Area councils

To contact your nearest area council email membership@redcross.org.nz and the team will put you in touch.

Area council map

Area council responsibilities

Area council members support Red Cross people in their area, helping to motivate, inspire, and empower them to carry out their humanitarian work.

Area councils have four main areas of responsibility:

1. Governance and leadership – developing a membership base and supporting local Red Cross branches, groups, individual members, and staff, and the National Board.
2. Communication and relationship building – sharing information and building relationships with members, staff and other organisations.
3. Planning and monitoring – leading the planning and oversight of activities in their area.
4. Integrity – protecting the integrity of New Zealand Red Cross by ensuring members understand our values and principles and follow the expected standards of behaviour.

All area council chairs meet as a group regularly with the National President, the Secretary General and staff to share ideas and discuss work.

Refer to section six of the Regulations for detailed information about area councils and how they work.

Read the Regulations (713KB)

National leadership

In addition to leading activities in their own area, each area council elects five representatives — known as delegates — to be members of the National Council, which is our highest governing body. This ensures all areas have a voice in decisions which affect all members. Each area must appoint at least one delegate who will be between 18 to 30 years old when the National Council meeting for the year takes place.

The National Council meets every year in the first weekend of November.

Read more about our structure