Last week in Calais we gave out more than 400 pairs of warm dry boots to refugees. People were so pleased to get them because the need here is urgent right now.
After a long, hard, wet winter, many people’s boots are beginning to wear out and let in water. If you’re sleeping rough, it’s impossible to get your shoes and feet dry again, which is horrifically uncomfortable when you have to walk up to 10 miles a day to find food and shelter as these guys do.
Up to 2,000 refugees are currently sleeping rough in biting temperatures across Calais and Dunkirk. Evictions led by the French police are frequent, leaving them exposed to the grim weather and meaning they often have to walk long distances to find somewhere to sleep.
We could see how important that last distribution was because today, when we were giving out clothing, many people who came wearing their new boots were telling us how much better they felt, and what a big difference it made to have warm, dry footwear again.
Let’s keep people warm and dry this winter!