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And don't forget that we have one of the three UK refugee reception hostels in southern England in the former church at southern end of Barry Road - beside junction with Etherow Street. All sorts of nationalities but there here and need your help.
Hi Been, I've been in touch with the German site, it's at www.refugees-welcome.net. A fair few people are trying to set up something similar in the UK, there is a facebook group under the same name to do so (sorry, on tablet, linking seems to be beyond me). I should point out, even though the press calls it "airbnb for refugees", the organisation itself says they're about something quite different. The aim of the organisation (as far as I can tell) is to practice a culture of welcoming, matching refugees with flat/accomodation share opportunities and helping with the practicalities as well as providing support. It seems to be more about long-term-ish relationships than very short, airbnb-style visits. Not sure what shape the UK version will be like, but great idea and sentiment.

If anyone has a spare room and is interested in helping out you could consider volunteering for London Nightstop. It's a charity supporting young people facing homelessness; they place people aged 16-25 with hosts for one night only while they find them a more sustainable solution for them. The young person might stay with different hosts for a couple of weeks, but it keeps them off the streets. It's not for people who have been homeless for a long time. I have been a volunteer for around 3 years and have certainly had refugees and asylum seekers as well as other young people who are in need staying with me. I know that there have been some Syrian young people being placed in the past few months. There is a very good process of vetting volunteers and young people too and I have never felt threatened - I really love it. You just need a spare room and the ability to cook a hot meal. And some love and flexibility :-)

It is also a very flexible and quite robust system - you just sign up for the nights you know you're free; I only have young women staying with me, and there is 24 hour support provided in case you need it (I never have).

If anyone wants more information feel free to get in touch with me.

The website is here: http://www.depauluk.org/projects/nightstop-london/

Whilst not wishing to detract in the slightest from any initiatives to help those in Calais, as we have seen on the news over the past week, there are by far much greater numbers of refugees requiring help further east in Europe on the trail from Turkey to Germany and beyond. The Red Cross has launched an appeal to help what is estimated to be the hundreds of thousands affected. Donations can be made at http://www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/News/2015/September/British-Red-Cross-launches-urgent-appeal-for-Europe-refugee-crisis
On Wednesday I'll bring canned goods like the ones you have listed Bluerevolution to the Dulwich Hamlets Football. I'll help sort. Please post here if anything changes. I've read that for space reasons they have to be very careful to get only things that they need.
or tomorrow, we're home to Leatherhead. People will be there on Wednesday 6pm (volunteers to help sift through everything welcome but please let me know so it's not pandemonium, can live with organised chaos though !!)

Please, no more donations at the present time-we can't move people have been so generous. If you can off er time this evening that would be great.


http://dhst.org.uk/calais-refugee-appeal-another-thank-you-and-a-call-for-volunteers/

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