Following yet more clearances by the French authorities, the entire community residing around the main distribution point have been moved to a new site, much further into the woods and out-of-sight. This camp has remained untouched for more than one week now, and it has quickly built up far more than the previous site ever had the chance to.
With a “guarantee” from the mayor’s office to leave this area unaffected by police clearances for at least the next month, the residents of the Dunkirk camp are experiencing a very brief moment of peace.
In this last week we have already witnessed the building of structures that are far more than just temporary shelters. The camp is also developing more and more of its own infrastructure, something we have grown accustomed to seeing from this community over the past four years.
Once again, people have created shops and larger spaces which benefit the whole community. With more space available people have been able to carve out a place for themselves and their respective groups, and without the threat of evictions, are once again able to make use of larger tents.
Despite the fact that the conditions people are forced to live in are still awful, this undisturbed period has sparked a positive and more hopeful atmosphere. Our volunteers are welcomed on-site every day by people in much higher spirits than the previous weeks.
Our team will continue to be present with our huge range of standard services, including distributions of essential items such as tents, sleeping bags, jackets and shoes, as well as and the provision of bespoke food packs.
If you’d like to volunteer, please get in touch, we are always looking for people to join us here on-the-ground.
