Support Syrian refugees in Camden
Camden has a long history of helping refugees and we know there are many people in the borough who want to do something to help.
We have already had offers of support from local residents, landlords and local organisations – if you want to join them, here are just some of the things you can do.
How can I help?
Are you a private landlord with a property to let? Get in touch if you would be interested in providing help.
Would you be interested in fostering?
Are you part of a local organisation who could support refugees? Please get in touch and tell us how on our facebook page.
We know that a lot of people have been offering to give spare rooms. We are looking into the feasibility of such suggestions but it is likely that this won’t be possible for newly arrived refugees who need more sustainable long-term support. If anyone is interested in doing something similar, please leave your details and we will update once we have more information.
What else can people do to help?
Make a donation
Make a financial donation to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that is doing related humanitarian work overseas or locally. These could include:
- Refugee Council: An independent charity working with refugees in the UK including supporting Syrian refugees seeking asylum in the UK.
- Save the Children: distributing essential items such as nappies, hygiene kits and food
- Red Cross Europe: providing emergency health services at central train stations
- Migrant Offshore Aid Station: dedicated to preventing migrant deaths at sea
- International Rescue Committee: improving living conditions by setting up camps
- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): providing water, mosquito nets, tents, healthcare
- Refugee Action: advice about claiming asylum, the asylum process, asylum support
- World Vision: providing food, water, shelter, education and psychosocial care
Get involved with grassroot campaigns
- The grassroots campaign Calais Action is urging supporters to donate in any way they can. It has put together a map of drop-off and collection zones.
- JustGiving (a social platform for fundraising and giving) has also received more than 2,500 donations from 32 countries for Calais migrant fundraising efforts. Some initiatives include:
- Coach and Horses Soho: raising £5,000 to give the Calais migrants a decent meal
- The Worldwide Tribe in Calais: Travel blog documenting the story of the people in the Calais 'jungle' is also connected to a crowdfunding site
Volunteer, donate, collect
- The Camden For Refugees group are highlighting a number of ways in which local people can help.
- Refugee Action is offering to take old cars as donations. It says the last scrap car it took raised £126 for refugees. It is also looking for old mobile phones and even printer cartridges and has a number of online shopping initiatives for donating money (e.g. selling via Ebay’s charity arm, Monkfish).
- Calais Migrant Solidarity: organising refuge aid from the UK to those stranded in Calais. Includes details to find local groups for clothes collections and donations here and a UK-based Facebook group
- Doctors of the World: providing care to vulnerable people, advocating for rights to health
- Music Against Borders: appealing for people to donate musical instruments to Calais
- The Jungle Library: makeshift library set up at the camp at Calais. They need more books
- 'Childhood bags': fundraising to take books, toys and warm clothes to children
- Migrant Offshore Aid Station: dedicated to preventing loss of life at sea
- Sawa for development and aid: working with Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Buy specific items for those who need help
- An Amazon wish list has been set up for people to buy specific items such as shoes and sleeping bags to be delivered to Calais as part of the appeal #KentforCalais and #HelpCalais. The truck leaves on 17 September 2015.
Put your name to a petition