residents at the Bellando de Castro and Résidence Giaume welcomed the visit from HRH Princess Caroline. In total, over 300 elderly individuals living in a retirement home received a gift and enjoyed a moment of festive magic thanks to the efforts of the Monaco Red Cross.

Monaco Hospital received a visit from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, President of the Monaco Red Cross, who with the help of volunteers distributed boxes of chocolates to patients in the Digestive Surgery Department.

Last but not least, volunteers from the Monaco Red Cross actively prepared for the festivities at the Clinical Gerontology Centre Rainier III, in order to offer gifts to the 210 residents.  HSH Prince Albert II once again came to meet the patients to the sounds of the Prince’s Carabineer’s Band jazz trio during a warm festive moment.