Update from Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges.

Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges met with Cllr Harris and Mr Simon Inkson last Friday to hear the good news that 4 families [8 adults and 10 children] will arrive in Powys during July and that 2 more families will arrive in the next few months. Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges asked that Broadband connections be ordered so that they are in place when the families arrive and agreed the group would pay for the first month. Does anyone had an old computer and/or TV that might be suitable to go into each house?  Please email Ailsa (hb ts4refugees@gmail.com) if you have either so they can make arrangements to pick up. 

For these families, who may have been in refugee camps for months/ years and who don't speak English, access to TV and computers will be essential to help learn about our language and culture and for them to be able to keep in touch with loved ones who are not with them.  Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges have contacted EYST who have the liaison role with these families.  Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges are offering these families place on their away day in Talgarth on 12th August.
Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges ask if you can consider sending a general welcome card that could be given to these families [or others newly arrived in Wales] see http://refugeeweek.org.uk/events/write-letter-welcome/  for ideas.

In other news, Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges is awaiting news from Isabel of Help Refugees/ L'Auberge des Migrants about whether the convoy managed to reach Calais and if they still need blankets and tents. Isabel said they supply roughly 80 Welcome Packs (tent, sleeping bag, thick blanket, emergency food pack) per night and have recently not been able to open due to the shortage of aid. Blankets are apparently particularly difficult to obtain in Calais.  Recent fundraising will enable Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges to purchase some via  https://www.leisurefayre.com/section.php/86100/1/help_refugees.  This firm has agreed to give a discount to anyone ordering for refugees.

Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refuges plans to go to Calais for a week at the end of July and will take a transit van. They seek donations of:

Blankets
Men's socks
Men's shirts size small / medium
Small rucksacks
Toilet roll

They have no blankets in store so if anyone can spare some or think of where they could obtain any please help. Donations can be dropped at the Lib Dem's offices in Brecon  and St Mary's church in Hay. 

And the last bit of good news is that they had a wonderful evening at the Globe in Hay as part of Welsh Refugee Week and raised just over £800 for Syria and Shelterbox!!!   More details will be on our Website shortly.  Shelterbox provides essential shelter for people who are still in war torn Syria. Each Shelter kit contains tough tarpaulin can be used to restore roofs and walls and clear plastic sheeting can be used to cover broken windows, 5 blankets and mattresses for warmth and can also be used as room dividers to create privacy, solar lamps as a source of light to places without electricity and water carriers to enable people to collect and transport water from safe sources. Each ShelterKit being sent to Syria costs about £90 so this donation has enabled 9 kits with survival essentials to be sent to Syria helping countless people caught up in the conflict. Thanks to all who came and helped to make it such a fun night.