A Plymouth charity is urgently appealing for donations to fill a humanitarian container of aid to be shipped to Greece.
In October 2015 in response to the refugee crisis Open Hearts Open Borders Refugee Aid (OHOB) was launched, and now two and a half years later the community grass roots organisation is once again asking for urgent donations for the container of humanitarian aid, which is once again being sent to the camps in Lesvos Greece.
The container is due to leave Saltash at the end of June, and the volunteers are appealing for donations of specific but essential aid items to fill the shipment.
Despite less media attention, boats arrive daily onto the islands in Greece, and the situation in the camps is still fraught with difficulties and at crisis point. Camps are overcrowded and conditions are unsafe.
There are currently 13,000 men, women and children stuck on the Greek Islands, according to figures sourced from Amnesty International. Many of those stuck on the islands have fled war-torn countries and arrive on the islands with nothing. Aid supplies are running low with the continual arrivals and essential items are urgently required once again for the summer months.
Faraday Fearnside, founder and director of Open Hearts Open Borders said:
“People are living in dire conditions on the islands and it is easy to feel helpless when you see the images.
“If we can give some of the refugees on the island a small piece of comfort, we are saying….we are here and willing to help in whatever way we can.”
“We may not be able to stop the conflict, but we can provide what is needed to those stuck in the camps. I believe the time has come for solutions: the refugee crisis has reached a point where if we can all work together to create the change needed we can do so much more and we can then think differently about what is happening.”
Requests received from Greece are asking for more consumable items such as washing up liquid, washing detergent, towels, nappies, wet wipes, male and female toiletries, mosquito repellent, dried and tinned vegetarian and dried food items.
Further essential items needed are blankets and sleeping bags, new socks and underwear for men, women and children and for the summer months short and long sleeved t-shirts, women’s summer scarves, light trousers and skirts and new flip flops and crocs.
Faraday added:
“Needs are constantly changing and items now required are really what we all need on a day to day basis; families are living in tents just like we live in our homes here in the UK, so the daily needs are just like ours.
“If we can give some of the refugees on the island a small piece of comfort, we are saying that the world has not turned their back on those in the refugee camps; we are saying we are here and willing to help in whatever way we can.”
In 2017, Open Hearts Open Borders (OHOB) raised over £20,000, which was used to collect and ship aid, purchase aid items and support resettlement in the South West. As a voluntary organisation all donations and funding goes back into the organisation to achieve its aims.
OHOB currently collect and ship aid for families and individuals in France and Greece on a regular basis. Here in the UK they provide support with resettlement by sourcing or purchasing furniture items, clothing and baby items for refugees who are granted status and find safety in the South West.
OHOB also support local and regional projects and have collected and provided sleeping bags and clothing for the homeless and given tinned and dried food items to Foodbanks in Devon and Cornwall. As well as collecting for the container aid, a shipment of pallets has just been sent to Greece, and at the end of June a van will be going over to France to deliver items to Dunkirk and Calais.
OHOB started as a small community Facebook group with 500 members and has organically grown into a not for profit charitable organisation with over 2,280 supporters all working together for change. The goal for 2018 is to raise even more, so that aid shipments and support with resettlement items and furniture can continue.
“…built on the foundation of unconditional giving, which is such a simple premise; kindness costs nothing.”
Faraday said:
“The time and unconditional love given by the community and our volunteers in everything we do ensures we can continue sending aid to Europe or support local projects.
“OHOB is about what we can give back to the world and to those who have suffered as a consequence of circumstance. It was built on the foundation of unconditional giving, which is such a simple premise; kindness costs nothing.”
On May 26 and June 2 from 11am to 2pm volunteers will be at QStore Business Centre, Moorlands Trading Estate in Saltah if anyone would like to drop off any items listed.
Items can also be dropped at Armadillo Storage at 24-26 George Place, Plymouth PL1 3NY.
For a complete list of donation points across Devon and Cornwall visit the website at ohob.org.uk. If you would like to organise a collection or appeal in your area please contact Faraday via email info@ohob.org.uk
A full list of aid items and how to donate for shipping costs can also be found on the website www.ohob.org.uk or on our Facebook group Open Hearts Open Borders Refugee Aid.
