What food donations do for Calais refugees

Today in Calais I met a refugee who’d just been through a terrifying and harrowing ordeal. His face was very badly sunburned, he was stiff and limping, and he seemed exhausted.

He told me that the day before he’d tried to cross the channel in a small boat with some other people. Out at sea he had called the UK coastguard, but they had not sent anyone to help them. In the end they had drifted for seven hours before making it back to France.

The poor man – he looked about 30, and I’ll him Asem – asked me if I could check the number for him, but it was right. I felt so shocked that an emergency service could abandon someone like that, but Asem was sure that’s what had happened.

I found Asem some food, and he was relieved that he’d soon be getting some food in a Care4Calais food parcel.

Our parcels are vital for refugees like Asem who are in desperate need of nourishment. Right now everyone’s still suffering from the last big evictions, when people lost food supplies they’d saved. When I went to give out food tickets at a small new site yesterday, I walked through the evicted site and saw oil and rice scattered among the clothes and bedding. It felt horrific to see such waste and to learn about its consequences; one man told me people were “starving”, and it was clear he meant it literally.

Watching people staying cheerful as they came together later to cook amazing, healthy food with the ingredients was heartwarming. I hope Asem will feel better once he’s eaten too.

E, volunteer, Calais

Refugees go through so much in Calais, and our food parcels help them get through it. That’s why we’re proud to give out more than 400 packages each week. It’s tough and expensive, but if we stopped, the impact on refugees would be devastating. We can only do this with your support though. Would you help buy food for a refugee today?

We can still deliver a food pack for one person for £4, and for a while family for £10. To donate, see link in bio

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