Land Rover will continue its global humanitarian partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for a further five years.

The renewed commitment to work with the organisation will see Land Rover building on the success of a partnership first forged with the Red Cross in 1954, when Land Rover supplied a Series 1 Defender to the British Red Cross in Dubai as a mobile dispensary.

The relationship was further cemented in 2007, as part of the development of Land Rover’s G4 Challenge.

Since then its worldwide achievements include the loan and donation of 119 vehicles and the provision of direct help to more than 800,000 people.

Globally more than one million people have also benefited indirectly from Land Rover’s support for the IFRC.

IFRC Under Secretary Joelle Tanguy said: "The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is delighted that the long-standing global partnership with Land Rover has been extended for five more years.

"Together we can set up new initiatives and accelerate the reach of water and sanitation programmes that already support thousands of people. We will grow the partnership so it reaches more many more beneficiaries in vulnerable communities around the world."

Mark Cameron,  global brand experience director at Land Rover, said: "We are proud to continue our support for the IFRC and the excellent work it does to bring help and relief to people in need.

"As a business we are committed to bringing positive change to the lives of 12 million people by 2020 and our global humanitarian partnership is a key element in achieving this goal, delivering practical, sustainable help to communities and individuals worldwide.

"With the use of Land Rover vehicles we are able to help the IFRC go into remote territories that would otherwise be unreachable. This is often where aid is also needed most urgently."

In 2012 Land Rover made the IFRC’s sustainable water and sanitation project in Uganda the focus of the most ambitious fund-raising activity in the company’s history, a 10,000-mile expedition to Beijing undertaken by the one millionth Land Rover Discovery to be built at Land Rover’s historic Solihull plant.

The 50-day journey succeeded in its target of generating £1 million for the project and raising awareness of the vital work being done by IFRC teams in Africa.

To date, the money has helped create seven new boreholes, provide essential education in personal hygiene and sanitation, train volunteers and publish information material. The project has provided direct help to more than 22,000 and indirectly benefited a further 66,000.

In the next five years Land Rover will continue its commitment to help the IFRC to reach thousands more vulnerable people.

By bringing together specialist knowledge, innovation and expertise, the multi-million pound partnership will provide essential support to improve the lives of people around the world.

Under the banner 'Reaching Vulnerable People Around the World', Land Rover and IFRC will be working together in the UK, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal and South Sudan to deliver a diverse range of humanitarian initiatives, including water and sanitation, health and social care and disaster response.

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