A GROUP of volunteers from Launceston and North Cornwall have collected 350 sleeping bags and 200 tents from Cornish festival, Boardmasters, to be cleaned up and sent to refugees living in poor conditions abroad.

Robert Butler, a volunteer from Launceston, who, as well as working alongside Launceston Refugee Support Group, works for refugee charity Mobile Refugee Support, which sees him travelling across to northern France regularly to provide aid to those in need of it.

He and a team of volunteers from across Cornwall recently undertook a salvage on the grounds of the Watergate Bay-based music festival. As imagined by many, the festival was swarmed with left-behind tents, sleeping bags, chairs, clothing and torches, among other items.

Robert said: “It went incredibly well. We managed to save from landfill, about 350 plus sleeping bags, approximately 200 tents, plus other stuff including tarpaulins, camping chairs, clothing, wellington boots, torches and rucksacks!”

He said the people of Launceston have been brilliant, with ten people in the town washing sleeping bags, as well as three helping on the day with the salvage at Boardmasters. Others from around North Cornwall also washed some sleeping bags.

These salvaged items, once washed and ready for use, will be distributed to refugees in France at the end of September, as Robert will be taking a van over there to ensure Mobile Refugee Support are fully supported with aid for the coming winter.

A winter container will also be sent via ‘Open Hearts Open Borders’ to Aticka, the charity Robert and the team also support on Lesvos in Greece. This container will also contain items from Boardmasters.

Robert was also pleased to report that many of the items salvaged from Boardmasters have been distributed to two local homeless charities — ‘Start’ in St Austell, and ‘Warmth for the Homeless’ in Falmouth. These items include sleeping bags and tents.

He added: “A lot of people moan about the mess left by festivals and looking at the scenes from Reading this past weekend you can’t blame them. But on the other hand, thousands will benefit from this. Double edged sword, this one for me.”

Collections for aid are being started again in September by Launceston Refugee Support Group. Collections take place every Tuesday at Central Methodist Church, Launceston, from 10am until 12pm.