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Refugee crisis: donation points remain closed
All official drop-off points in Bristol for the refugee crisis remain closed as volunteers sort through the backlog of donations.
Organisers of Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol said drop-offs would be closed until “further notice” as long-term plans are made to deal with overwhelming support.
Hundreds of people have donated their time to helping sort through more than five tonnes of donations left at drop-off points around Bristol on Friday and Saturday.
Donations are now being centralised at a huge warehouse in Hengrove, lent to the group by shoe storage company Phineas Products.
Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol said they are coordinating with major charities to have the donations delivered by lorry to “The Jungle” makeshift migrant and refugee camp in Calais.
The group urged people to resist delivering any more donations and check their Facebook page to find out when collections points open again.
Felicity Inkpen, one of the volunteers organising the relief effort in Bristol, told Bristol24/7: “The phrase which has summed up our last few days has been ‘good problems’.
“This is a big job because donations have been beyond our wildest dreams and there is a lot of work to do.
“But it is good. It’s only because of the generosity of the lovely people in Bristol that we are where we are.
“We just need time to regroup and organise a coherent and comprehensive plan for long-term support.”
Daily trips are being made to The Jungle by volunteers in Bristol, joining a convoy of support from across the county and Europe. But Felicity added that she would recommend people left donations in Bristol, when drop-offs are open again, and let organised charities deal with delivery.
Update: 10.30am
Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol released this message on their Facebook page:
Update: 5pm
See the full list of drop-off points and organisations helping with the relief effort in Bristol.