Year 9 students organise collection for snug packs distribution

We’ve been so lucky to receive support from so many amazing school groups, collecting donations for us and raising awareness about the situation for refugees in Calais! Miriam, Head of History at Austin Friars School, and her Year 9 form group of students aged 13 and 14, organised a collection and spent 3 weeks researching and preparing an assembly about the refugee crisis.

Between the 1st and 15th of December, these wonderful students ran a collection for gloves, scarves and hats to be sorted into snug packs which were sent over to us in Calais by Carlisle Refugee Action Group, to be distributed to those in need of warm winter clothing.

The students used their form time to watch testimonies read out by celebrities for Oxfam about the experiences of individual refugees. They divided up topics and presented to their classmates about the refugees’ home countries, conditions in the former Calais Jungle and treatment of the refugees by French authorities. They’re hoping to find out more and organise another assembly soon! It is amazing to hear how passionate these young people are about helping others.

Conditions in northern France are currently cold, wet and miserable – with keeping warm one of the biggest priorities for those living on the streets without proper shelter. To organise a collection go to Care4Calais.org/get-involved/