Dundee is to become home to a major aid charity supporting refugees and those whose lives are being crushed by poverty.
Dundee Refugee Support, which began as a team of individuals campaigning to raise the awareness of the plight of refugees, is now Scotland’s largest donation drop-off and sorting point.
With the backing of the Scottish Government, a new charity will be dedicated to helping Dundee help those in poverty and will form part of Dundee the Caring City.
Secretary Stephen Crofts said that with so many donations flooding in and so many causes being supported it was vital that the organisation be more “accountable, professional and business-like”.
“In the last few weeks it became apparent that donations were still coming far faster than could be processed and shipped without a formal organisation being formed and wider coordination with other aid groups.
“It can no longer just be a matter of turning up and sorting through donations.
“What was once a ‘grassroots movement’ has grown beyond all expectation and now needs to coordinate strategically in order to move the amount of donated material amassed in such a short time. “
Dundee Refugee Support was founded by Sammi Craig and Jayne Kelly, who quickly gained political and media support and secured premises to work from at Swan House in Dundee.
There, volunteers have worked and donations have arrived to be sorted, stored safely and then shipped.
Dundee Refugee Support will now ship large amounts of aid under the banner of Dundee the Caring City into areas where harsh winters are already taking hold.