Caring and sharing milk for Calais' refugees

Monday 15 February 2016

Refugees across the water are getting a good taste of Jersey’s empathy this winter, thanks to our children and Jersey Dairy.

Schoolchildren around the Island have been donating cartons of long-life whole milk for the thousands living in the refugee camps in Calais.

Local charity – the Jersey Calais Refugee Aid Group (JCRAG) has been taking over food parcels, along with things like blankets and toiletries and and say the milk is like ‘gold dust’ especially for families with young children who need the goodness at this time of the year.

St John’s School council were keen to get involved and have been collecting the milk for the last few weeks. Jersey Dairy have agreed to match every carton they collect while the youngsters have been learning more about the plight of those in the camps.

Teacher Kelly Loveless said: “We decided as a school that this was something that we really wanted to help with, so the School Council took this on as one of their initiatives. 

“It's such a small thing for us to do but will have a massive impact on the refugee community. The fact that this is happening so close to us makes it that more real - it was interesting to share this with the children as they really had no idea where Calais was and how close it is to us.

“The campaign teaches the children about global awareness and humanitarian causes and how we can help in our small way.”

Here's what the children on the St John's School council had to say:

"We are lucky in Jersey because we have Jersey cows which is good nutritious milk to give them." (Finlay, Year Four)

"We would want them to help us if it was us." (Fraser, Year Three)

"We have the priviledge of living a healthy happy life and they don't right now." (Mia, Year Six)

"They might be in a tent with no heaters or radiators." (Ella, Year Four)

"They might have to walk in the rain with no warm clothes or cars to get around." (Evie, Year Three)