Stewart Bint Author
  • Home
  • About
  • Fiction
  • Translations
  • Anthologies
  • Non-Fiction
  • Stewart Bint's Blog
  • Store
  • Contact

Going Barefoot For Refugees

6/4/2016

0 Comments

 
Stewart Bint, going barefoot for refugees video ​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5NyAmAdVKc
Picture
​
We’ve all watched in horror, the images of refugees fleeing their homeland – in particular Syria – leaving all their worldly possessions behind.

Whatever your thoughts about the politics of whether refugees should be allowed to settle in Britain, there’s one stark fact you can’t escape: they are human beings.

Many people in the area where I live  were so moved by those appalling scenes that they formed the “Refugee Crisis Aid: Hinckley And Area” group on Facebook last year.

The group collects clothes and other items such as toiletries, and works with registered charities including Feed The Hungry and the Leicester-based volunteer group LE Solidarity, to send the goods to refugee camps in France, Greece and Germany, as well as Syria itself.


Joining a delivery mission to France, one of the group’s organisers, Helen Monger, made a surprising discovery: the most common request the refugees make is for shoes. “There’s thick mud everywhere, and the only footwear many of them have are flip flops or completely inappropriate shoes,” she says. “We were asked for shoes continuously, and ran out of them very quickly.”

The Crisis Aid group are asking local people to donate shoes and have set up collection points around the area, including the Work Link shop on Regent Street in Hinckley.

And I’m undertaking a five-mile barefoot walk on behalf of the group on July 3rd in a bid to raise awareness of the refugees’ urgent need for shoes. I’ve no idea of the route or terrain they’re imposing on me, which is also a powerful way of symbolising the uncertain fate of the refugees.  

Helen says: “Stewart’s barefoot walk will raise awareness of just how difficult it is for the refuges, and the desperate need for shoes in the refugee camps. We’re hoping it will inspire people to donate shoes.” While all sturdy shoes with good soles, such as walking boots or trainers, will be gratefully received, there’s a particular need for sizes 7, 8 and 9.

For more information, check out the dedicated website http://barefoot4refugees.co.uk/ and special Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/1030447717032980/ set up by group member Hannah Moreton.     
0 Comments
    Stewart Bint supports mental health charity Lamp Advocacy.

    Click here to donate
    Picture

    Author

    Stewart Bint is a novelist, magazine columnist and PR writer. 

    He lives with his wife, Sue, in Leicestershire in the UK, and has two children, Christopher and Charlotte, and a budgie called Sparky.

    Usually goes barefoot.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    May 2023
    October 2022
    August 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.