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Four women from Mid Sussex travelled to Calais last month to take essential supplies to hundreds of refugees.

The trip was a collaboration between the Mid Sussex Labour Party, Care4Calais and generous residents.

It was led by Sue Jex from Burgess Hill, the chair of the Care4Calais Trustees.

The others were Caroline Demetriades from Burgess Hill, Susie Nicholson from Haywards Heath and Linda Gregory from Twineham.

From left: Sue Jex, Susie Nicholson, Caroline Demetriades and Linda Gregory in the Care4Calais depot. Picture: Care4Calais.

Sue said: “When our vans arrive from the Care4Calais depot, we create a source of essential supplies, food and hot drinks, along with phone-charging stations, and even help with bicycle maintenance and clothing repairs.”

The depot also stores clothing, tents and toiletries, with volunteers preparing packages for refugees. Once there the women joined in the distribution point activities.

Care4Calais supports refugees from countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan, as well as women and children from Ukraine who are currently living in hostels until their visa applications can be processed.

Sue said: “These distribution points provide a vital hub for many refugees who have almost nothing apart from the clothes they are wearing.”

But she added that the process of claiming asylum ‘presents a legal anomaly’.

“To claim it you have to be physically present in the country and there is no legal way to get to the UK for most refugees,” said Sue, adding that Care4Calais campaigns for ‘safe and legal’ routes.

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Mid Sussex volunteers take vital supplies to refugees in Calais