Is there room for them in our inn?

Tue 29 Dec 2015, 15:30 (last edited on Fri 1 Jan 2016, 15:52)

Thanks to everyone for following these reports from people and places that Charlbury Refugee Action Group has been helping, or may help
in the future. It didn't spark a dialogue or any comments, but no matter.

To keep in touch with what is happening in refugee land, posts similar to these will continue to appear at www.facebook.com/charlburyrefugee

We hope to see you there. Keep in touch!

Dunkirk was the prime destination for the warm clothing, stout footwear, tents, sleeping bags and food that Charlbury people donated to our Christmas collection. Poppy and Vanessa from Hook Norton delivered them to the camp yesterday.

Here's a story that shows what the volunteers are up against. www.facebook.com/laurel.linden.12/posts/1965275313698488

Tue 29 Dec 2015, 09:30

Every cloud... There are lovely people out there.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=216543145346078&id=100009711819721

Sun 27 Dec 2015, 13:10 (last edited on Sun 27 Dec 2015, 13:12)

Expect the worst. As the weather worsens, so the Turkish smugglers reduce their prices for the crossings to the Greek islands. They lose the dinghies anyway, as the smugglers do not normally accompany the refugees, and of course people pay up front, so there is no additional loss to them if people drown, and the poorer refugees will take the risk.

https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRescues/posts/207459269594803

Sun 27 Dec 2015, 10:11

Andy Smith, Labour MP for Hammersmith, visits the Calais 'refugee camp':

https://www.facebook.com/andy4hammersmith/posts/773526819425737

Sat 26 Dec 2015, 09:54

Kester Ratcliff lives in Bristol. At the moment he is volunteering on Lesvos. Today he has explained the bribery, costs and consequences of the people smuggling operation through Turkey:

.

~ The Battle of the Bribes ~

The price of a place in a smugglers' boat ranges between $700-1200 per…

Long post - click to read full text

Fri 25 Dec 2015, 11:21

Amy Bird lives in London. She is part of the Refugees Welcome - UK group:

Hi everyone,

Before the end of the year I just wanted to say thank you to each and every member of this group. Sometimes it's hard not to be overwhelmed by what is happening and…

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Thu 24 Dec 2015, 08:55

Maria Tran paid homage last night to a local Lesvos hero, at the same reporting that Rayyan Haries' kitchen at Platanos appears to have been given a reprieve:

I have great news about the Platanos camp. The police did not show up today to dismantle the camp as they threatened…

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Tue 22 Dec 2015, 09:37 (last edited on Tue 22 Dec 2015, 12:49)

Fadi Mansour writing on Leros yesterday.

21 december 2015
One of the toughest days more than 1300 people in leros today I was woket up at 6 am by a call from the police There was about 250 people they arrived to pantali.

The police will provide a bus for…

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Mon 21 Dec 2015, 16:29

Written from Calais last week by Louise Edwards, who lives in Mold. As refugees fade from the news bulletins and TV screens, the situation is actually getting worse. Worse in Calais and Dunkirk, worse on the Greek islands and in Athens. The bodies of dead babies, children and adults washing…

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Sat 19 Dec 2015, 08:54

Photographs and a video by Reuters Photographer of the Year, Yannis Gehrakis:

widerimage.reuters.com/story/greece-witnessing-the-migration-crisis

Fri 18 Dec 2015, 16:20

I have just seen this video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVtEb7Gps1g&sns=em

Thu 17 Dec 2015, 09:43 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 13:18)

Maria Tran is an American volunteering on Lesvos. She went to help because her family were Vietnamese boat people who were picked up and survived… A couple of days ago she wrote:

"We packed 500 snack bags this afternoon and brought them down to the port and handed them out…

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Wed 16 Dec 2015, 10:56 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 10:01)

This snapshot is from Calais.

I woke up this morning to read this, written by a Brit who stays regularly at the Jungle in Calais.

Note that Sudanese who get to Greece are not now allowed to proceed further, as there is officially no war in the Sudan. Under new…

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Tue 15 Dec 2015, 09:03 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 10:04)

Refugees from everywhere but Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are blocked from leaving Greece. They are piling up in Athens in their thousands with no certain future. Amy Bird was busy after midnight...

"Eidomeni is operating as a transit camp as it was intended. About 3000 a day crossing the border…

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Mon 14 Dec 2015, 17:23 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 13:13)

Thanks to a Charlbury resident who wishes to remain anonymous, a large family tent plus a smaller tent, a sleeping bag and some ground mats were collected today and are on their way now to the refugee camp at Dunkirk. If you have heard bad things about the conditions at Calais, by all accounts Dunkirk is much worse.

Charlbury Refugee Action Group is collecting unwanted tents, clean warm clothing (including padded coats, socks, gloves and woolly hats) and stout trainers and walking boots. Please email charlburyrefugee@gmail.com if you can help.

Mon 14 Dec 2015, 11:26 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 13:16)

These two reports came in this morning...

Kashmir Hussain is from Oldham. He was on his second visit to Lesvos:

"So my second trip to Lesvos was different to the first. As soon as i landed here had to go straight to the morgue which was a refrigerator container where…

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Sun 13 Dec 2015, 11:16 (last edited on Thu 17 Dec 2015, 13:17)

Every day I read reports from volunteers on the front line of helping refugees as they cross the Aegean at night from Turkey. Or making their faltering way on land across Europe.

As some people may wonder why Charlbury Refugee Action Group is raising money to help people fleeing persecution…

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