This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/04/completely-inundated-the-britons-taking-aid-for-calais-refugees-into-their-own-hands
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'Completely inundated': Britons take refugees' aid into their own hands | 'Completely inundated': Britons take refugees' aid into their own hands |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The business manager, Belfast | The business manager, Belfast |
| Richard Snape describes himself as “a capitalist, really” and has “never, ever, ever” done anything like this before, but the photograph of Aylan Kurdi lying on a Turkish beach was “the light switch”, he says. “Before, I was aware it was going on, obviously, but that was the switch. This is happening on our doorstep. This is humanity.” | Richard Snape describes himself as “a capitalist, really” and has “never, ever, ever” done anything like this before, but the photograph of Aylan Kurdi lying on a Turkish beach was “the light switch”, he says. “Before, I was aware it was going on, obviously, but that was the switch. This is happening on our doorstep. This is humanity.” |
| The manager of a wooden floor company in Belfast, he has access to a van and storage space in the city, so on Thursday evening he put a note on his Facebook page asking people to drop off items that he could drive to the camps in Calais early next week. He then booked a ferry. By Friday morning, two other businesses had offered to drive behind him in convoy, one promising to fill a 7.5-tonne lorry. | The manager of a wooden floor company in Belfast, he has access to a van and storage space in the city, so on Thursday evening he put a note on his Facebook page asking people to drop off items that he could drive to the camps in Calais early next week. He then booked a ferry. By Friday morning, two other businesses had offered to drive behind him in convoy, one promising to fill a 7.5-tonne lorry. |
| “I’m going to take my van to Calais on Monday, drop a full load of tents, batteries, stuff like that, then do a few runs to a cash-and-carry dependent on what else they need, and then I’m going to come back again. | “I’m going to take my van to Calais on Monday, drop a full load of tents, batteries, stuff like that, then do a few runs to a cash-and-carry dependent on what else they need, and then I’m going to come back again. |
| “I’m not looking to save the world by any stretch. But I think I can make a difference to 20 or 30 people in dire need, and I’m happy with that.” | “I’m not looking to save the world by any stretch. But I think I can make a difference to 20 or 30 people in dire need, and I’m happy with that.” |
| The travel agency, London | The travel agency, London |
| “We have been completely inundated and it’s not stopping,” says Shona Lyons of Crusader Travel in Twickenham, a family firm which began accepting goods for migrants and refugees a few weeks ago. Donations have stepped up dramatically this week. | “We have been completely inundated and it’s not stopping,” says Shona Lyons of Crusader Travel in Twickenham, a family firm which began accepting goods for migrants and refugees a few weeks ago. Donations have stepped up dramatically this week. |
| Staff are carrying on with their jobs as normal, despite having to share their Churchoffices with about a tonne of donated goods. They will be transferred to a warehouse in east London run by CalAid, an agency coordinating the distribution of items in Calais. | Staff are carrying on with their jobs as normal, despite having to share their Churchoffices with about a tonne of donated goods. They will be transferred to a warehouse in east London run by CalAid, an agency coordinating the distribution of items in Calais. |
| “It would be great to be able to help some of the people in Greece and Hungary, but it’s hard to know how physically to help them. Calais seems the closest place to home where we can try to help.” | “It would be great to be able to help some of the people in Greece and Hungary, but it’s hard to know how physically to help them. Calais seems the closest place to home where we can try to help.” |
| The arts worker, Dumfries | The arts worker, Dumfries |
| On Tuesday, Moxie De Paulitte set up a Facebook page promising a “massive outpouring of love” for refugees from her home region of Dumfries and Galloway, in the form of donated clothing and equipment or, for those unable to give materially, letters of support and solidarity.More than 2,000 local people joined the group within 48 hours and 14 separate collection points were in place across the region. | On Tuesday, Moxie De Paulitte set up a Facebook page promising a “massive outpouring of love” for refugees from her home region of Dumfries and Galloway, in the form of donated clothing and equipment or, for those unable to give materially, letters of support and solidarity.More than 2,000 local people joined the group within 48 hours and 14 separate collection points were in place across the region. |
| Donated goods will be distributed in France through a local charity, with any unsuitable items sold to raise further funds. | Donated goods will be distributed in France through a local charity, with any unsuitable items sold to raise further funds. |
