Dear all,
I had the immense pleasure of working alongside Laura and Sid at the Calais Warehouse over the weekend. David and I had travelled up from SW France with a half full van of donations. Fortunately I was contacted en route by Ros and Mandy who live near Limoges and have been collecting for refugees. A short detour to their stacked barn and we had a full van of wonderfully sorted clothes, blankets etc...to take to Calais.
On arrival, blankets and sleeping bags were turned around almost immediately as were shoes. David, who had his van, was in great demand joining the distribution teams who were bringing items to the camp. Meanwhile I spent the first day working in the warehouse sorting clothes donations into male/female items and then into sizes. All this makes it easier for distribution teams to get the right clothes to the right people.
On Day Two I worked alongside Laura and Sid in making wooden frames that with the addition of plastic, pallets etc.. are quickly turned into shelters with each one providing a 'home' for up to four people. If you have never experienced these two at work it is something to behold - they just never stop and have been at it for weeks!
Another couple were building more solid, secure units to house women and were also using old food tins to create rocket stoves that can be used for heating as well as cooking in the shelters.
But really this article is to call for volunteers. There is a mountain of clothes to be sorted at the warehouse and then it needs to get to the camps. If you can swing a hammer and saw a bit of wood you will be in great demand on building shelters. No skills are needed - just the ability to follow a template and get stuck in. And if you own a van it will be put to great use.
As Sid points out - it's not rocket science! But it does need more good people to make things happen.
Caroline
Val says
You are all my heroes, humanitarians who give their time to others less fortunate. I doff my hat and I will doff Sid's when I see him.
Charity at its very best
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