Meet other Bequestors and join Friends of Red Cross

Friends of Red Cross Bequest Society

When you choose to leave a gift in your Will to Australian Red Cross, you become part of something extraordinary - the Friends of Red Cross Bequest Society. Their generosity helps deliver lifesaving aid during disasters, provide shelter and essentials for families, and support recovery programs that restore dignity and hope. We celebrate these remarkable individuals for shaping a future built on compassion, and we would be honoured to welcome you among them.

As a highly valued member of the Friends of Red Cross, you’ll receive:

  • Certificate of Appreciation
  • Unique membership gift
  • Invitations to exclusive events
  • VIP updates on our work at Red Cross

Meet some of our inspiring Bequestors

Who are the people who have chosen to leave a gift in their Will to Australian Red Cross? Each has a unique story and a shared belief in humanity. If you’re considering a gift but haven’t decided yet, we invite you to meet some of our inspiring bequestors. Watch their videos and discover why they chose to act for humanity and create a lasting impact. If their stories inspire you, please get in touch. We would love to help you explore how your legacy can change lives.

Elisabeth Pelican

At 19, Elisabeth witnessed poverty in Haiti that she says broke her heart in a way she never recovered from and never wanted to. The decades since have been shaped by that moment—through volunteering, through regular giving, and through the gift she has left to Australian Red Cross in her Will. What draws her is the neutrality at Red Cross' core: that it doesn't matter what side you are on, every person deserves care. “There are people out there taking enormous risks to help others who have lost hope,” she says. “It is such a privilege to think that my few dollars are part of what's helping that person to be out there doing that.”

Bruce Smith

Bruce’s love for his wife, Mavis, led him to a lifetime dedicated to helping others through Red Cross. It is through his love for Mavis that he hopes his gift in his Will can leave an enduring legacy beyond his lifetime, just as Mavis did.

Shirley Gash

Shirley Gash's father, Erle Chandler Gash, passed away in 2010 at the age of 93. Throughout Shirley's life, right up until his passing, Erle made her pledge that she would remember Red Cross and leave a bequest if able. He was not in a financial position to leave a bequest himself, so Shirley is carrying out his wishes.

Keith Campbell

When Keith Campbell was in his early twenties, he was a member of the R.A.A.F Bomber Command in England. In July of 1944, his aircraft was hit by flak over Germany and he became a Prisoner of War. His first contact with Red Cross was at the interrogation centre, where he was given food and clothing. Throughout the war, he told us, support from Red Cross was the difference between surviving and not making it. While Keith humbly says he could not possibly repay this generosity, he has left a gift in his Will as a gesture of thanks. His kind bequest will ensure Red Cross can continue to be there for people in need for generations to come.

Australian Red Cross acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land, their ancestors and Elders, past and present.

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This website may contain the images, voices or names of people who have passed away.