At Herts for Refugees, we believe everyone should be safe, warm and have shelter from the elements. Unfortunately, for refugees trapped at the France-UK border, this is very often not the case. On average, there is an eviction carried out every 48 hours in northern France, usually by armed riot police (CRS) who are renowned for their brutality and use of tear gas & rubber bullets on defenceless people. They take everything, including documents & personal possessions, as well as tents & sleeping bags, leaving people with only the clothes they stand up in. Incredible as it may seem, these violent events are part-funded by UK tax payers money.
We want to raise as much money as possible to buy essential items to replace those destroyed by the authorities. Winter in northern France can be lethal and there is a real chance people will either not survive or, in desperation, risk their lives crossing the channel in a smugglers rubber boat.