Campaign group heartened by compassion for Syrian refugees

A group campaigning to resettle Syrian refugees in East Cambridgeshire is delighted by the support it received from residents attending Aquafest last weekend.
The Ely Refugee Resettlement Campaign (ERRC) had a stall at Aquafest on Sunday to raise awareness about its drive to help Syrians fleeing persecution and atrocities in the war torn country.

As well as handing out teddies and cupcakes during Aquafest, the group collected signatures from 67 people supporting the resettlement of refugees in the area.
Meanwhile three new people came forward to volunteer time or deliver practical services to support local refugees.
Volunteer Claire Harries said: “We collected support to show that there are people who want to make refugees feel welcome in Ely. There was lots of support and no negativity.”
Ely resident Julie Neal was one of the people to sign the group’s statement of support.
She said refugees needed “all the help and support” they could get in terms of finding housing, friendship and practical and emotional help.
She said Ely residents were mostly sympathetic with the plight of refugees.
The ERRC is a group of volunteers working to raise awareness and help with the resettlement of refugees in East Cambridgeshire. ERRC works as part of the Citizens UK national campaign to resettle refugees across the UK.
The campaign supports the resettlement of Syrian refugees via the Vulnerable Person Relocation Scheme organised by the Home Office together with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
The ERRC hopes people across East Cambridgeshire will volunteer their time and services to help refugees feel welcome in the area.
On its Facebook page it says: “A million Syrian children are languishing in refugee camps. Kids are drowning trying to reach safety. The UK has so far resettled only around 200 Syrian refugees from the camps.”