RCSI students presented €11,010 to the Irish Red Cross and an African orphanage at a special ceremony in RCSI on Monday, 8 May.

The event, which coincides with International Red Cross Day, also included the inauguration of the RCSI Red Cross group as an official branch of the Irish Red Cross.

The monies were raised through a number of fundraising activities held by the society this year and will go towards the Irish Red Cross Pakistan earthquake appeal, the Philippines landslide appeal and the African Food crisis appeal as well as the Nuru orphanage and nursery school in Kenya.

In addition to fundraising for a variety of charities and organisations such as the Samaritans and St Vincent De Paul, the RCSI Red Cross also takes part in various projects throughout the year. Established in October 2004, it is run by students in the College which has a long history of fundraising for charities. Last year, it helped raise €19,750 for the Tsunami appeal.