A LARGER response than anticipated led to an eleventh switch of venue for the first meeting of the Ledbury Refugee Support group.

The meeting was to have taken place last Thursday, September 10, in the upstairs room of Handley Organics.

But with more than 35 people attending, the gathering was switched to the Market House.

Opening the meeting, group member Richard Hadley said: "The human catastrophe across North Africa and the Middle East has forced millions of people to abandon their homes, their belongings and their jobs. They have nothing. Ledbury Refugee Support is a new group raising money, equipment and awareness to help the plight of our friends across the Mediterranean and in Eastern Europe.

"We are a humanitarian campaign; non-political, non-religious. This is not an anti-war campaign, although we want peace. We are simply volunteers who care”

Caroline Handley of Handley Organics spoke of the tasks ahead.

She said: “There needs to be good organisation and a few people keeping things moving. There are many jobs to be done, including organising rotas; ferrying donations to aid depots; arranging sorters and packers; liaising with aid agencies, and organising fundraising and collections."

There will be talks in schools, with information provided.

The group will also seek sponsorship and business liaison.

Rotary Club of Ledbury has offered to help with printing and labels and possibly funding; and The Shop at Bromsberrow has offered to be a collection point for donations, seven days a week.

Collection points in Ledbury include Past and Present in the Homend; the Glass House Opticians in Church Street, and Handley Organics in the High Street.

J Mart Garden Centre and Warehouse in the Homend has donated Wellington boots, collection tins, tarpaulin and other useful items.

It has also offered its premises as an area for storage.

Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Annette Crowe, called this "a very generous offer".

She also spoke of the likelihood of using the Market House as a sorting place for clothing, once a month.

Ledbury Refugee Support is asking for warm, waterproof, lightweight clothing; bedding; tents and groundsheets. It is also asking for donations of waterproof ponchos; socks and shoes and fleeces.

Other items on the appeals list include toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, liquid hand gel, sanitary towels, nappies and bio-degradable sacks, baby wipes and shampoo.

For the children, crayons, colouring books and small toys will be welcome.

The group asks that everything donated should be spotlessly clean and in good condition.

After the donations are sorted and labelled they will be packed for onward transmission overseas, to where the need is greatest.

Money will be needed to buy water filtration flasks, which are capable of purifying water from any source.

Collecting boxes will soon be placed in local shops and other venues.

The group hopes these boxes can carry an eye-catching Banksy design, to help raise the profile, and they have written to the artist to seek permission.