FARNHAM Help for Refugees, a charity set up by Farnham mums to support Syrian refugees in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, is calling for donations at their collection service on Wednesday, October 21.

The event has been organised by the groups founders Hannah Rand, Alessia Mestrone and Katie Thomas from South Farnham, and Rev Karen Hutchinson, vicar of St Thomas-on-the Bourne.

The charity drive is to collect clothes and toys for the Red Cross Centre in Portsmouth, which is holding a winter appeal on November 2 – where refugees can come and pick up clothes for free. The collection will also help those who are in camps in Syria and on the borders in Lebanon and Turkey.

As well as the collection on Wednesday, October 21, from 10.30am to 12pm at Farnham Leisure Centre, there will be a charity kids soft-play morning, available free-of-charge by the leisure centre. And from 2.30pm until 6pm, there is a donation drop-off at St Thomas on the Bourne.

They are collecting men’s, women’s and children’s clothes (good condition and washed), gloves, hats and scarves for children; felt tip pens, sharpeners, pencils, stickers, note pads and colouring books; small teddies and toy cars; sleeping bags and unused toiletries such as toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Steve Little, general manager at Farnham Leisure Centre, said: “Places for People Leisure are delighted to support the Syrian refugee fundraiser event by opening free fun-time gym sessions at Farnham Leisure Centre on Wednesday. All donations on the day will be passed onto the events organisers.”

As individuals join together to support the crisis, Surrey looks set to be at the forefront of any Government plans to assist Syrian refugees after a rare show of unity, the county council voted unanimously in support of a Labour motion, calling for the county to “take its fair share of refugees”.

Labour county councillor Robert Evans who tabled the resolution, was critical of both the British Government’s response and that of the international community which he said had “failed to come up with any credible policies to manage this humanitarian disaster”.

“By passing this motion. We will be saying that this county, Surrey, will work with the Government on initiatives, properly funded initiatives, to assist wherever we can. We recognise that we, and the whole country, must do more to help. We need action.”