A VAN load of clothing and food donations has been transported to help the refugees in Calais, but one local resident isn’t done yet.

Juliet Bill lives in Kingsbridge and wanted to do something to help the refugees fleeing Syria. She set up a collection point in The Old Bakery in Kingsbridge, asking local people to donate clothes, tents, food and other essentials that people are in desperate need of, and they did – a literal van load.

Talking about what inspired her to make the journey to France, Juliet said: ‘What is happening to these people is through no fault of their own. They are not fanatical religious fighters, they are not soldiers, they want to live in peace.

‘They would also, and this is very important to reiterate, far rather be at home: where they understand the language, the culture and the customs. What they are fleeing from must be so awful to make them walk across a continent or get in a flimsy, over-filled boat. And for what? To be marginalised and mistrusted.’

She said that seeing the images that spread across social media and the news, of people ‘stripped of their dignity, freedom and choices’ from her ‘warm, safe home with food in the fridge and a million options’, spurred her into action.

Juliet delivered a large van full of donations from local people to the refugee camp in Calais, leaving on Friday, October 23, and returning on Monday, October 26. Boxes were sorted, labelled in three different languages and distributed to the people who needed it most.

Juliet spoke of her frustration at the situation in Calais, ‘frustration on behalf of the large charities who have too much bureaucracy and protocol to adhere to before then can actually help and my frustration at the misrepresentation by the media’, she said.

‘I saw young men who were elated to be given a bag of clothes, only to pull out a bridesmaid dress, of course he is going to discard it. Likewise with food parcels – these people don’t even have a box of matches so what are they supposed to do with food that requires cooking?’

But she also saw things that were uplifting. ‘Spirits were very high in camp’, she said, ‘people were smiley and engaging and hopeful. And being part of a mass movement of well-meaning individuals who, together, really are making a difference.’

Juliet plans to return to help the refugees, this time organising a trip to Greece in November or December. ‘Calais was about delivering stuff, with some first aid and cuddles thrown in’, Juliet explained, ‘Greece is going to be about helping with the logistics. I plan to go for a week.’

Work by volunteers and people like Juliet is only half of the battle. Juliet’s thoughts turned to the ‘bigger picture’, and she explained how she thought Governments could help stop the crisis:

‘Stop bombing them for a start. Stop making their homelands such a freaking awful place to be; make the difference between economic migrants and refugees starker. Offer safe passage.

‘Reduce the red tape for organisations - a charity from another country cannot, for example, enter another country and offer aid unless invited; who is invited depends upon who is friends with whom. Listen to people.’

Juliet thanked all those who had donated and helped her in her humanitarian mission: ‘The staff here at The Old Bakery, who’ve put up with working amongst dozens of tents and sleeping bags, especially Aimee Newman, and also a special thank you to a wonderful elderly lady, Mrs Jenny Allen of Slapton, who gave me a very generous cash donation.’

Juliet is currently collecting again for her trip to Greece. They are looking for specific items; anything not on the list cannot be accepted.

Food: Tuna tins, dried nuts and fruit, tinned fruits, plain chocolate, energy bars, biscuits, rice pudding, 500ml water bottles and tin openers.

Medication: Nurofen, paracetamol, ibuprofen, Calpol, cough medicine, first aid kits, nappies and baby wipes.

Shelter and clothing: tents, sleeping bags, roll mats, tarpaulin, waterproof jackets, warm jogging bottoms, waterproof ponchos and fleeces.

The Old Bakery in Kingsbridge is acting as a collection point.

By Sam Acourt. 01548 856353. [email protected].