Refugees are more scared of starving than of coronavirus

This weekend we took 50 big family food parcels and 480 blankets to Dunkirk. The food situation there is deteriorating rapidly as volunteers pull out and services shut down.

We distributed the food packs by going into the site and giving tickets to families or groups who cook together. Then the people bring the ticket to our van to collect the food parcel and blankets. My job this week was to wait with the van for them to arrive.

I’ve done this before so was I not concerned with our team being small, but the current food shortage made the atmosphere more desperate than usual with many people coming to the van trying to get extra packs.

When the last man arrived to collect the last pack for his family he had to push his way through a dense crowd. The man jumped in the van with me and started shouting for his food. It was intimidating, especially with so many people outside clamouring for more.

I promised to give him food and blankets if he got out of the van, and after a moment he did. I gave him his stuff and with some relief I closed up.

Later on something lovely happened. This man came to see me quietly on my own. He apologised for his behaviour and told me it was not the way he normally was. He said he had seen the big crowd and was very afraid of going back to his wife without the food. He said he was ashamed to have scared me and wanted to thank us for our help.

Everyone is scared of coronavirus right now, but this ordinary guy is so scared of not being able to keep his family fed and warm that he behaved in a primal way. This is not right. A family food parcel costs just £10. Please help us to help them. Donate now.