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‘People are scared again’: refugee charity turns ten
It was a “deep empathy” invoked by the image of Alan Kurdi that sparked Imogen McIntosh from concerned citizen to founder of a grassroots aid movement, which would prove to be a vital lifeline for thousands of lives.
“It was a maternal and human reaction that left me thinking how desperate that family must’ve been,” she says.
In 2015, refugee camps in France brimmed with extreme hardship and uncertainty. The Calais Jungle’s population had swelled to an estimated 6,000 people, with many having fled violence and war, carrying immense mental trauma.
The situation inspired McIntosh to organise a donation drive bound for a camp in Dunkirk, planting the seeds of what would become Aid Box Community, a charity that provides a welcome for people fleeing war and persecution.
As the charity celebrates its tenth birthday, the 49-year-old reflects on a decade of helping displaced people “to just belong” in Bristol.
The charity started life as “Aid Box Convoy”, delivering supplies to a refugee camp in Dunkirk
“I probably nearly burnt out about five times,” says McIntosh, recalling the charity’s beginnings as Aid Box Convoy, when her three children were young and she was regularly driving to France. “There were very lonely times. Although many people wanted to help, I was the one awake all hours.”
“Before we became a registered charity, there was literally money going through my bank account to fund the camp. It was a big responsibility.”
But, after realising “the journey doesn’t finish when they settle”, the group shifted its focus in 2016 to work to reduce the isolation of refugees who had arrived in the UK.
This led to Aid Box’s free shop and welcome hub, where asylum seekers and refugees can access essential items such as clothing, toiletries and household goods for free, as well as receive information and advice – all for free. The aim is to instill a sense of dignity and identity by ensuring basic needs are met.
One big change in the last decade is the increase in the number of asylum seekers they meet who are accommodated in hotels in Bristol. While communication is easier, McIntosh says, the reality on the ground for those staying there is “very stressful” due to isolation, unhygienic rooms and outbreaks of disease like scabies.
Funding remains a challenge too, and Aid Box relies on grants and trusts for half of its income, with a small amount coming from Bristol City Council.
Imogen McIntosh, who lives in Horfield, is the founder and director of Aid Box Community
McIntosh is speaking to Bristol24/7 a few days after another anti-immigration protest took place in Bristol, with one of its rallying cries to “deport all illegals”. Meanwhile, the fluttering of Union Jack and St George’s flags is a common sight across the city.
“For the first time, people have felt unwelcome in Bristol,” says McIntosh, who said the charity has recently installed CCTV at its new base in St Andrew’s.
“Many say they face racism on a daily basis, but now there’s more hostility. It feels threatening and more dangerous. They have to be more vigilant, and it’s really devastating because people have come from places where every single day they fear for their lives, and for a time, they didn’t feel that in Bristol. But people are feeling scared again.”
Aid Box’s free shop is a space for newcomers to be welcomed, receive information about other essential services and connect with others
Due to demand, Aid Box outgrew its premises on Cheltenham Road and moved into St Bart’s Parish Hall on Somerville Road in September. The larger building means that the charity can “do so much more for people”, even if it’s simply having more space for refugees and asylum seekers to feel comfortable in.
Now, with a dozen staff members and 360 volunteers, McIntosh says she feels “so lucky and privileged” to lead Aid Box, and there have been “countless moments of joy” over the years.
“To see the pale and terrified families moving through the system to come out the other end healthy and happy is really incredible. Many give back, too, either through volunteering or donations, which is an amazing full-circle moment.”
To find out more about Aid Box Community and to get involved, visit www.aidboxcommunity.co.uk.
All photos: Aid Box Community
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