On Friday 20th January, Sophie P, Kenzie S and I, plus our two wonderful teachers, Mr Lovell and Mrs Lambe, travelled to Calais, with little idea what our weekend would hold. Whilst on the ferry from Dover, the five of us discussed our feelings regarding what we were expecting; our worries, excitement, and anticipation.
On Saturday morning we met with the wonderful people at the volunteer-led charity, Care4Calais, who instantly created a friendly atmosphere in the warehouse. We spent the morning doing various jobs around the warehouse, such as sorting through donations of jumpers and quality checking them before boxing them for distribution. This was really productive and gave us a chance to talk to other volunteers about their stories and experiences in Calais. After a short lunch break, we were briefed on our site visit that was to follow in the afternoon, and then made our way via cars and minibuses to a site named Rue de Judée, which was a field on the side of a road in the outer suburbs.
When we arrived, one half of the team began distributing brand new joggers to a group of Sudanese refugees who were able to choose their sizes and the colour of their joggers, giving them back an element of autonomy. Whilst the distribution was occurring, the other half of the team set up the services which Care4Calais provide to these refugees seven days a week at a variety of sites across the region. These services included large charging ports, hair cutting stations, hot drinks, games such as a football and board games, sewing and friendship bracelets, English lessons, and information about Rwanda and how Care4Calais can help the refugees if they find themselves under threat of deportation to Rwanda. Through this site, we were able to talk to a vast spread of refugees, who talked about their journeys from their origin countries to Calais and their plan for the future, regarding getting to England. There was an overall sense of hope and excitement amongst the site and at the peak there were approximately 200 people, with music playing through a speaker, people chatting, playing football, and having fun. During pack down, as we prepared to return to the warehouse, everyone helped to pack away tables and chairs and helped to clear up – showing unity and a mutual sense of respect and gratitude between both volunteers and refugees.
The second day followed a similar pattern, with warehouse work in the morning (this time splitting large food packages into smaller bags in preparation for distribution later in the week) and then a lunch time briefing for the afternoon ahead. On Sunday we were heading for Calais city centre, to a regular site the team visit, which is near to where predominantly Syrian refugees are staying.
When we arrived, half the team distributed second-hand coats whilst the other half set up the services in a similar manner to the day before, with others chatting with the refugees about their stories. Only the night before had a large group of them attempted to cross the channel, when the French police slashed their inflatable boats whilst out at sea and removed their motors – telling us how this was not an uncommon occurrence yet how they swam back to Calais, with only a couple injured. This failed attempt had not hindered the mood, as the atmosphere at this site was similar to the day before, with a large sense of community spirit and hope despite the immense challenges and hardships they were all facing day-to-day.
This trip has taught us a lot. We learnt a huge amount regarding how the refugees are treated by authorities, about their lives before fleeing their origin countries and about what Care4Calais do to offer support to the refugees, providing essential resources and a listening ear. It has also taught us more about gratitude regarding the opportunities we have been given and that we are able to go to a school that provides these opportunities and allows us to help others whilst developing our personal skills such as communication, inclusion, and confidence in social situations. We aim to work with Care4Calais again, getting more people involved with volunteering and raising money to support the incredible work the charity does and crucial impact it plays in the humanitarian crisis in Calais.
Written by Leon M, L6
