Despite the diminishing number of Red Cross branches across the South Coast and Illawarra, the Albion Park branch continues "battling on", branch secretary Betty Metcalfe said.

"Quite a few branches here have shut down in recent years, but we're battling on. I have been secretary for 29 years and no one will take it off me."

When the branch was established it held lunches at cattle sales for farmers, a major fundraiser.

"We used to cater for carriers and buyers at the Albion Park sale yards and we cooked over a wood chip heater," Ms Metcalfe said.

"We also used to run a blood bank and did dampers at the centenary Albion Park Show.

"When the Albion Park High School opened, two of us cooked scones all day.

"In our highest year we raised over $17,000."

Today, the 36 members continue holding various fundraising events including stalls and lunches.

The branch meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 1.30pm, at the Centenary Hall Albion Park. "It's helping people everywhere and if anything happens everything we raise goes to headquarters and then they disperse that throughout Australia and overseas," she said.

An 80th anniversary lunch will be held on Tuesday, July 14, at the Albion Park RSL from noon.

For more information call 4256 5560 or 4295 6114.