A new ambulance for Wuustwezel

"To our donors I want to say: thank you for supporting the local chapter, it helps!" Aloïs Van Tiggel is president of Red Cross-Wuustwezel. His chapter has invested the donations raised by the Local Support Action in a fully equipped new ambulance. "That vehicle has already been at Rock Werchter, at the Antwerp 10 Miles and of course locally in Wuustwezel. Our ambulance is on the road every weekend."

 "Our department has a pretty strong relief service. That's one of the reasons we bought a new ambulance. At first we rented one from Red Cross-Borgerhout, but they needed it again themselves when their own car broke down."

Visible at events

In the area, people will see the new car mostly at events. And there are plenty of those. "In Wuustwezel we have quite a few larger events. In the middle of August there is the Sterke Peer triathlon. In Loenhout there is the flower parade, which attracts 15,000 people. Then between Christmas and New Year there is the Cyclocross, also in Loenhout with about 15,000 people. Last summer we also had Beach Weekend where there were about 20,000 visitors."

"With the women's race in Wuustwezel, a few people had fallen badly. One of them had a broken leg. And this season with Antwerp at the Bosuil someone had fallen from the grandstand. We also transported that person to the hospital with the new car."

It is important that people know we are there, that we are visible as a Red Cross." The new wagon helps with that, too. "And recently we had provided our own open house, during the flea market. People could see the wagon and also our room, where the wagon is safely stored. They then know: if something happens in the village, the Red Cross is there. People appreciate that tremendously."

Curious about what your support can do in the neighborhood? 

Read more stories here of what local chapters were able to accomplish thanks to financial support from their residents.