A Hays Travel homeworker is calling for the trade’s help in sending lorries full of supplies to refugees in Kos.
Since last Thursday Hays personal travel consultant Anna Howard, from Loughborough, has been collecting van-loads of donated items – mainly clothes and essentials such as toothbrushes, soap and babies’ bottles – with a view to organising their delivery to the Greek island.
Howard, 43, and friend Rachel Hammond, were spurred into action after seeing distressing images in the media last week, including that of three-year-old Alan Kurdi whose body was photographed washed up on a beach, after he and his family attempted to cross from Bodrum to Kos in a dinghy.
The refugees are fleeing persecution in countries such as Syria and Afghanistan.
Along with collecting supplies, Howard has launched a crowdfunding page, seeking £3,000.
While the National Police Aid Convoy has offered drivers free of charge, Howard needs a lorry – or lorries – to use and the money raised will go toward fuel for the seven-day round trip, during which the supplies will be handed over to local charities Kos Kindness and Kos Solidarity to distribute.
“I am really trying to make a difference, but I need help in achieving this,” she said.
Howard is hoping travel firms will be able to donate money or fuel cards, the use of one of their vehicles, or flights to Kos for her to help the charities with the distribution of the items, so she does not have to take up a driver’s seat in the lorry.
“I have been blown away by the kindness of complete strangers,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be lovely if one of the big firms could donate a vehicle for us to use?”
Anyone who would like to contact Howard can do so on howard.anna1@yahoo.co.uk, or donations can be made at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/anna-howard.