Overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers

A GROUP of volunteers set up by a local businesswoman to organise aid for Syrian refugees has been overwhelmed by the response from the public.
Nora Carlin, who owns lifestyle management firm Arley’s Angels at Appleton Thorn, started the group “Refugees – aid from the Northwest of England”, after seeing photographs of tragic Aylan Kurdi, the little Syrian boy found drowned on a Turkish beach.
The 56-year-old grandmother started simply by setting up a Facebook page appealing for donations which she intended storing in her own portacabin prior to sending them on to the Manchester-based charity Syria Relief.
But within hours, the response convinced her much more was needed.
“I was overwhelmed – the kindness and generosity of so many people was humbling.”
Nora knew there were empty offices at a haulage depot near her home so she approached owners Mark Crook and Andrew Wright who were more than happy to let her use them on a short term basis.
Adjoining company UK Site Security also pledged support with access to toilets and kitchen and paying the electricity bill, as well as supply bags and ties to pack the donations in.
As donations began to pour in, Nora decided to expand the appeal beyond the immediate Warrington area across the whole of the North West.
Originally the idea was to help refugees at Calais but the scope of the exercise soon broadened.
Nora said: “Syria Relief has been established for four years and have a network of volunteers. They know where the aid is most needed.
“So far a convoy has gone to the Greek Macedonian border and containers have gone directly into Syria for displaced people living in camps.
“We are also responding to a crisis in Samos, a Greek island, where there has been an upsurge in refugees landing which has caused their limited stocks to deplete quickly.
“Four large bags of baby items have been sent to a charity in Istanbul to aid refugees there.
“We have had a constant stream of donations of food, clothing, sleeping bags and tents since we started.”
More storage space quickly became necessary – and was promptly offered at the Thorn Cross Young Offenders’ Institution.
Collection points have been set up across Warrington and as far away as Preston and Crewe.
Top of the list for donations are tinned fish, tinned fruit, tinned beans and hygiene items for men and women.
Nora, who has about 30 volunteer helpers locally, said: “It’s been on the news so much and I had been thinking we really ought to do something, but I never realised how much good will there is out there from people who want to help.”
To help Nora’s campaign, visit the Facebook group: “Refugees – Aid from the Northwest of England.”