Caerphilly Observer readers are among hundreds of residents in the county borough who have donated food, clothes and supplies to refugees stranded across Europe.
Hundreds more volunteers have given up their time to sort through donations before they were sent to Calais and elsewhere, to help refugees fleeing war-torn Syria and surrounding countries.
We launched an appeal with business-hub Welsh ICE on Friday, September 4 and were inundated with donations within a week.
Generous readers donated tents, sleeping bags, clothing and toiletries to the desperate refugees seeking safety and shelter in Europe.
Much of the clothing and toiletries were given to Oasis, a refugee centre in Cardiff, to be distributed to refugees arriving to the city, many directly from the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais.
The remainder was taken to Albany Baptist Church in Cardiff from where it will go to Calais.
Richard Gurner, editor and publisher of Caerphilly Observer, said: “We were completely taken aback by the amount of donations we received and cannot thank our readers enough for their support.
“By donating to Oasis we will be helping refugees arriving in Wales – many of whom have nothing more than the clothes they were wearing.
“Thanks need to go to Welsh ICE, and the many businesses based there, for their time and effort in helping sort the donations.
“I also have to thank van hire firm Pronto, based on the Pontygwindy Industrial Estate in Caerphilly, for letting us use one of their vehicles free of charge to transport the donations to Cardiff.”
We launched our appeal after reporting on a group of Newbridge mums who collected supplies at St Paul’s Church.
The church opened its doors on September 12 and 13 and people from across The Valleys flocked in their hundreds with donations.
The volume of aid was so great that a large proportion of ladies’ and children’s items were also given to help victims of domestic abuse being supported by charity Llamau in Caerphilly County Borough.
Around 40 volunteers helped with sorting and labelling the donations.
Sunday saw a convoy of volunteer drivers transport the hundreds of black bags and boxes from Newbridge to a storage space in Cardiff.
Organiser Jemma Shepherd said: “I’m completely overwhelmed by the response we’ve had to this appeal.
“I would like to personally thank everyone who donated, the local businesses who have given their support, Reverend Margaret Jefford and all of the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the weekend a success.
“The volunteers were a real mix of people of different ages and backgrounds; it was wonderful to see everyone come together and work as a team.”
The group is also running a prize draw to help with the transportation costs of getting supplies to refugee camps.
Tickets can be bought online at www.gofundme.com/zs3ns77c and the draw closes at 5pm on Tuesday, September 22.
Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert also set up a donation centre at Bargoed YMCA.
He said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the public response to the humanitarian crisis.
“Local people have been extremely generous with their donations of essential items, so much so, the Bargoed YMCA has had to temporarily stop taking items to allow for distribution.”
Residents from Caerphilly County Borough are also supporting refugees in other ways.
Cally Gunstone, from Caerphilly, is having her head shaved to raise money for Save the Children’s refugee appeal.
She will be taking the cut at Creazione Dance and Fitness Studio on Saturday, September 26 at 8am.
This will be followed by a charity workout and the cash raised by Ms Gunstone will be matched by her employer Network Rail and donated to cancer charity CLIC Sargent.
To sponsor Ms Gunstone visit www.justgiving.com/C-Gunstone.
Donation Drop this Saturday and Sunday at Bedwas Workmen’s Hall.
https://www.facebook.com/BedwasWorkmensHall/posts/886780274741952
People donating have blood on their hands. The economic migrants in Europe will continue to come to Europe if you portray Britain as the land of giving. The more you donate, the more that will come thinking Britain has more to give. The more that come, the more who risk their lives in dangerous journeys. Donating is a pull factor encouraging economic migrants to endanger themselves. All aid should go to refugee camps in Syria or Turkey. Economic migrants who die after entering Turkey on their way to Europe should have no sympathy. They are leaving a safe country for a a country with a better economy.
The military is needed to secure areas in Syria where they can live without leaving their own country.
I believe all European countries should adopt the approach of Hungry in using barbed wire, tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, and batons to control the entry of economic migrants (who are mostly conscription-aged men looking at the videos of the rioting they are causing.) Non-lethal bullets fired by the military if needs be should also be deployed.
You’re right in what you say, Britain as a nation needs to stand strong, take a firm stance and say no, they are not welcome here, helping them will only harm our own country. We need to put our own people first, most of these refugees are not fleeing war and persecution, they are young men trying to gain illegal entry into the U.K where they will be nothing more than a drain on our resources and a potential threat to our national security.
All comments that disagree with giving help to these economic migrants are being removed. Charity begins at home and I disagree with giving help to hoards of young males who are simply using this situation to gain illegal entry into the UK.
Why are comments being removed? This is an important topic and it is healthy to have the widest possible discussion.
Because the media want to peddle their pro refugee propaganda to make us all feel guilty so gullible people will give aid just to make themselves feel better. The media will only show us what they want us to see, they won’t show us hoards of male migrants attacking aid workers, they won’t show us gangs of male migrants hurling rocks and stones at police who are trying to protect their countries borders. These swarms of young men aren’t from wartorn Syria, they are not refugees, they’re organised groups of thugs who are using the situation to try and smuggle themselves into the U.K, and who knows what kind of damage they will do when they get here.