Defender marks 70 years of British Red Cross partnership with Land Rover Classic restoration at Goodwood Revival
Defender has chosen a fitting way to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Defender’s ongoing humanitarian partnership with the British Red Cross.
Working with the expert engineers and craftspeople at Land Rover Classic, it will showcase the restoration of a Series IIA ambulance that served with the British Red Cross.
The historic model will take pride of place on the stand at this year’s Goodwood Revival event alongside a modern example from the current British Red Cross fleet – a state-of-the-art Defender 130 Emergency Response vehicle based in North Wales.
Defender’s relationship with the British Red Cross is one of the longest-standing humanitarian charity partnerships of its kind in the world and can trace its roots back to 1954, when a specially adapted Series I Land Rover went into service in the deserts of Dubai as a mobile dispensary.
Today, Defender works with the British Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from crises around the world, supporting projects in the UK, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco and Australia. Across seven decades, the partnership is estimated to have positively impacted the lives of over two million people in more than 50 countries.
Mark Cameron, Managing Director of Defender, said:
“We wanted to mark the enduring nature of Defender’s association with the British Red Cross as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations. When the experts at Land Rover Classic unearthed a rare Series IIA Ambulance, we couldn’t wait to bring it back to life. Just like the Red Cross Defender models of today, Series Land Rovers of the past delivered the all-terrain capability needed to reach remote locations and communities.”
Work restoring the classic 4x4 ambulance is progressing well and the ongoing restoration project will showcase the extensive work that goes into remastering vehicles at JLR’s Classic Works facility.
The Land Rover Marshall Ambulance Series IIA was first registered in 1968 and entered service with the British Red Cross in the eighties. To suit its new role, the ambulance was repainted, and the rear body was fitted with a new interior featuring extra cupboards and storage.
The vehicle is undergoing a complete restoration at the Classic Works facility in Ryton, Coventry, which serves as Land Rover Classic’s headquarters. As well as an extensive mechanical overhaul of its four-wheel drive transmission and original 2.25-litre engine, the flaking exterior will ultimately be given a new lease of life, with a fresh coat of paint applied, in-keeping with its time with the British Red Cross.
The work is being completed by Land Rover Classic’s experienced technicians and a team of apprentices, and a number of rare parts have been sourced for the vehicle in the strip-down process.
Once finished, the ambulance will feature a new chassis and bulkhead, with a fully restored period-correct interior. At Goodwood, the ambulance will showcase its new front panel, restored pedal box assemblies and a new bulkhead toolbox constructed by Land Rover Classic. Specialist technicians from Classic Works will host talks about the project on the stand, at 10:00 and 14:00, each day of the event.
Goodwood Revival visitors will be able to contrast the equipment and technology fitted to the classic British Red Cross vehicle with an active Defender 130 Emergency Response vehicle that is instrumental in helping the charity to support difficult‑to‑reach communities across North Wales. It features enhanced connectivity including a 4G‑connected antenna, phone, VHF radio and telematics system with GPS tracking. The converted Defender 130 was donated to the British Red Cross by JLR to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Across seven decades, JLR’s support for the British Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has helped those affected by conflict and natural disasters the world over. Defender played a key role during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a fleet of 27 vehicles deployed with the British Red Cross to deliver medicine and food to people across the UK who were self-isolating and had no means of support. Globally, a fleet of 267 Defenders supported the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
