FOLLOWING a trip to Calais to distribute warm clothing and supplies to refugees, one Bude couple want to encourage more people to undertake the journey.

Bob Willingham, a photographer, former president of the Bude Rotary Club and town councillor, and his wife Tanya Salisbury travelled across the channel in their trusty VW T4 van ‘Optimus Prime’ filled with 75 bags laiden with warm winter clothing, boots and ten sleeping bags ready to distribute to the refugees stuck in Calais area during winter.

It is thanks to the people of Bude and members of the Rotary Clubs of Bude, Barnstaple and Holsworthy that they were able to take so many donated clothes over.

With the prospect of snow looming, the pair set off a day earlier than anticipated on Monday, December 11, with an overnight stop halfway.

Due to shuttle train breakdowns and subsequent delays crossing the channel, the couple arrived too late to unload. Wednesday finally saw the couple arrive at the storage warehouse.

Before any distribution could begin, the mammoth task of sorting all the donations had to be undertaken. The first ‘sort’ saw the volunteers separate the piles of donated clothing into categories (boys, girls, men, women etc) and by type (trousers, coats, jumpers etc).

The second sort boxed the items into sizes, which were labelled and dated before moving over to the distribution area.

Any donations that weren’t appropriate for Calais refugees were boxed up ready to be sent to other organisations such as UK homeless and Syrian charities.

These supplies are vital to the refugees spread across Dunkirk and Calais as many have been sleeping rough for the best part of a year or more.

Bob said: “It was so cold and very wet. We all had proper clothes on, boots etc, but a lot of the refugees were inadequately dressed with footwear consisting of training shoes and plastic bags as socks to keep out the wet. They were all grateful to receive what they could but one of the highlights of the trip was being thanked by a man who had been given a pair of dry walking boots. He was so happy, he kept repeating ‘thank you, thank you’.”

He said that whilst distributing supplies the team of volunteers were able to hear first hand from the refugees what their lives are like now. Volunteers who have been out there for a while relayed various stories; of how the refugees are regularly pepper sprayed and their temporary shelters or tents were confiscated.”

But Bob said they are all enduring this hardship in the hopes of making their way over to the UK to start a better life. He added: “On the Tuesday there had not been as many refugees at the distribution point because there had been news that a [channel tunnel] train had broken down. Many of the refugees had taken this opportunity to try and walk through the tunnel to the UK, even though many are killed trying to get through — how they even managed to get past security I don’t know, but they are willing to try anything.”

Bob wants to encourage anyone considering lending a hand to do so. He said: “It was just very important to us with this cold weather that we went over to distribute warm clothing. The more volunteers Care4Calais have the better — if I can encourage others to go over and help that will be great! It was lovely to meet one student who had been given a boat ticket and board at a youth hostel as a Christmas present so she could spend her Christmas holidays helping Care4Calais.”

Bob added: “Care4Calais are doing the most amazing thing there, giving support and hope to people who have nothing. If you want to know more about what they’re doing and how to support them, visit their website.”

To see more about the work Care4Calais are doing or to volunteer, visit care4calais.org