A HUMANITARIAN mission by generous Tamar Valley residents is due to depart this week to help hundreds of stranded refugees on the border between Poland and Belarus.

Kim Campbell, of Gunnislake, and his Polish friend Adam Wrobel have thanked charities and businesses in East Cornwall and West Devon who have donated items to help families trapped in woods in freezing temperatures between Poland and Belarus with no country to provide a safe haven.

The refugees originally fled poverty and tryranny in other countries, but were not welcome in Belarus or neighbouring Poland. As a result they have been trapped in what is effectively a no man’s land between the two, with new fences erected and extra guards put on the borders. Kim describes the Belarus refugees as being trapped in an open air prison and trying to survive in the freezing winter in tents and off the land. Food, warm clothing and medical items will be taken by mini-bus from Devon this Friday (January 12).

Kim said: “We are off to the Polish border with Belarus this coming Thursday evening, we travel up to Folkestone to go through the Channel Tunnel and then onto Bialowieza in Poland two miles from the Polish and Belarus border.

“This is where we will then meet up and deliver all the aid to the Polish volunteers helping these desperate refugees. We have had loads of donations from various people in Tavistock area and East Cornwall areas. Tavistock Oxfam and the Children’s Hospice South West shops have helped us a lot as well. We also had a donation of approximately £350 worth of longlife food from a food ank as well, the donations are still coming in right up to this coming Wednesday.

“Adam and myself would like to thank everyone for all their donations and I’m sure this will help save lives in this unprecedented refugee crisis that is not being talked about or supported by UK or EU countries.”

Kim has good contacts with volunteers who will ensure aid goes directly to refugees. He is on 07791 297351 or [email protected]