Dear Friends of Calais...

[Emmaus St Albans]

First off, thank you so much for your support and please excuse the impersonal approach but things have gone crazy (in a good way) and it very difficult organise all the different help offered.

Donated Items
If you are bringing us your collected items this can be to any of our shops during normal working hours including Saturday. It is a big big help if everything is sorted into separate boxes or bags (clearly marked) into small, medium and large and trainers into sizes i.e. 42, 43, 44.

Sorting
If you would like to come and help sort the items, for a coffee and chat, this will be at our community in Hill End Lane, St Albans, AL4 0AT, on 2 evenings: Thursday 10th and Saturday 19th September between 6pm and 8pm. Just turn up, we’d love to meet you.

Coming to Calais
Drivers
We are going out to Calais (and returning) on Sunday 27th September and Sunday 8th November. We will travel with P&O ferries at 10.15 on the outward journey and 18.50 ferry back. On the outward journey book a ‘standard’ ticket and a ‘flexi’ ticket for the return. This allows 4 hour time flexibility for the return journey at no extra cost. Each person must book their own ticket and we will meet up on the ferry. Please post on this forum if you have a spare seat and the area where you live? The journey from the ferry to the ‘new jungle’ is only about 5 minutes.
Non-Drivers
We do not know if there are any spare seats but there may be some people in this group that have a spare seat? They will be posting on this forum. Please contact them directly and share cost where possible as there is no additional cost for additional ferry passengers.

Administration
Do you have any spare time to join us in the office here in St Albans? Due to the amazing number of enquiries we are getting we need help to answer the phones and emails relating to Calais and to take on some general organisation on Calais related tasks. If so, please get in touch via this thread, or email us at [e-mail]

Photographer/Journalist 
Is there anybody who is coming to Calais willing to take lots of photos and/or do a brief write-up on our return for our newsletter and or website? If so, please get in touch via this thread, or email us at [e-mail]

Thanks again for your help. We will be needing donations going on throughout the winter. I hope you will be able to help sort with us and if you are coming on any of the trips to Calais you will be working closely with us whilst you are there. After the hard work of distribution there will be time to spend a more relaxed period with people in the ‘new jungle’ which I'm sure you’ll find very rewarding and maybe take your own team out another time?

[laura]

Hi, I have at least one seat in my KA. I thought I'd need the back seats for donations in case Emmaus hasn't got enough space but if that's not the case then I've got three seats! Get in touch with me! Also I am a writer by trade so I can do the journalism stuff for you Tony. See you tomorrow!

[eleanor]

Hello, I think I will be able to help with the sorting on the 19th Sept. Hope to see you then.

[Annabel]

Hi,
I will help tomorrow around 7pm.

[trudy]

Hello Yes i am professional photographer and will bring my camera on the 27th Sept to take lots of photos etc.

Trudy Margan 07956668570

[Helen]

Hi, I am coming to sort tonight, with a neighbour, but will hang onto the room full of donations I've got here until later! However, if sleeping bags and men's shoes are in dire need now and you can take them, I have four sleeping bags here and a bag of shoes and can bring this evening?

[Emmaus St Albans]

Hi all, thank you for your response. For those coming along to help us tonight or Saturday, please feel free to use our car park and our front door is at the opposite end of the building to the shop entrance. The door will be open, but there will be someone to greet you (and of course a cup of tea/coffee ready)

Laura - look forward to seeing you this evening. If you're happy to help with writing about the visit that would be very kind and helpful - we'll talk about that and car spaces this evening when we see you.

Eleanor - fantastic. We'll look forward to seeing you next Saturday!

Annabel - brilliant. We'll see you tonight.

Trudy - that's great. Lin will get in touch with you today, but it would be great if you can bring along the tents, and we'll discuss photography this evening, too.

Helen - We look forward to meeting you and your neighbour, and please bring the sleeping bags and men's shoes with you, that'd be fantastic.

[maxbiro]

Hi I'll be coming on the 27th and may have space for 1.

[eleanor]

Hello, me again. I have a question about toiletries. Are bars of soap problematic in the camps, or should I be donating liquid soaps only that are in containers?

[Emmaus St Albans]

Max - fantastic. I will be in touch shortly if we have anyone who needs a lift.

Eleanor - Bars of soap are perfectly fine, please do bring them!

[Helen]

Hi, I have got two cash donations from people to pass on and have been asked to make sure these go direct to the Calais appeal- is there a way to do that, please?

[mim]

We will join you on the ferry with a car load. We will let you know if we have any space for more bags. Mim and Magdalena from Croxley Green.

[asim]

Hello - Booking my VW Sharan in for the crossing. Have 2 other volunteers with me, so happy to take out extra seats and fill car up with more aid. Please advise how and when best to?

[dorsetdan]

A quick question. 'our shops' is that any Emmaus shop or just the St Albans cluster? Ta.

[asim]

Hi Tony

As requested i will arrive on Sat 6pm to fill up my VW Sharan (AD08CYL) with any Aid that you have.  There will be 3 of us altogether Asim, Ismail and Easa.  Happy to of course help distribute and become part of your team of helpers. See you Saturday!

Asim