A Dundee humanitarian charity has helped send 156,500 bars of soap to refugees stranded in Serbia.
Dundee The Caring City, along with its sister organisation in Glasgow, organised for 22 pallets loaded with individual bars of soap to be sent to people living in a refugee camp near Belgrade.
Several tonnes of clothing were also sent as part of the mammoth delivery.
Since Saturday, the charity has shipped more than 25 tonnes of clothing and 20 tonnes of soap to those in need.
Such has been the success of the charity’s recent efforts that their Dunsinane Avenue home has been cleared of donations.
Charity trustee Mike Strachan said: “We need donations to start flowing in again, which is a great position to be in.
“Since the weekend we’ve sent well in excess of 25 tonnes of clothing and 20 tonnes of soap.
“It’s ironic that we need supplies because we’ve sent so much away, but it’s a pleasant irony.
“We hope to be able to help several thousand people.
“It’s all down to the people who donate. If it wasn’t for their generosity and care we would not exist.”
Between Dundee The Caring City, its sister organisation, Glasgow The Caring City, and production firm Soapworks, two million bars of soap have been donated to refugees in Serbia.
70,000 bars were sent from Dundee last year.
Ross Galbraith, of Glasgow The Caring City, believes the teamwork of people in both the west and east of Scotland will help benefit up to 7000 refugees.
The charity’s international project director said: “We’ve got soap being produced on the west coast and clothes coming from the north east of the country.
“It’s about people from all across Scotland coming together to create a movement which is not about cash, but is about surplus, people’s time and skills.
“For organisations like ourselves we’re there for people who strike affinity with what they see on TV screens.
“They see individuals who need clothes, food and soap, and that’s where the Caring City network, in Dundee and Glasgow, comes in to its own.”
