ritons have stepped forward to offer help to refugees after a photo of a drowned three-year-old boy prompted an outpouring of support.
Charity Save the Children said it had raised more than £500,000 in 24 hours, partly thanks to the support of several authors including children’s writer Patrick Ness and One Day author David Nicholls.
Tanya Steele, of Save the Children, said: “Public empathy for the desperate refugees risking their lives to reach the sanctuary of Europe has been incredible, the British public should be proud.”
More than 40 councils in England have come forward with offers to support those uprooted by the crisis, while MPs and refugee charities have reported numerous people inquiries from people willing to house people.
Bristol mayor George Ferguson urged people in his city to open their doors to those that need it.
The outpouring was prompted by a photo of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi.
Green councillors have called for the city to take in 50 refugees, while Glasgow, Birmingham and Edinburgh have already agreed to the number, local Green Group leader and councillor Rob Telford said.
Meanwhile a convoy of around 20 cars will take £6,000 worth of emergency items to migrant camps in Calais today.
One of the organisers, Maz Saleem, of Stand Up To Racism, said: : “I am completely appalled by our government’s negative attitude towards the refugee crisis.
“I think it’s disgraceful the way David Cameron has made out that people are coming over here to get benefits when actually they are fleeing war and persecution.”
The Prime Minister pledged to accept “thousands” more Syrian refugeesinto Britain after the groundswell of opinion – with a petition calling on the country to take in more people from the country nearing 400,000.
Despite David Cameron’s actions – which also saw aid to the region around Syria boosted by an extra £100 million – many politicians have called for yet more to be done.
Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper has urged Britain to take in 10,000 refugees from Syria, calling on every city and county in the country to take in ten families.
Bob Geldof said he would take in four refugee families. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Singer and campaigner Bob Geldof also weighed in, writing in the Times (behind paywall) that he would take four Syrian families into his homes in Kent and London, and urging others to offer their help.
Well let’s get on with it, then. Let’s expedite the process. Let’s get stuck in and not palm off responsibility to the unknowable “state”. Let’s get personal. Let’s tell them that it’s all right. That they’re safe now. They’re in our country. They’re in Britain and they are welcome. F*** the deficit. It can wait. Let’s put our money where our mouth is.
I’ll start. I have a place in Kent. I will take three Syrian families into my place in the country and a family into my flat in London. They can stay there until they get set up here and get going by themselves. Anyone else? Any takers? I know there will be. Lots of you.
