Bags of help for refugees

Stephen Campbell, Ian Boonham and Hugh Wayper, of 1st Elvington Scouts, collect blankets and clothes for Kosovo. Picture: Nigel Holland

Jim Boam and Chris Bulmer collect at the 2nd St Thomas Scout hut, Haxby Road, York

Gill Macrae and Lesley Foxton collect at the 1st Norton Scouts HQ. Picture: Paul Baker

Amazed aid organisers told today how they were swamped with "thousands and thousands" of bags of clothing and blankets over the weekend.

Enough bags to fill two large articulated lorries are now waiting at a York depot following a weekend collection organised by the Scouts.

"It's a wonderful public response," said North Yorkshire County Commissioner for Scouting Jim Boam.

And the Evening Press Kosovo appeal in aid of the charity UNICEF has also made a magnificent start, with £2,652 sent in only two days to regional officer Sandra Howarth, of Strensall, and scores more cheques arriving in her post today.

"The generosity of the Evening Press readers is truly amazing," she said.

"I have received five pounds from pensioners, one pounds from children out of their pocket money, and anonymous donations of £100s and £250. The readers should be very proud of themselves.

"This is a tremendous start to our appeal. All the money will make a huge difference to so many people's lives. Thank you to everyone - you really are saving lives - but we still need more."

She said the money raised so far would pay for 33,1540 oral rehydration sachets, or 48,750 syringes for administering vital drugs.

Scouting commissioner Jim Boam said aid donated at the weekend included a blanket given by a Dutch woman who said she had been given it on her release from a Japanese prison of war camp at the end of the Second World War.

There had been a bundle of blankets dating back to the First World War and one woman in Pickering had been out and bought £150 worth of gloves and socks to give to the appeal. Another woman had machine-knitted 56 cardigans.

He was now waiting for details of how the aid would be shipped out to Kosovo.

A swiftly-planned series of events in Copmanthorpe on Saturday raised about £1,050 for the Disasters Emergency Committee's Kosovo Crisis Appeal.

Local women Gayle-Anne Drury and Sian Sharpe were inspired to do something after attending a Christian conference and celebration for Easter, and got together with friends and their families to form a group of about 21 adult and children playing musical instruments, varnishing nails, shining shoes, washing cars, carrying shopping and simply collecting cash.

Mrs Drury said they hoped others would be encouraged to do their own fundraising, adding: "People across the whole range of the community were just giving what they could. People were very generous."

Meanwhile, the Haxby-based charity WATCH (World Air Transport Communications and Health) was setting out for Albania today with new hope, after winning vital official recognition for its mercy mission to Kosovo refugees.

Spokesman Clive Phoenix said the Albanian Government had authorised it to take £200,000-worth of water purification equipment, donated by Yorkshire Water, to help provide clean water to refugees.

"It's absolutely crucial," said Mr Phoenix, who said people in York had raised about £1,000 for the mercy mission. "It gets us anywhere we want to go in Albania and it gives us access to Government."

Kosovo aid pouring in

Press readers give their support to crisis relief effort

UNICEF - which has received many thousands of pounds from Evening Press readers - told today how such money is being spent to help Kosovan refugees.

The charity said it has been concentrating on the provision of emergency medical assistance in both Macedonia and Albania.

But it has also been handing out hundreds of blankets to children sleeping out in the open, and trying to reunite families split up during the mass movements of refugees.

In Macedonia, essential drugs covering the needs of 15,000 people for three months, have been distributed to mobile teams at several locations.

And 1,200 baby hygiene parcels containing baby soap, baby shampoo, baby cream and detergent have been handed to the Macedonian Red Cross to be distributed to families hosting refugees.

In Albania, UNICEF has been using nine health centres around Kukes to distribute medical supplies.

"Basic drugs, medical equipment and 11 emergency health kits have already been distributed to several health centres, together with 10,000 Oral Rehydration Sachets," said a spokesman.

"These would cover the needs for 40,000 people for six weeks.

"In addition, UNICEF has brought in five tons of chlorine to purify the water supply, an incubator for the hospital and newborn baby hygiene kits. At least 14 babies have been born to refugees in Kukes this week."

Medical mobile teams have been prioritising immunisation for children because many are not protected from a range of diseases.

A flight with more than $100,000 of medical supplies arrived at the weekend at Skopje in Macedonia, containing 2,500 blankets, generators and health kits to meet the basic needs of up to 25,000 people for three months.

The charity is also distributing blankets for children at Prushit, struggling to cope with the sudden arrival of 15,000 refugees. Another 150 blankets have been given to children sleeping in the open in the area around the mosque at Kukes.

UNICEF says many families have been split up by the mass movements of refugees, and it is working with the International Red Cross to identify and help those families affected.

"Monitoring centres have been set up in six transit camps around Skopje to register parents who have lost their children, and vice-versa, as a first step towards family reunification."

York peace group calls for an end to bombing

A peace organisation based in York is being revived in order to give a voice to people who are against NATO's bombing of Serbia.

York Action for Peace, which disbanded around two years ago when the co-ordinator moved out of the area, was voted back into existence by people at a Kosovo crisis meeting held at York Peace Centre.

Concerned residents gathered to discuss possible ways they could effectively speak out against the bombing.

Joyce Pickard, a Quaker and a member of the Peace Centre and York's United Nations Association, opened the meeting by advocating that everyone should write to their MP expressing their views.

She said: "Some of us are ashamed not already to be out in the streets with our placards.

"The obvious message is that bombing is terrible and wicked but what more can be done?"

Cathy Holman, from Heworth, said: "We have been watching the news and see the terrible pictures but it leaves me feeling impotent.

"The government is using my money to bomb them.

"Why can't they use it for aid purposes."

After much discussion of the causes of the trouble it was agreed to hold an open meeting in the name of York Action for Peace (Kosovo) at the Friends Meeting House on Friday at 7.30pm.

It is hoped high-profile speakers will be attracted to speak at the meeting and it will provide a contact point for members of the public in York to join in with the campaign for peace.

Joyce Pickard and around five other supporters carried banners into Parliament Street at the weekend, declaring, "Stop bombing, start talking", "When did two wrongs ever make a right" and "You can't put out a fire by throwing petrol on it."

Anyone wishing to attend Friday's meeting or requiring more information should contact York Peace Centre on 01904 642493.

see COMMENT 'Rallying round war refugees'

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