Liverpool Students Helping Refugees in Calais
A group of students in Liverpool are heading to Calais this weekend to help refugees living in the camps there.
A group from Hope, and John Moores are are heading to Calais this weekend alongisde students from the University of Chester to help refugees living in the camps there.
The students are organising a convoy of ten cars and vans full of clothes, toiletries, food and other supplies, which will travel to the refugee camps in Calais on 17th October.
They are being joined in their efforts by fellow Social Work students from the Universities of Chester and Liverpool John Moores, and members of SWAN (Social Work Action Network, of which Professor Michael Lavalette, Professor of Social Work at Liverpool Hope is Chair).
They will then join up with other SWAN convoys from around the UK.
The students launched their campaign at the Liverpool Hope Freshers' Fair, where they set up a stall and a tent to help give some idea of the conditions refugees have to live in.
As well as collecting supplies, the students from Liverpool Hope are raising funds to pay for the journey, which will cost around £300 per car.
Jemma Herbert from New Brighton and Danielle McLoughlin from Anfield are two of the students heading to Calais this weekend.
They have set up a Just Giving page and will be accepting public donations of clothes and supplies at the university campus by arrangement. They will also hold a Convoy to Calais fundraising night at the university’s Hope Park Campus on Thursday 8th October.
Jemma Herbert, who is studying for an MA in Social Work at Liverpool Hope University said: “As social work students, we want to act directly to improve the dignity and wellbeing of those in ‘the jungle.’” I am tired of watching our government react at a snail’s pace to the plight of those seeking refuge in Europe and the UK, and appalled to see that money is being spent on fences to keep people out, instead of helping them.”
Carol Derbyshire, a second year BA Social Work student said: "This convoy is a small token in a growing picture; it is the bare minimum that we felt as students we could offer. No human being should ever be treated in the way that these refugees are. From the make shift camp that is named "the jungle" to the extremes of Hungary building fences and policing with tear gas and water cannons. Europe should be ashamed of the lack of response to this humanitarian crisis."
Dr Joe Greener, Lecturer in Social Work at Liverpool Hope added: “We are really proud to announce that our students have mobilised themselves to take action for the refugees at Calais.
They are organising a campaign to send desperately needed goods to the border camps and raise money for the NGOs working there. It is exhilarating to see students decide to take direct steps which could make a real difference to people who are desperately seeking a sanctuary.”