Winter clothing appeal for Afghan refugees in Hampshire

A community group is supporting people who fled the Taliban

An evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul
Author: Jason BeckPublished 7th Nov 2021

An Afghanistan veteran from Hampshire says he has been overwhelmed by the support refugees have received since arriving in the UK.

Matt Simmons from Emsworth set up Ems4Afghans, a community group that provides care packs for people evacuated from Kabul.

The 41-year-old, who served three tours in the country with the RAF, is now looking for donations of winter clothes and shoes for refugees.

Matt Simmons from Emsworth set up community group Ems4Afghans

Matt said he has been "brought to tears" by support for the campaign.

"We can do something else which is a little more thoughtful and appreciates Afghans’ culture, and that is why I came up with the idea of the community support packs, where we empower them in a way."

Donations can be made via the group's GoFundMe page.

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