‘Cal-Aid’ group helps refugees
THE FOUNDER of a group set up in response to the Calais refugee crisis spoke to Lochaber Rotary Club about its work.
Liz Paul of the Lochaber Cal-Aid group gave an impassioned and heartfelt presentation about the crisis of so many people fleeing the conflicts in the Middle East and further afield.
On Tuesday last week, Liz explained that Cal-Aid is a non-political humanitarian group trying to respond to the ever deepening situation that is causing so many people to suffer.
Liz said: ‘The incident that galvanised me into action was that of three young Eritrean brothers, all under 15, sent by their parents to seek safety in Europe. As a mother of three sons myself, the thought of my own children having to undertake such a perilous journey into the unknown stayed with me and I imagined how desperate that mother must have been to resort to this terrifying action. The scale of this crisis is beyond comprehension. In 2014, conflict and persecution forced an average of 42,500 people per day to leave their homes and seek protection elsewhere.
‘Currently it is estimated that there are around 4,000 refugees in Calais, and this number will rise to around 8,000 by Christmas.’
After making contact with a few friends across Lochaber, Liz received strong support to set up a local initiative – hence the creation of ‘Lochaber Cal-Aid’.
They found a group in Edinburgh that could distribute their donations and, after setting up a Lochaber CalAid Facebook Page, it took only a few days for similar groups to spring up around the Highlands.
Liz said: ‘We were overwhelmed by the response and the offers of help, donations and volunteers were fantastic.’
Since then there have been some slight changes to the structure of the groups and the name has now been changed to ‘Re-Act Scotland.’
While initially the focus was Calais, the group will now distribute across Europe depending on where aid is most urgently required. In explaining why the majority of the refugees are under 18 and predominantly young men, Liz said: ‘It’s because in their own countries they are more at risk from war, conscription and violent attacks. They also have the mobility to flee.’
The group has collected clothing, shoes, tents, sleeping bags, toiletries, candles, lighting and other basics that can make life more tolerable in refugee camps. Local businesses Campbell Hire and Boyd Brothers have also provided storage and transport support, and local woman Anne Tait has used her own lorry to deliver the first seventon load to Edinburgh.
The group has a drop off point in Fort William High Street at the Aye2Aye shop next to the Hot Roast Company. Liz added: ‘Our funding will enable them to make another four deliveries to Edinburgh. Everything is transient, a deluge of rain in Calais will destroy the bedding and makeshift accommodation overnight.
‘There is no end in sight to how long aid will be required.’
Rotary President Terry Lee thanked Liz for giving club members a real insight into this international tragedy.
Mr Lee said: ‘We are proud that our Lochaber community is taking such a leading role in supporting the refugee crisis – with Re-act Scotland and local transport contractors all working together to provide aid.’
Club members responded with a spontaneous cash collection and warm applause.