The Bazaar of the Red Cross, taking place this Sunday 15 November 2015 in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, will expect to receive around 4,000 visitors in its bid to raise money for families in precarious situations and refugees in the Grand Duchy.
The Bazaar will be held from 10:00 to 18:00 on Sunday at the Halle Victor Hugo in Limpertsberg, under the patronage of HRH the Grand Duchess. A variety of stands will be available, offering national and international food, a flea market, second-hand and luxury goods, gift ideas for all budgets and a raffle. Children will be kept entertained by the interactive show of the Jazz-Ex dance school and the long-awaited visit of St. Nicholas.
"The traditional bazaar is really the main event of our sections," explained Rita Kromback, President of the local section in Luxembourg City. "300 visitors are mobilised and prepare throughout the year to ensure the proper organsation of this major event which brings together an audience from all social backgrounds. I extend a big thank you to all those involved and to all our donors who make the Bazaar a success!"
The 2015 edition of the Bazaar will also present the opportunity to present the cheque of the proceeds from the auction of the work 'La touche du coeur'. Artist Doïna de Watazzi called on numerous artists and other personalities to support the activities of the Luxembourg Red Cross. This year the stalls will also be visited by TRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess.
Social supermarkets are a device launched by the Red Cross in partnership with Caritas as a way of helping struggling households to do their shopping at a lower cost. The eighth 'Croix-Rouge Buttek' will open its doors in Remich on 4 January 2016. With three of these grocery shops run by Caritas, this aid network has a geographic reach across all regions.
The Steinfort grocery shop opened in May 2015 and already has 80 families who carry out their purchases there with the help of volunteers.
"The grocery store has a social function," commented Marie-Josée Lallemang, who managers the Steinfort store. "There is also a kitchen where beneficiaries can have a cup of coffee and a chat. Before the opening of this 'Buttek', beneficiaries received vouchers to shop at the supermarket but some recipients felt embarrasesed to present their goods at the checkout. At the grocery store, they very quickly felt comfortable".
In the first ten months of the year, the social supermarkets recorded 15,487 passing through checkout. Even two months before the end of the year, this represents a 16% increase from 2014.
The Luxembourg Red Cross helps to support refugees in the context of mass migration, helping vulnerable people to live in dignity and autonomously. The Luxembourg red Cross is involved in the accommodation and support of refugees at the national level.
"An expert particularly in first reception, the Luxembourg Red Cross, commissioned by the Office luxembourgeois d'accueil et de l'intégration (OLAI), is entirely responsible for first reception in Luxembourg," stated Gilles Dhamen. "Currently, the Migrants and Refugees Service team welcomes and assists refugees in five foyers: Luexpo Hall 6, Lily Unden, Don Bosco, the former speech centre and the former maternity centre of the CHL".
In four other centres, namely Berg/Betzdorf, Bertrange, Eich and Redange/Attert, the Migrants and Refugees Service offers support to individuals in need at both the administrative and organisatioal level through integration projects.
The Luxembourg Red Cross is also active abroad, in the deployment of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in Greece; in the development of refugee camps and delivery of tents in Turkey; in the renovation of shelters for displaced families in Ukraine; and in the provision of blankets and transport vehicles in Serbia, to name a few.
Members of the public can contribute to the actions of the organisation by donating to CCPL LU52 1111 0000 1111 0000 or by credit card on www.croix-rouge.lu with the message 'précarité sociale' - or by simply doing their shopping at the Red Cross Bazaar this Sunday 15 November 2015!
Photo by Red Cross Luxembourg
