I have just returned from a trip to Dunkirk where I visited a refugee camp, known as ‘‘The forgotten Jungle’’. Since October 2015 about 3000 refugees including 300 children, mainly Kurds from Iraq, Syria and Iran who have settled into Dunkirk to make the cross over to Britain. These refugees have travelled thousands of kilometres and faced horrific obstacles on their way. People have varied reasons for wishing to come to the United Kingdom but many want to reunite with their family in the UK. The camp is build out of camping tents and due to the constant rainfall the site has turned into one big mud bath. The facilities are extremely minimal and the refugees fully depend on the goodwill of volunteers from all over Europe. I’m still very overwhelmed with the circumstances in the camp. In the next few days I will be sharing stories of the refugees and volunteers of Dunkirk.

“My dad brought me to a refugee shelter to drop off the clothes I collected for them. Because my mum is from Syria and my dad is from Iraq I could talk to the children in the shelter. In the beginning they didn’t trust me. When I asked them why they said it’s because they have been lied to too many times. I’m going to the shelter more often to play with the children and I told my friends in school about the kids. My classmates were so touched by my stories that they helped me set up a fundraiser. When I grow up and have a real job I want to give half of my salary to refugees or people who need it because the world is not just mine. It’s from all of us.”

“In Syria I was part of the national gymnastic team. I competed in many international tournaments. When the war broke out I had to join the army. Because I was an athlete I could postpone my service several times. I kept having faith that the war would end within a year. Despite of the unbearable situation I kept on training. Our team kept getting smaller because most guys had to go to the army. About a year ago it was just me and another athlete left, I realized it was time.. I postponed my service once more and I left..”