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"To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity " - Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ​

The below is a blog of my experience whilst volunteering at the Refugee Community Kitchen, Calais, in April 2018 
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28.04.18 - The Refugee Community Kitchen (RCK)  was founded in 2015 with a mission to provide nutritious food for refugees living in the Calais & Dunkirk camps of France. 
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Unfortunately, with the violent & brutal demolition of the Calais ‘jungle’ camp at the end of 2016 the situation in Northern France & Paris is worse than ever. Refugees have no shelter; they are sleeping in woods, ditches & under flyovers & face constant brutal attacks. RCK is needed now more than ever as it is the only hot food source & a vital life line for these refugees. Since the 1st of December 2015 RCK has served nutritious food to over 1,200 refugees a day, 7 days a week & is run solely by volunteers & funded by donations. Today was my first day & I can honestly say amid the tragedy here in Calais amazing things can be achieved when we work together for the greater good. ❤️
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29.04.18 - Why the question mark? As I lie in bed in my hotel room in Calais, haunted by the wind howling through my window & the rain beating down heavily, my heart is broken & I question, WHEN DID WE FORGET THAT REFUGEES ARE HUMAN⁉️

This evening myself & a team of 5 volunteers distributed food to refugees at 2 sites in Calais. We arrived in a van, with veg curry, pasta, salad, tea & water & set up serving stations. All the refugees we fed today were men, of varying ages, (some looking very young) mainly from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan & Gambia. I’ve been told there are about 100-150 minors under the age of 18 & as young as 12 who are in Calais entirely on their own. 

As we distributed food in the freezing temperatures, (I did my best to avoid showing how painfully cold I was albeit with 3 layers of hoodies) I couldn’t help but notice how few layers these men had on. I could see their tents, unsecured, flapping in the harsh winds without any protection. Some told us they didn’t have tents & instead had been sleeping under trees & in bushes. These clusters of groups are scattered within industrial estates, on road sides or under bridges in Calais with no access to shelter, food, water, sanitation, education or protection. 
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The conditions they are forced to live in is grotesquely dehumanising. They have no dignity, are treated like vermin & have been abandoned & our governments are completely desensitised to the situation. Refugees aren’t some statistic, they aren’t an agenda item, they are humans, people just like us & this simple fact has clearly been forgotten. I go to bed with a very heavy heart tonight & a somber spirit - however, today has reiterated my acknowledgment of the phenomenal work the RCK continues to do, day in, day out & for them I give thanks. 

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30.04.18 - So, yesterday we did 2 x food distributions in Calais & tonight we did 2 x in Dunkirk. Yesterday was freezing, but today felt colder with the unforgiving wind & rain. 

With the mainstream media (which is riddled with right wing, classist & racist motives) who play on the narrative of refugees being scum, I thought I would share my own experience of them with you from the food distributions I’ve been on.

My initial reflection is how eager they are to say hello & ask how you are with such keenness. ✨
I’ve genuinely never been around so many people who say please & thank as much as them (& really mean it). ✨
Whatever they ask for, whether it’s a plastic cup, an extra spoon, a cover for their carton box, or more food, it is ALWAYS asked for. Nothing is ever taken without being granted permission. ✨
They share their food. Each person is allowed 1 x carton box full of food, but many of them take 2 x spoons with 1 x box. I questioned why this was the case & was told they share with friends even though they are fully aware that they can take extra boxes for friends if needed. ✨
They queue & wait patiently. ✨
They call you brother / sister & for the longer standing volunteers, they often ask how the volunteers’ families are. ✨
If I was having to unload / load the van with heavy items, I often found they would immediately help me. ✨
And this last memory is one that will forever remain in my heart; at the end of the distribution one of my duties was to go round the van with a black bin liner to pick up all the rubbish. I got no further than picking up 2 x spoons when 4 x men rushed over & refused I pick up any more & before I knew it they’d taken my black bin liner & started picking up all the litter for me in the wind & rain...✨

Of course you see those who don’t want to engage & are of course discouraged by life, but as with Veria Camp, they are few & far between. I looked at them, with their clothes soaked through, wet to the bone, with flip flops or sodden shoes, shaking with extreme cold yet 95% of the time I was received with warm smiles. It’s hard to fully digest in such inhumane conditions - but that’s been my experience & I wanted to share ❤️. 

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1.05.18 - The Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais is an incredible organisation run by truly inspiring volunteers. Its unwavering commitment in providing hot, wholesome food (come rain or shine 7 days a week) ensure that refugees in Calais have access to one freshly cooked meal per day, which as you can imagine is a life line. Without this operation, refugees would have no access to food or water. It’s a meaningful space, run by people who care & people who make a direct positive impact on the lives of those in need. 
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I can’t stress enough how easy it is to volunteer with them. Calais is an hour away, there are plenty of accommodation options there & whether you can volunteer for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or 1 year - it’ll be worth every minute of your time. I promise! 22,000 volunteers have passed through their doors over the last 2 years & it truly is a product of everyones efforts. In the short time I was there I felt welcomed, appreciated & looked after & slotted into their methodical operation with ease - & you can too! Thank you RCK for the invaluable work you do for humanity. The unsung hero's - you are exceptional. 

2018 For the Sake of Humanity 
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