Clothes plea for Grenfell victims
WINTER ITEMS NEEDED BY DONATION CENTRE
VICTIMS left homeless by the Grenfell Tower disaster need clothes and shoes to help stay warm during the winter months.
The manager of a donation centre that collects everyday necessities, which are then passed on to survivors of the fire, said: “There’s still the need for winter clothing for people that have lost everything.”
Hanan Miezou was speaking after she received an emergency delivery of winter clothing of coats and boots at the end of December by the Croydon-based charity Al-Khair Foundation.
Around 170 tonnes of goods was amassed in the days and weeks after the fire, which broke out in the early hours of June 14 and claimed the lives of 71 people, but Ms Miezou, who runs the centre which is based at the Kensington Shurgard Self Storage facility, in Freston Road, said items given then are not suitable now.
She said: “Right now we need winter clothing. Everything donated initially was basic essentials and summer clothes.
“Now winter has come and the families need warm clothes. People assume they have received funding, but a lot of them haven’t.”
The Al-Khair Foundation delivered brand new Ugg boots and coats and jackets from Marks & Spencer and Superdry just before the new year.
UK programmes’ officer Florent Caillibotte said: “There were a lot of donations in the summer after the tragedy, but none for the winter. We have been working with the donations centre since the fire.
“There is still a real need for aid. Not everyone has been rehoused and there has been less and less support for them in terms of donations.
“The winter clothes donations are part of the care programme we have for the Grenfell victims.
“In January, we start another programme which will include breaks away for the children.”
The winter clothes packages went to the 30 of the worst affected families - all of who were living in hotels at the turn of the year.
Ms Miezou added: “It’s not everybody that we’re able to give to. We have to give to some and not others.
“We’re looking for the basics to keep people warm.”
Imran Musa is Al-Khair’s national manager. He said: “We as a humanitarian charity try to save as many lives as possible, whether it be internationally or at home on our own doorstep.
“Charity starts from home and hopefully we can help to keep the Grenfell Tower victims warm this winter.”
In August, British Red Cross said it had received mountains of excess donated clothing given in the aftermath of the fire.
They were subsequently taken to the charity’s shops to be sold, with the promise that money it raised would be ringfenced to ensure it helps those left injured, bereaved, homeless or traumatised by the disaster.
The Al-Khair Foundation, founded in 2003, has offices across the UK providing cities with similar services.
It runs charitable projects in the UK and around the world, tackling hunger, poverty and providing disaster relief.
To find out how you give new warm winter clothes and footwear to Grenfell survivors, email Ms Miezou on hlady1@hotmail.co.uk or contact the Al-Khair Foundation by visiting its website at https://alkhair.org/ or calling 03000 999 786.