Neighbours in Poplar make deliveries to Calais refugees

Muhammad Rahman

A DELEGATION FROM Neighbours in Poplar have returned after spending a day in Calais, France, as part of an aid deployment to support refugees and migrants. They delivered arts, crafts and footballs to Calais refugees.

Sister Christine Frost MBE sent a small team of locals including Emdad Rahman, Abdal Ahmed, Morgan Toulon and Abdul Fattar to deliver aid to Maria Skobtsova House, where the team met Brother Johannes Maertens and residents. Rahman and Ahmed delivered a football coaching session and gift of footballs and sportswear.

There was a short pitstop at Secours Catholique-Caritas France Refugee Day Centre to deliver board games and cloth samples for art projects before the team made their final call for the day at the Care 4 Calais warehouse.

Team leader Emdad Rahman commented, “It’s been a busy day but we have a super team who were determined to carry out all our tasks despite numerous delays on our journey. The football coaching was the icing on the cake for us. Thank you to my friends Jason, Saim, Shahanara for the gift donations and, as always,  Sister Christine for making this happen.”

Sister Christine Frost added, “Well done to the team – it’s clear they all had a busy and very productive day. Neighbours in Poplar are determined to make a difference in the lives of those who need us the most and we hope our little efforts will make an impact.”

The refugee crisis in Europe has been described by many as the biggest challenge of this generation. There are currently around 1,000 refugees sleeping rough in Calais and Dunkirk; another 500 refugees in Brussels; and over 1,500 in Paris.

Since the closure of the Calais migrant camps (Calais Jungle), these refugees have no shelter at night or regular food supply, and their health is in shocking decline.

Neighbours in Poplar thrives with a very small but dedicated staff team who support an array of volunteers. The project began in 1969 and the team provides Multi-Faith Care in the community through practical support and care for the vulnerable – regardless of their faith, age, race, gender, culture, or disability.

•For more information, go to:
www.neighboursinpoplar.com
www.care4calais.org
www.mariaskobtsova.org
www.secours-catholique.org/migrants

•Read more about it:
Neighbours in Poplar visit Calais refugee camps
Goodness gracious: great walls of… Calais?

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