London2Calais October Convoy
supported by rs21, Barac, Movement For Justice
There are an estimated 4000 people living in 'The Jungle' refugee camp without adequate food, water, sanitation and shelter. We met pregnant women from Syria, young boys from Afghanistan and men from Sudan, Darfur, Eritrea, Pakistan and elsewhere based in the camp. Due to lack of medical facilities and inadequate sanitation, illness is spreading through the camp. People will struggle to make it through the coming winter months.
Our Previous Convoys
15th August 2015:
Our 7 car convoy delivered food, clothes and essential supplies to refugees in the Calais camp.
As well as distributing 400 food packages in the 'The Jungle' we also provided a generator to power a school in the camp.
On this convoy we spent £2400. The bulk of this was spent on food (details below)
29th August 2015:
We sent 3 cars with clothes donations and 9 volunteers to help French charities with their clothes distribution. We reached over 500 people that day handing out clothes, sleeping bags and food.
We also spent £300 on a much-needed water pump for the camp on this convoy.
Our Next Convoys:
19th September
3rd October
Why Are We Going Back?
Our previous distribution of 400 supply packages was a drop in the ocean. There were at least 100 people left in the queue when our supplies ran out.
Conditions are dire. The camp is a blight on the face of Europe. That people are forced to live in such conditions challenges every notion of Britain and France being 'advanced' or 'civilised' societies.
Since our return, Teresa May has been to Calais to hand over £7 million to 'boost security' - in what already resembles a military zone. The British government caused this crisis by a) refusing to take its share of refugees during the biggest displacement of people since the second world war and b) many people living in the camp have fled situations where Britain's meddling, interventions and military occupations have destroyed societies and caused an exodus of refugees.
Our Goals
Our target is to have more vehicles on the convoy than our last trip. We are now on 16 cars for the 3rd October convoy.
We want to deliver at least 600 supply packages this time. We urgently need more funding to increase the amount of packages we can distribute.
We are providing a water pump for the camp on 29th August.
We want to establish an ongoing campaign which challenges racism in the media and the government. We want to work alongside other groups. rs21, BARAC and Movement For Justice have affiliated with London2Calais and are joining the convoy.
We want to force the British government to grant asylum to refugees living in Calais.
Your donations will fund emergency relief items such as:
FOOD
Rice, Tuna, Beans, Lentils, Flour, Tea, Long-life Milk, Vegetable Oil
SLEEPING BAGS
£5 can buy a sleeping bag to keep someone warm through winter
SANITARY ITEMS
Toilet Paper, Wipes, Sanitary Towels, Disinfectant
MEDICINE
Plasters, Bandages
CLOTHES
Underwear, Socks
Would you like to help?
Please contact us if you can also fill your car and join the convoy.Email your name, location, vehicle make, model and year plus contact telephone number to londoncalaisconvoy@gmail.com
Please also email the above address if you can volunteer to be a drop off point for clothes donations.
As well as donating money, please share this campaign widely on social media and among friends and colleagues.
What's the money for?
Please note, we will soon be updating this page with the detailed accounts from our previous trip.
On our first trip we spent approximately £2400 of £7748 raised. This leaves about £5348. £2000 covered 400 supply bags typically containing 200g Tuna, 1 tin Kidney Beans, 1 tin Chopped Tomatoes, 1l Long-life Milk, 300g sugar, 250g rice, 200g dates, cereal bars, 20 tea bags, toothbrush, tooth paste, sanitary items.
£350 was spent on a generator to power a school in the camp.
Most of us paid for our own hostel and ferry crossing, a few claimed these from the campaign as it made the difference between them being able to come or not. A typical ferry crossing was £35 return trip. A typical hostel room was £35 per person. Fuel was not covered for any of the vehicles.
We expect to use all of the remaining funds on this trip as we are increasing the content and amount of supply packs we distribute as well as growing the convoy. So please support and share this widely.
WE INTEND FOR THIS TO BE AN ONGOING CAMPAIGN - TERESA MAY IS SPENDING £7 MILLION ON INCREASED SECURITY IN CALAIS - OUR SIDE NEEDS FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE IN CALAIS AND TO CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENTS ROLE IN THIS CRISIS IT HAS CREATED.
