Muirhouse residents respond to Syrian Appeal
The Muirhouse Community Shop has had an incredible response to its appeal for clothes and toiletries for Syrian refugees.
Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) and Spartans F.C. both acted as collection points as well as the shop. The bags have now been taken to Edinburgh Direct Aid (EDA) who will transport them to the Lebanon.
One particularly poignant bag had everything for a young baby in it along with a handwritten card. Clearly this was donated by someone who knows what it is like to have a youngster to care for, and who empathises with the ultimate recipient.
This will be EDA’s 4th container for the 80,000 Syrian refugees in Arsal, Lebanon.
It will be loaded with winter clothes, school things, toiletries, underwear; and 30 Sewing machines, fabric and wool for women’s sewing groups and vocational training.
An EDA spokesperson said: “The public response to the appeals that we and others have made has been superb – we have been inundated by donations of every kind, and it is only with the help of Edinburgh Council making an overflow space available to us that we have been able to cope.”
Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western joined community volunteers at the Muirhouse Community Shop on Monday to help collect and sort donations of clothing for Syrian refugees.
Mr Keir said “I was overwhelmed by the support for this initiative from the local community in Muirhouse. It shows that Muirhouse cares for the plight of Syrian refugees and as winter approaches these donations will be much appreciated by those in need.
This is a great partnership between the local community, its community organisations and Edinburgh Direct Aid to provide some comfort to those refugees now living in very difficult conditions in refugee camps.
Once again I am humbled by the generosity and humanity of the local community in reaching out to help those in need.”