volunteer with us
Do something worthwhile with your weekend
HELP US HELP REFUGEES IN CALAIS AND THE UK
Weekend convoys to calais
Calais Light first travelled to Calais in 2015 and we’ve been going back with convoys of volunteers, sometimes with 50 people. We’ve done this to help three grassroots charities (Care4Calais, Refugee Community Kitchen & Calais Appeal) and support them in their work with the refugee population in and around Calais.
Light? We are process-light, we make it quicker, cheaper & less hassle to volunteer, as we do just about everything for you but pack your bag. Our short convoys, (Dep. Friday 10am/ Back Sunday 8pm), make volunteering compatible with work. We aim to expose people who might usually say ‘no’ to volunteering in Calais to the shocking & inhumane conditions refugees contend with every day. We believe the convoy experience transforms our volunteers into people who fully understand & respect refugees. Some even want to spend as much spare time as possible, helping them survive & build new lives. Calais Lighters return time after time, but we are always looking for new people, especially experienced Continental drivers.
UK Volunteer network - new!
There are many reasons for refugees – they flee persecution, wars, armed conflicts, human rights abuse, forced conscription, climate change, famine. Seeking refuge in the country of your choice is not illegal. It’s a human right. With 103 million displaced people in the world - some wish to live in the UK. The Ukraine & Afghani civil wars have increased numbers seeking refuge here. Sadly, there are not enough volunteers in the UK, to help refugees with their “second journey” – establishing new lives successfully in this country. Calais Light seeks UK volunteers to help support this new refugee population. We’re teaming up with larger refugee charities, boosting their operating manpower & doing our best to make asylum-seeker & refugees’ lives bearable & better. We’ll be helping with everything from household goods and clothes to signposting advice on social integration and legal matters. If you live in Kent, Essex and London, JOIN US
#CourtCommerce
#CourtCommerce is part of Calais Light.
It’s a Brand Collaboration initiative which
changes the narrative around refugees who have so little.
We wish to give of our best to them!
#CourtCommerce does this by working with some of the biggest and coolest Global Brands. Refugees here arrive often with little more than what they stand up in. They are often offered second-hand, mismatched clothes & they don’t have clothes to match changing seasons. We change that! #Courtcommerce sources generous donations from huge clothing brands and with a bit of help from us, the refugees we work with can choose stylish, brand-new, correctly-sized, age-appropriate clothing and other products. These gifts ‘honour refugees & acknowledge their loss’. They improve mental wellbeing. They allow refugees to feel welcome, valued & more able to survive the difficult circumstances they often find themselves in.
the charities we support
Care4Calais is a volunteer-run refugee charity working with refugees in the UK, France and Belgium
Refugee Community Kitchen serves hot, nourishing meals to displaced people in the UK and France.
Calais Appeal is a group of humanitarian aid organisations in Calais who have shared resources and expertise, collaborating to provide food, firewood, clothing, information.
