Practical Solidarity- Calais

The start of the demolition of the Calais 'Jungle' has been announced as Oct the 24th. With the French authorities and security forces decision to demolish the basic shelters, structures and self-organised, creative community spaces that provided for temporary respite from the precarity and uncertainty of daily life for those seeking refuge, camp residents will be again- violently- pushed out into even more precarious conditions.
 
A small group of us from Ireland who have spent periods of the past two years working with medical and solidarity structures in Greece, the Balkans and Calais will be tavelling to the 'Jungle' next weekend to stay for a few days and to plug into existing volunteer and solidarity initiatives.

We are raising money to be able to, humbly, respond to the basic and immediate needs of some of the women, men and children in the camp who are now facing more overt homelessness. Donations will be used to purchase hiking/durable shoes and rucksacks, sleeping bags, phones and phone credit, medical supplies and to be able to pass on cash donations to folks who need them.  Additional funds will be passed on to projects which have been doing long-term work with unaccompanied youth and which will be a crucial life-line as those children now face even more uncertainty and vulnerability.

The long-term need is for collective organising that challenges migration policies that exclude, 'other' and force those seeking refuge and lives of less precarity to embark on perilous, life-risking journeys over sea and across militarised borders. However, in the immediacy of the upcoming demolitions, practical, basic supplies, support- and emotional solidarity- are important.
  
Thank you all for whatever you can donate- from community to community.

(image used with the permission of Guy Smallman)