Workers Solidarity Movement

The first solidarity convoy from Ireland to Calais returned a few days ago and Mairead Mary Frances Healy posted a great report on what was done (below) that has now been turned into this graphic. We applaud this solidarity with those who have spent the summer fighting the racist border policy of Fortress Europe through the direct action of breaking down the fences.

What We Did in Four Days

• The Medical team saw over 1,000 patients – that’s a quarter of the camp.
• Volunteers unpacked, sorted through and then organised massive amounts of donations in the warehouse
• Builders created two structures; A women and children’s centre and a home for a pregnant women and her family. They made a concrete washing area and supported a Sudanese man, Zomato, who is building a hospital on the camp. Before leaving, they passed on some materials and tools to the residents of in the camp.
• We provided Wi-Fi, a computer software pack, and a printer for the library, also known as Jungle Books.
• We sponsored a church, in which everyone is welcome, by supplying diesel and a generator.
• Our litter –picking team removed two massive loads of rubbish from the camp.
• We paid for tarpaulins and distributed them around the camp.
• We have organised for a young boy with intellectual difficulties to go to Toulouse with his father where he get the attention and care he needs
• Two vulnerable young boys who were without parents in the camp have been relocated to Germany.
• We fixed the electricity in the donations warehouse.
• We took personal shopping lists from those in the camp, and then distributed them using a ticketing system.
• The local economy of the camp was supported by the sheer volume of money we spent in the shops and restaurants.
• Our communications crew caught important footage of the police pepper spraying refugees on the motorway. They bore witness to this event and were then able to offer first-hand accounts of this video. ( see https://youtu.be/HURRhxBpeyQ )

Most importantly, every member of our convoy team offered a smile, a ‘hello’ and just a general sense of solidarity with the residents in the camp.
‘The four days since Ireland came, are four days we have not felt like refugees.’ -Ahmad, 28, Syria

Dublin - Calais solidarity group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1634867796790956/