Odsey mum of two appeals to public to donate cash to help her transport aid to refugees
Anna Holmes with some of the collection - Credit: Archant
An Odsey mum of two young children is appealing to readers to donate any spare cash to help buy shipping containers to transport aid for refugees fleeing their home countries in hope of a better future in Europe.
Anna Holmes, who plans to travel to Greece in the new year to deliver food and provisions to refugees, decided she had to do something practical to help as the government just ‘isn’t doing enough’.
She said: “I was very moved by what was happening out there.
“I have got two sons, one eight and one six, and the thought of having my home bombed out is horrible.
“The government isn’t doing enough. I thought: ‘If other people are helping, why can’t I?’
“It’s not enough to just care, you should physically do something to help.
“I’ve done charity work before, but this issue really touched me and I don’t know why – maybe because I’m a mum. It seems so shocking.
Most Read
- 1 Council confirms first monkeypox case in Hertfordshire
- 2 Family of patient who died from drug overdose speak out after inquest
- 3 All aboard for Steam at the Hoops festival in Bassingbourn
- 4 Police find body in search for missing 71-year-old Raymond
- 5 New mayor makes historic market her first stop
- 6 Councillors take the plunge to raise money for Home-Start
- 7 New mayor elected in historic moment for Royston Town Council
- 8 Tesco recalls pastry product over risks to people with nut allergies
- 9 Cambridge: Police officer had surgery after sex offender drove car at them
- 10 Can you answer these 10 GCSE questions designed for 16-year-olds?
“The urge to help was born out of a sense of frustration. It’s just so unfair. ”
Anna – who set up Ashwell Market Garden – went on Facebook to find out ways to help out, and came across a page called Aid Containers for Greece and Europe – Coordination.
She said: “If you raise £3,500 then you can buy containers to transport about three average sized living rooms worth of stuff.
“By filling a container with donated items, we can ship in the region of £40,000 worth of goods.
“I will be going out there to redistribute it.
“If you can get shipping containers, you can get more aid out there.
“It’s really money that we need for the containers, plenty of people have got aid to give.”
To donate money for the shipping containers, visit crowdfunding.justgiving.com/anna-holmes.
So far this year more than 800,000 people have arrived in Europe and another 15 million have been forced to flee across the Middle East.
