PLANS to take aid from York to Kosovan refugees have moved on a step after a public meeting held in the city.

Rebecca Husband and Phil O'Connell, of Park Grove, York, from the national group Workers' Aid, said they were delighted with the response to their appeal for help.

They hope to take truck-loads of aid to the refugees and are mobilising support in York. Rebecca said more than 30 people attended their first meeting and they were enthusiastic about setting up a local group to organise the trip.

"There were lots of ideas about what we can do and people are going to approach their employers for help," she said. "A lot of people were saying they had clothes they wanted to donate and others offered to go out with us."

She said a Workers' Aid convoy would be setting off next week and a lot would depend on what those volunteers found. "We hope to go out as soon as possible after they come back. We are going to be continuing to raise money."

Workers' Aid, which organised several aid convoys to Bosnia, has branches in many other European countries.

Another meeting for the York group has been arranged for 7pm, on Wednesday, April 21, at St Sampson's Centre in Church Street, York.

Anyone wanting to find out more is asked to telephone 01904 641408.

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