Shropshire donations delivered to Syrian refugee camps
Two 40ft containers full of clothes, food and other essential supplies collected in Shropshire have been safely delivered to refugee camps on the Syrian border.
The successful donation of goods by people in the Telford area comes after officials at Shropshire Council appointed national charity Refugee Action to help support the resettlement of families fleeing Syria in the county.
Shropshire Islamic Foundation launched the Telford2Syria appeal and organisers said they had been left "stunned" by the generosity of people to the cause on Christmas Day.
Wehid Iqbal, of the foundation, said: "We launched the appeal with the aim of filling one container to go out to Syria to help refugees.
"It got a fair bit of media attention and the response then has just been fantastic.
"We were literally deluged with donations, not just from Shropshire either, we have had things given in from as far away as Wolverhampton and Walsall.
"A massive wide range of things have been handed in – nappies, baby formula, bottles, women's sanitary products.
"But there has also been clothing, food and all kinds of other things donated."
"It has been a real team effort.
"To see the smiles on faces when the items were delivered made it all worthwhile."
Refugee Action was chosen by officials at Shirehall following a competitive procurement selection process to oversee the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the county.
The charity will work closely with Shropshire's Syrian refugee cross-party working group to resettle up to 10 families in the county.
A team of staff and volunteers will be on hand to help the new arrivals settle into their new homes, access local services, and identify ways to help them integrate with local communities.
Mal Price, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for planning, housing, regulatory services and environment, and chair of Shropshire's Syrian refugee cross-party working group, said: "I am delighted that Refugee Action has been appointed and look forward to working with them.
"Refugee Action was appointed because of its expertise in working with refugees and of this particular resettlement programme, and because of its willingness and enthusiasm for working with the local communities in Shropshire to harness all the support and goodwill on offer."
For more information about Shropshire's resettlement programme, or to register your support, email refugeesshropshire@shropshire.gov.uk
Alternatively visit http://shropshire.gov.uk/syrian-refugee-support for FAQs and to view mythbusters around both refugees and asylum seekers.