| “It upsets me that it takes some people to see a photograph of a dead child to say ‘enough’,” says De Paulitte, who works for an arts organisation in Dumfries. “But it certainly picked up after those pictures emerged, and the momentum since then has just been overwhelming. | “It upsets me that it takes some people to see a photograph of a dead child to say ‘enough’,” says De Paulitte, who works for an arts organisation in Dumfries. “But it certainly picked up after those pictures emerged, and the momentum since then has just been overwhelming. |
| “I am a mum, and certainly I have been sleeping with my children in my bed with me because I just can’t imagine not having their little warm chubby arms around my neck.” | “I am a mum, and certainly I have been sleeping with my children in my bed with me because I just can’t imagine not having their little warm chubby arms around my neck.” |
| The lawyer, London | The lawyer, London |
| Sean Jones is a QC and a father and at 11pm on Thursday night, having wrestled with how best to respond to the “completely harrowing” photographs from Turkey, he set up a JustGiving page and urged his fellow lawyers to donate one billable hour of their time to Save the Children’s refugee appeal. His target of £7,500 had been met before he went to bed. By mid-afternoon on Friday, he had raised almost £50,000. | Sean Jones is a QC and a father and at 11pm on Thursday night, having wrestled with how best to respond to the “completely harrowing” photographs from Turkey, he set up a JustGiving page and urged his fellow lawyers to donate one billable hour of their time to Save the Children’s refugee appeal. His target of £7,500 had been met before he went to bed. By mid-afternoon on Friday, he had raised almost £50,000. |
| “My view has always been that lawyers are a lot more generous than people give them credit for, but nevertheless, it has felt like the tide coming in,” he said. “It’s been extraordinary and I’m very proud of the people I work with, frankly. | “My view has always been that lawyers are a lot more generous than people give them credit for, but nevertheless, it has felt like the tide coming in,” he said. “It’s been extraordinary and I’m very proud of the people I work with, frankly. |
| “People have been very nice about me setting up a website, but that’s literally all I did. Everything else has got zero to do with me and everything to do with that sense that - finally - there’s something I can do practically.” | “People have been very nice about me setting up a website, but that’s literally all I did. Everything else has got zero to do with me and everything to do with that sense that - finally - there’s something I can do practically.” |
| The church group, Swansea | The church group, Swansea |
| The small Oasis congregation in Gowerton, south Wales, has been wanting to do something in support of needy people in Calais for some months, but were not sure what exactly was needed and how best to get aid to those in need, according to Dylan Tucker, a musician and member of the group. | The small Oasis congregation in Gowerton, south Wales, has been wanting to do something in support of needy people in Calais for some months, but were not sure what exactly was needed and how best to get aid to those in need, according to Dylan Tucker, a musician and member of the group. |
| “Because everything is so unregulated, it was hard to know, am I going to drive there and just get turned around or am I going to be able to drive in and no one will bat an eyelid?” | “Because everything is so unregulated, it was hard to know, am I going to drive there and just get turned around or am I going to be able to drive in and no one will bat an eyelid?” |
| Having sought advice this week “we thought maybe the red tape isn’t such a big issue, maybe we should just do it”, said Tucker. “So we are.” | Having sought advice this week “we thought maybe the red tape isn’t such a big issue, maybe we should just do it”, said Tucker. “So we are.” |
| The congregation of 35 to 40 people are now trying to fill two vans with goods donated by themselves and local businesses, to deliver in a week or two. | The congregation of 35 to 40 people are now trying to fill two vans with goods donated by themselves and local businesses, to deliver in a week or two. |
| “What we’re trying to do is completely grassroots, grabbing a van and loading it up with stuff and going, basically. We’re just going to go for it.” | “What we’re trying to do is completely grassroots, grabbing a van and loading it up with stuff and going, basically. We’re just going to go for it.” |
| The interior designer, London | The interior designer, London |
| Kate Watson’s initiative began with a post on Facebook suggesting to the local community group of which she is a member that surely there was something people could do to help. | Kate Watson’s initiative began with a post on Facebook suggesting to the local community group of which she is a member that surely there was something people could do to help. |
| “All these people just rallied and suddenly everything was happening,” she said. Friends and neighbours have begun dropping bags of donations for Calais, which will be distributed through aid agencies. | “All these people just rallied and suddenly everything was happening,” she said. Friends and neighbours have begun dropping bags of donations for Calais, which will be distributed through aid agencies. |
| “I’m just over the moon. It’s wonderful to be able to physically respond to awful images. These are not starving people in Africa. This is something happening in Europe and the whole country is caught up in a human wave of response. It’s history; it’s amazing and I’m just a tiny cog in that.” | “I’m just over the moon. It’s wonderful to be able to physically respond to awful images. These are not starving people in Africa. This is something happening in Europe and the whole country is caught up in a human wave of response. It’s history; it’s amazing and I’m just a tiny cog in that.” |
