Church collects clothes and currency for refugees

CHRISTIANS in Runcorn have launched a collection for foreign currency and supplies to help refugees fleeing war in Syria.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints in Clifton Road will hold two drop-off events for donations, at 5-9pm on Wednesday, October 12, and 10am6pm on Saturday, October 15. Congregation members have held several initiatives in the past year collecting items such as hygiene k kits, baby kits, education supplies and blankets and clothes.

Irene Ireland said leaflets would be distributed to alert residents.

Church-goers have been working with the charity United To Assist Refugees UK, which estimated that every $10 or €10 (£7.70) donated can feed a family of four in Lebanon for a week.

According to the UN, 4.8 million people have fled Syria since the war began, with 8.7 million predicted to be displaced in the country in 2016.

The crisis has led to 2.7 million registered Syrians being hosted in Turkey alone.

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR), has called the plight of those fleeing the conflict the ‘biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time’ and called for ‘a groundswell of support around the world’.

According to UNHCR figures, 33.4% of Syrian refugees are children aged 11 or under, 47.4% are 17 or under, 48.4% are female and 26.1% are men aged 18 or over, including 1.5% of refugees who are men over 60 years of age.

Irene said: “We’ve been doing all sorts of stuff, taking hygiene stuff, baby kits and blankets and donating them. We’re going to have quite a big drive in our area of Runcorn to ask if people have foreign currency, or if they can donate items and can assist.”