Appeal for food and clothing to help refugees in France

An appeal has been made for donations of food and clothing ahead of the trip by Five Towns to Dunkirk and Calais Refugee Convoy.

The group will travel to France on November 10 in a mission to help people forced to sleep rough this winter after their camp was dismantled.

They need donations of men’s socks, new underwear, coats, hoodies, hats, joggers and boots for people living with no cooking facilities.

Foods including biscuits and dried fruit and nuts are also being collected, along with sleeping bags, blankets and coverings like tents and tarpaulins.

The group, previously based at Queen’s Mill in Castleford, organised convoys to France last year to help people stuck there after fleeing war-torn countries including Syria.

Volunteer Mary Black said on Facebook: “It is getting bitterly cold now and thousands of refugees are sleeping rough and have no cooking facilities.

“Please rush us the two items we are shortest on over the next week, men’s gloves and digestive biscuits.”

Collection of items can be arranged or they can be dropped of at Pontefract Quaker Meeting House, on Liquorice Way, between 6pm-7pm on Monday (November 6).

The group can be contacted via its Facebook page. For more information call Mary Black on 07794 325030.