| The family, Liverpool | The family, Liverpool |
| Stephanie Turner’s mother, Angela Nugent, lives in Budapest, where she works as a teaching assistant, so she has been hearing for a while about the growing numbers of people gathering at the city’s train station hoping to cross the border into Austria. | Stephanie Turner’s mother, Angela Nugent, lives in Budapest, where she works as a teaching assistant, so she has been hearing for a while about the growing numbers of people gathering at the city’s train station hoping to cross the border into Austria. |
| Nugent wanted to help, and with friends began shopping for food and supplies which they gave to Red Cross workers in the city, or handed out themselves. | Nugent wanted to help, and with friends began shopping for food and supplies which they gave to Red Cross workers in the city, or handed out themselves. |
| As the scenes in the city became more desperate this week, Nugent’s sisters and the wider family in Liverpool wanted to help. Turner, who works in retail, set up a JustGiving page which quickly raised £600, more than three times her target. | As the scenes in the city became more desperate this week, Nugent’s sisters and the wider family in Liverpool wanted to help. Turner, who works in retail, set up a JustGiving page which quickly raised £600, more than three times her target. |
| “My mum has been told that some of the distribution centres are now full, but that they will need fresh food next week, so she’s going to spend it then. We’re going to keep collecting for as long as they are there.” | “My mum has been told that some of the distribution centres are now full, but that they will need fresh food next week, so she’s going to spend it then. We’re going to keep collecting for as long as they are there.” |
| The community organiser, London | The community organiser, London |
| On Friday, Sotez Chowdhury began to encourage locals in Tower Hamlets to sign up and pledge their spare living space as safe houses for refugees fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Syria. | On Friday, Sotez Chowdhury began to encourage locals in Tower Hamlets to sign up and pledge their spare living space as safe houses for refugees fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Syria. |
| “The response was incredible,” he said. “I had graphic designers coming up to me, offering to make posters for this campaign for free. Other people came up to me and said they had a spare bedroom.” | “The response was incredible,” he said. “I had graphic designers coming up to me, offering to make posters for this campaign for free. Other people came up to me and said they had a spare bedroom.” |
| For many people the image of the small child lifeless on a beach had been the turning point, he said. “Lots of people came up to me and said ‘I have a son that age. How can this be?’ The tide has turned especially after the media attention. They can see people really really needed help.” | For many people the image of the small child lifeless on a beach had been the turning point, he said. “Lots of people came up to me and said ‘I have a son that age. How can this be?’ The tide has turned especially after the media attention. They can see people really really needed help.” |
| Chowdhury is collecting clothes and small packages and is hoping to drive to Calais with a group of friends next month to drop off the donations. | Chowdhury is collecting clothes and small packages and is hoping to drive to Calais with a group of friends next month to drop off the donations. |
| The parish councillor, West Yorkshire | The parish councillor, West Yorkshire |
| Someone tweeted Richard Noon saying: “Do you know of anywhere I can donate?”. He didn’t so he decided to organise things himself. As a parish councillor in the small town of Meltham, he runs the community social media sites and he sent out a couple of messages on Thursday morning inviting donations. | Someone tweeted Richard Noon saying: “Do you know of anywhere I can donate?”. He didn’t so he decided to organise things himself. As a parish councillor in the small town of Meltham, he runs the community social media sites and he sent out a couple of messages on Thursday morning inviting donations. |
| Locals dropped off more than 500 bin bags and boxes of food, clothing, tents, gas stoves and “a huge humungous box of soap bars”. It was “massively overwhelming”, he said. | Locals dropped off more than 500 bin bags and boxes of food, clothing, tents, gas stoves and “a huge humungous box of soap bars”. It was “massively overwhelming”, he said. |
| @caitlinmoran @jonhenley this is how much my village of Meltham donated in 12 hours pic.twitter.com/71VXb0lH9z | |
| “There’s a sort of heartwarming loveliness that has crept out everywhere. The great sense of community that we already have here, it cements it even further. | “There’s a sort of heartwarming loveliness that has crept out everywhere. The great sense of community that we already have here, it cements it even further. |
| “We’re not Sheffield city centre, we’re just a little town on the edge of the Pennines, so to have this sort of response has been fantastic.” | “We’re not Sheffield city centre, we’re just a little town on the edge of the Pennines, so to have this sort of response has been fantastic.” |