Herts and Essex Students Collect Change for Lesvos
As we are probably all aware, there is an unfolding humanitarian crisis on the island of Lesvos. As with many Greek Islands, it has become a key landing point for many desperate refugees, mainly travelling from the conflict in Syria.
The Network heard about Hertford resident, Carolyn Westlake, who was organising a trip to Lesvos as a humanitarian volunteer to help with the situation. She has a background in social care and experience in voluntary work in the camp in Calais. She was asking local people and groups to help raise Euros to be sued for aid in Lesvos by searching their homes for any leftover currency from recent trips. Here at Herts and Essex Head Girl, Milly Last, took up the cause and organised a collection where she placed a box per house in reception to give our staff and students to opportunity to contribute. Herts and Essex students and parents managed to contribute 194 euros to the cause, which is a huge achievement and something to be really proud of. As Carolyn travels to Lesvos on the 15th of December, she leaves with a total of 1804 Euros, and over £2000. The money will be used to provide resources such as food, blankets and tents to people living in desperate circumstances this winter. If you want to donate click the button below for the crowd funding page |
Following the donations
On Tuesday 15th Carolyn Westlake travelled to Lesvos as a humanitarian volunteer. Over the past month we, at Herts and Essex, have been raising Euros for her in order to fund desperately needed items for refugees, such as food and blankets.
If you’d like to see exactly where your money is going then we’ll be publishing regular updates direct from Lesvos right here. Or alternately follow Carolyn on her Facebook group ‘Change For Lesvos – Support For Refugees’. This is a real person attempting to make a genuine difference for a more-than-worthy cause, so we need to give her all the support we can. Thank you. Milly Last LIVE UPDATES FROM LESVOS30/12/15 Well goodbye to Lesvos, at least for the moment. But had a productive day in Mytilene. Am working with Raghida Salsera on getting rucksacks to refugees. Paid 2400 euros to Lesbos Bags today as a deposit on 120 65 litre rucksacks with rain covers. 😊😊😊
30/12/15 Down to the beach where a camp is growing quickly with the refugees that are coming to the South of the island. Gave 100 euros to Food Without Borders, a voluntary group that provides food for free. Looked like around 100-200 refugees there, so good to be able to support and know that your donations will help give cold hungry people a hot meal. It was freezing and windy and dusty on the beach, not a place anyone would choose to stay😔
28/12/15 I have just handed over 1000 Euros to Alison from the Dirty Girls. Everyday they prevent kilos of discarded wet clothes from the beaches going to the rapidly filling landfill sites👏👏They also help to keep the industrial laundry going which would normally be closed at this time of year thereby providing employment for local people. I hope you agree this is a great volunteer activity to support.😊😊😊 Click here to go to the Dirty Girls charity page
23/12/15 Help needed😀😀😀
The Crowdfunder has been stretched which means it has grown to £1500. There's £1150 already in. 2days left before it closes. I know so many of you have already given a donation but have you any friends you could share this with. Thank you😊😊😊 23/12/15 Hi everyone😊you may have been wondering what is the plan for all the donated monies-both Euros and Crowdfunder money. I have been taking my time looking round. The need is great- in Kara Tepe they are running out of money to provide food, at Oxy we run out of clothes and shoes and so it goes on.
A desperate need is for bags to put things in. Many have had to throw their bags overboard. So I'm thinking rucksacks😊 and I am joining up with someone who has already funded some and is ready to do a new order.. 
22/12/15 Thank you for all your support. The need is great here. Today we ran out of shoes and people had to put plastic bags on their feet😔
22/12/15 Woohoo! just checked the Crowdfunder and its standing at £1150 which is over target. No need to stop though -3 more days to go . Just think of it as one more person on your Christmas shopping list!😀😀😀
21/12/15 A busy morning! Dropped Kate at airport and then to Moria and Kara Tepe. The latter is running out of money to feed people.around 400 euros a day needed.
20/12/15 Today we spoke to a man from Tunisia hoping to join his wife and children in The Netherlands. He was chosen to steer the dinghy over from Turkey and said he felt so responsible because the boat had many small children and babies on. The trauma was evident as he was telling us. He has been in Moria for 2 weeks and just wants to be with his family.Good luck to him.
20/12/15 Moria unofficial camp. People have to wait here sometimes for days for their turn to enter the official camp and find out whether they will be registered or deported. Many people sleep outside with one blanket only. Luckily it hasn't rained for a while though it's very cold at night .
19/12/15 Ok. So I have spent the first of the donations you all so kindly gave. I am at a transit camp and have been talking to a young man called Kasam from Afghanistan. His family could only afford to pay for one person and as is the case with so many people leaving, it's the young men who are sent out first. He paid 1000 dollars between Istanbul and here and if he is allowed to continue after he is registered he will need to catch the ferry to Athens. He has no money left so I gave him money towards his fare- 30 euros.it is not enough but all I had on me
19/12/15 Am in the ticket office at Oxy, the transit camp. 3 boats so far-iraqui,Syrian, afghani, Pakistani. Kurds- the whole world is on the move. The children seem happy, maybe just an adventure for them. The adults are quieter and tired. One lady has been in Turkey for 2 months waiting to come over. She has 2 small children. She says she is very happy the sea is good today.
17/12/15 Volunteers have been emotional today after yesterday's boat capsizing and the death of 2 children and 1 man. Fortunately this does not happen a lot but it does happen. 8 miles from Turkey to Lesvos in an overcrowded rubber dinghy wearing fake life jackets can be lethal.
17/12/15 Greenpeace arrive in Molyvos
17/12/15 Yesterday 22 boats landed- that's around 1150 people. Yesterday afternoon a boat flipped over. 83 people rescued. 2 died. Helicopter looking for other missing people.
17/12/15 Kate and I stopped off at the Kara Tepe camp in the morning. This is the camp for families. They stay here whilst they wait for their families and friends from other boats to catch up with them or whilst they wait for transport to the port and ferry to Athens Mytilene. Yesterday- around 700 people - volunteers needed to help feed, find dry clothes for them, and them feel a little happier
17/12/15 Good morning from Molyvos😊 The warehouse at Kalloni is well organised but needs more people sorting donations out. Some things can't be used - too flimsy- too dirty- too ripped. The moral is if you wouldn't wear it in the winter don't send it. High heeled shoes, men's suits are not required😱
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