Though Calais and Dunkirk have slipped from the news agenda, our team on the ground estimates that there are now almost 1,500 people living in the forests in Northern France. Almost 200 of these are unaccompanied children.

Around one thousand people are living in Grande-Synthe without shelter. Mostly these are families, some with newly born babies. With nowhere else to go, they sleep in parks and on the streets.

Likewise, in Calais, around 500 people are sleeping in forests, under bridges and behind industrial buildings, often with little more than a sleeping bag for protection. French authorities are regularly destroying their tents and belongings in random acts of aggression.

Along with Refugee Youth Service and L’Auberge des Migrants, we have also created a multi-agency child protection team to supplement the already overwhelmed system in the region.

Please donate today to ensure that we can support people at the border in Northern France.