An introduction

Ross for Refugees is a small group of volunteers from a rural town in the west of England who came together to support those in crisis. It started off with a Facebook post and quickly gathered many supporters who started to collect donations (mostly clothing and camping supplies) which were sent to the refugee camp in Calais, often referred to as 'The Jungle'. Since then, Ross for Refugees have been to camps in Calais and Dunkirk to provide practical support, including building shelters and a school as well as sorting and distributing donations. We have worked alongside several excellent and well established groups on the ground in France including Aid Box Convoy and Ecole Laïque du Chemin des Dunes. These trips were made possible by donations from supporters and fundraising events held here in Ross-on-Wye: volunteers ran a tombola at a local Halloween event and a cake and produce stall at a Christmas fair and are still coming up with creative ways to raise much needed funds (a 'design a cupcake' competition, for example!) So far, we have raised roughly £3400 which has allowed us to provide practical support in Calais and Dunkirk, including funding and building shelters for vulnerable people living in the camp. We have continued to collect donations which have been sent further afield to Syria.

In the near future, Ross for Refugees are planning a trip to Dunkirk to build shelters before the weather gets much colder as many people living there only have low quality tents, whilst some have nothing. The conditions in Dunkirk are already very poor and it is essential that people have access to better shelter before the cold really sets in. We have also shifted the focus of our collections from clothing to food as this is something that is always needed.

This blog has been set up to keep a record of our work and to share the stories and experiences of volunteers, so there will be regular updates on the group's activities from different volunteers' perspectives.  If you would like to find out more about Ross for Refugees, or get involved, please visit the facebook, twitter, or watch a short video on our work. If you would like to donate, please visit our YouCaring page.