Joining the CK Team in Lesvos

I, like so many, have been deeply moved by the size of the refugee crisis unfolding on European shores. I am going out to the Island of Lesvos for a few weeks in February to join the CK Team  (website here ) , lead by Matt Llewellin. The team works on the most inhospitable side of the island, sharp rocks jut out into the sea and cliffs make bringing survivors up to safety a perilous activity. The team organise round the clock lookouts and volunteers to take people off the boats, give basic medical attention and to guard against hypothermia. Freezing winter conditions are hampering their vital work.

I am a photographer and university lecturer who lives in Bristol with my husband and two beautiful daughters. I am going out to help in Lesvos both physically and to use my skills with media campaigns to raise awareness of the situation in Greece and beyond.


As I prepare for a family Christmas, I can only imagine the fear and loss felt by so many. Hundreds of unaccompanied children have arrived, some orphaned, some sent ahead as families desperately pool resources to pay traffickers. Women, elderly, boys and young men escaping fighting in the war; all cold, wet and in great danger through exhaustion and hypothermia need to be helped 1km up the cliffs and rocks and then 8 km to safety. The CK team have been working tirelessly, but are in desperate need of financial help.




Each survivor that is brought up the cliffs needs to be transported 8 km to the town. Impoverished village locals are doing this for a small payment of 1 Euro per passenger. Matt Llewellin has already personally paid for 1,300 people to be driven to safety. Any donation you can give is gratefully received - please, please do support this.



Other essentials needed are diesel, children hats, gloves and scarves, small toys and sweets to give immediate energy.

I will be giving up to 3 weeks of my time to help support the aims of the team. I will pay all of my travel costs to and from Lesvos.

In the two days prior to writing this, two boats arrived full of children. Many suffering with hypothermia. The valiant efforts of team members kept them alive and got them to safety, below is one tiny survivor who was in great danger from the elements. This work is saving lives, but countless are lost each day.


My aim is to raise £4,000, money raised will go towards the items that the CK team deem most essential. Any is donation welcome.   

Money raised will also go towards the cost of supporting volunteers (up to 25 Euros a day for accommodation and food) and of course protecting the most vulnerable. The CK Team are also desperate to purchase a laptop and phone cards to co-ordinate their efforts and continue their work. 

Whilst I will be arriving on the island early Feb, and will keep a record of events through my Facebook page, your donations may be sent ahead to pay for essentials.



The photos above shows the enormity of what is happening. The debris of hundreds of journeys strewn on the rocks. CK team volunteers are shown here clearing the beaches, helping to restore the coastline of Lesvos to it's natural beauty and recycling what they can.

Below, a family of survivors are transported to safety.


Below is Matt with some of the rescued refugees. As conditions worsen and winter storms hit the chance of survival is reduced.


Donations have come from all quarters, last week the team unloaded a container containing an ambulance.




The team have spent much time digging steps into the cliffs as many of the boats hit rocks near the shore and get into difficulty in perilous conditions.


Please help support this small team of volunteers who are giving so much to help those is such desperate need.


Photographs used kindly supplied by Matt Llewellin.