We need volunteers!
We urgently need volunteers to join our committed teams in Calais and in the UK. In Calais, the situation has never been so harsh. In the UK, thousands of refugees are struggling to survive while they wait for their claims to be completed. From organising donations and delivering aid to providing friendship and support to refugees, your help will make a big difference to the vulnerable people we work with. We need people on the ground in: – Calais – Sheffield – West Yorkshire – West Midlands – London – Greater London – Slough – Luton – Redhill – Folkestone …
‘Volunteering in Calais has completely changed what I want to do with my life’
A friend I made here from Kurdistan showed me pictures of his scarred back and told me about getting attacked in prison. He was so nonchalant about what he had been through and was so positive for the future. I can’t believe such young men are telling me these stories so casually. I first came to Calais last year and I was so sad to leave. As soon as I was back in the UK, I planned my next trip so am here for a second time. Some of the friends I made last year have made the journey to …
“My new faith had made me a target” – Leaving Iran for London
“I learned so much from God that I can no longer call myself A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, A Buddhist, a Jew.” – Hafez I grew up in Shiraz, Western Iran, it’s known as the city of culture and it’s the birthplace of the poet Hafez. But I grew up and went to university in Tehran, another wonderful city. The universities there were full of different people with different ideas and beliefs. They saw things with new eyes and I began to see them too. I saw how our women were treated and described as half a …
‘The new friendships I’ve made have taught me so much’
I have been volunteering for one month at Care4Calais and I don’t want to leave. For the first time, I have found joy and meaning in what I am doing each day. To say the least, this experience has changed my life. There is such a close bond between all the volunteers and refugees here. On the Care4Calais website, they talk about ‘making friends for life’. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s true. The new friendships I’ve made have taught me so much about myself and the lives of refugees. Every day, I meet refugees and learn what …
Make the world their oyster!
When I first met my friend from Eritrea, he had no confidence, couldn’t speak any English and was finding it hard to remain motivated. He was desperate to integrate into the community and contribute to society. Many other asylum seekers in the hotel felt the same – stuck inside and only able to leave for a few hours at a time. It was only supposed to be temporary accommodation but they’ve been stuck in limbo for months, waiting for asylum. The team of Care4Calais volunteers in Wimbledon wanted to mobilise! We got in touch with Kingston College – who amazingly …
Providing haircuts and phone charging in Calais
‘Care4Calais is truly unique in that we spend time getting to know the guys here. It’s the reason I came and it’s the reason I’ve stayed – you get to know them as friends. The services we provide are the best part of the job. Being able to provide a fresh haircut lets the guys maintain dignity, identity and self-worth. The guys give haircuts to each other and some are professional barbers. On a sunny day, the atmosphere can be amazing. Everyone is playing games, drinking tea, chatting and when we come back next week it’s like seeing old friends. …
Update from Calais: 200 people forcibly removed in police eviction
Yesterday in Calais the police unexpectedly evicted refugees who were sleeping rough. Up to 200 people were forcibly moved. This morning, the police returned to destroy the woodland, so that the refugees cannot return. One man in his early twenties, from Sudan, said he was injured by the police during the eviction. He was caught off guard when a foot came through his tent. A boot hit him on his forehead and caused swelling. This man, and others living with him, have already experienced terrible cruelty and were forced to flee from their countries. Now they are displaced yet again …
Take action against the government’s immigration plans
Less than 1% of the world’s refugees are chosen for resettlement schemes, the main legal route to asylum. But the Government’s New Plan for Immigration says that refugees who’ve travelled illegally don’t deserve our help. Disagree? Take action now => bit.ly/4fair …
‘I see firsthand the role our governments have had in producing hurt over the years’
Volunteering in Calais and speaking with refugees here, I see firsthand the role our governments have had in producing displacement and hurt over the years. In Europe, we are taught that the Middle East is a tinderbox, or that the whole of the African continent can’t get over ethnic conflicts. We are taught it does not concern us. But it does. Because we make deals with dictators and deploy our military. Because our multinational companies buy and exploit foreign land. Things like this seem far away, but they aren’t. This week I met Afran, an 18-year-old man from Kurdistan. He …
Volunteering with the Access Team: Rebecca’s story
I never expected that I would make friends for life. I never thought I’d learn how to say goodnight in nine languages or be able to memorise the Arabic alphabet off by heart. There are moments of sadness when I hear my friends tell stories of their lives, what they have faced in order to find safety. I am motivated to continue this work because every single day I am reminded of the horrors faced by someone I would never have known existed. I have supported and prepared individuals for their substantive interview, register to college, have access …
