Leading organisations in Renfrewshire are teaming up to support a locally-organised aid convoy to help refugees.
Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Leisure, Engage Renfrewshire, and local religious organisations are backing a Renfrew-to-Calais charity convoy.
The convoy, organised by Renfrew couple Jade and Stephen O’Neil, will travel to Calais at the end of this month to deliver vitally needed supplies.
Five new collection points have been set up in community and leisure facilities across Renfrewshire to make it as easy as possible for people to donate. People can hand in supplies and those will be collected by council staff and delivered to the charity organisers.
Renfrewshire Council vehicles will also pick up items donated through appeals organised at local places of worship.
The collection points have been set up at:
- Paisley – Lagoon Leisure Centre
- Linwood – On-X Centre
- Johnstone – Town Hall
- Renfrew – Leisure Centre
- Erskine – Community Sports Centre
In addition, a collection point is being set up at the Darul Quran Islamic Centre, 218 Paisley Road, Renfrew.
Renfrewshire Council Depute Leader Mike Holmes said: “There has been a tremendous response from people in Renfrewshire to this locally-organised aid convoy.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to show their support and donate in their own community. Not only are we setting up the collection points but we are urging people to get involved in the aid effort and are publicising details on how to give money or supplies.”
Aid organiser Jade O’Neil said: “The response locally has been overwhelming in terms of the number of people wanting to donate and volunteer.
“From planning to just fill up the car and drive down, to now working with people across Renfrewshire to organise a convoy is just incredible. It’s very intense, but it means we can offer so much more help in Calais and beyond than we had thought possible.
“People and organisations in Renfrewshire have shown their compassion and determination to help in so many ways, but there is still plenty of time for more people to get involved. I am really excited about the new collection points which will really aid our efforts, and show the people we want to help that the people of Renfrewshire care about them.
“This new collection arrangement is a great boost to what we’re doing.”
Tahir Shah, a member of Renfrew Mosque Committee, said: “We are fully behind the aid appeal and it has been wonderful to see people across Renfrewshire giving their support.”
The types of goods the aid organisers want to collect are:
- Walking shoes and trainers
- Men’s jeans, belts, jackets, hoodies, coats, thermals, and underwear
- Warm socks, gloves and woolly hats
- Tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulin / ground sheets, sleeping mats
- Wash bags, hold-alls, and bags for life
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, unisex shower gel, soap, body lotion, disposable razors, wide tooth combs, shampoo
- Candles and other lighting equipment
- Camping-style cooking equipment (pots, pans, camping stoves, non-electric kettles), plastic plates & cups, cleaning products, sponges
- Books – particularly in Arabic or for learning English.
Donations can also be made atwww.gofundme.com/RenfrewToCalais and you can follow the campaign on Facebook.