Hello neighbours
As we get closer to Christmas, I’d like to ask if you have any unwanted items that could be given as Christmas gifts to torture survivors in London. I work for this wonderful charity
http://www.freedomfromtorture.org/ (which is just up the road from Harringay, near Finsbury Park) who help and rehabilitate men, women and children who have fled to the UK after suffering torture in their home country (such as Sri Lanka, Iran, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo of Turkey). Our clients were tortured for many reasons; including their ethnicity, religion, sexuality, political views or for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As well as having to live with the trauma of experiencing torture, the majority of our clients live in extreme poverty, living in frankly quite grim shared accommodation, and reliant on NASS support of just £36 a week. Others are destitute.
Some of the staff here are collecting unwanted items to be given as Christmas gifts to our clients, most of whom very rarely receive a gift of any kind. I wondered if any of my Harringay neighbours might be able to donate something. Anything that could be given as a gift would be gratefully received; unwanted toiletry sets, hats/gloves, children’s toys , new/good as new clothing etc. Sealed but unwanted chocolates etc would be wonderful, but I realise this is less likely :-)
I live at the North end of the Ladder, and although we don’t have transport, my husband could pick items up locally. Gifts can also be delivered to Freedom from Torture’s office in Isledon Road if you would prefer.
I appreciate that these are hard times for many, and that we all get so many requests to help charities at this time of year, but I’m not after your money - just any unwanted items that could put a smile on the faces of some of the most vulnerable and marginalised people in the UK.
Please PM me if you can help or would like to know more.
Thanks