We returned from our second visit to the refugee camps a couple of weeks ago. A short report and film of our time there can be found below.
A big thank you to everyone who supported this visit – it was great to return again so soon!
Thanks to kind donations from The Anne Harris Children’s Fund, Wells Tradingpost, year 7 students from the Steiner Academy Frome and individual contributors we were able to return to France and work again in the refugee camps in Dunkirk and Calais.
We spent 2 days working in Dunkirk, meeting up with volunteers we met in March and providing shows, games and workshops for the children. It was great to see that the school, which was closed off last time we visited, was open and being used.
In Calais, alongside our work at the Women and Children’s Centre we also ran shows outside the Kids Cafe and at Ecole Laique du Chemin des Dunes. It was a particularly moving time at the camp as we arrived the morning after the horrific tragedy involving the death of a 14 yr old boy.
As with our previous trip we were also able to take with us a trailer of aid to the L’Auberge distribution warehouse in Calais, collected by our friends at R.A.I.S.E.
We’re very thankful that we were able to return to the camps this year and we hope to visit again in the future. We’re obviously aware that the Jungle in particular may well be demolished, with the refugees being dispersed elsewhere. We will be following their fates closely and, wherever they end up, if they need us we will endeavor to help them.
