A LARGE amount of clothes, shoes, toiletries and equipment for refugees and displaced people were donated at the first event by the newly-formed Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees group
Caring members teamed up with People in Motion, a Worcestershire and Herefordshire charity which collects donations of clothing, food, personal items and camping equipment, for a collection day.
The generosity of Vale residents saw twenty boxes and more than forty black bags of goods collected at the Methodist Church and taken to the People in Motion warehouse.
Rev Ed Pillar, one of the organisers of the day, said: “It is amazing how much little-used good quality clothing can be found in our homes.
“It is good to know that it will now be used by people who need it much more than we do.”
Chris Russell of People in Motion said: “We regularly take van-loads to Calais for refugees, some only teenagers, who are now marooned in northern France and have no means of support.
“Women and children’s clothing is much needed in Greece and the camps in the Middle East.”
The group is also keen local councils should offer support to families who are eligible to come to the UK under the Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement programme (SVPR).
Only around half of the promised 20,000 refugees have come so far, while countries like Germany and Italy have taken many more.
Worcestershire has so far taken only 50, and none have yet arrived in Wychavon or Malvern Hills. The local Refugee Welcome groups are urging local councillors and town MP Nigel Huddleston to show their support.
A further collection day will be held early in the new year to meet the need for warm clothing as winter sets in.
