Dismal Aid (October 2015)
Coming soon… Dismaland Calais.
All the timber and fixtures from Dismaland are being sent to the ‘jungle’ refugee camp near Calais to build shelters. No online tickets will be available.
Creating housing from surplus materials and leftover workers.
When Dismaland closed its doors it was decided that instead of chucking all the leftover crew in the bin they should be recycled into aid workers. They've since travelled to the Calais migrant camp and so far have completed 12 dwellings, a community area and a children's play park.
There are still 4000 people surviving at this UK closed border. They need kidney beans and good shoes.
Dismaland - The Jungle, Calais.
In March 2016 we posted a note saying 'Dismaland Calais is now closed' after French authorities bulldozed
much of the refugee camp and destroyed all the living structures made from theme park leftovers.
However despite the size of the camp being cut in half it now holds nearly twice as many people.
Six months on we asked our friend - a French aid worker who works on the ground there - if he needed anything...
Because it is a swamp where 10,000 people survive, you have rats with ticks. A lot.
The fences are all along the highway, and authorities are going to build a 4 meters high wall.
With plants on the inside and painting on the outside. The works starts in the next few weeks.
Riots to stop the traffic still happen every night here, despite of all those security issues.
Violence, teargas, wounds. I heard some riot police call Calais "Las Vegas" because of their blue lights during
the night. Migrants and refugees don't take that much space in town, but they are the main topic of discussion
at dinner and everywhere else... Although they see them as victim, most of French people think now they are the
cause of the problem, of the problems. Fear is brewing, louder and louder. We know Brexit will not change anything.
I cannot imagine what the jungle will look like in 2 months, or if it will last that long. Authorities want to find safe
places for 3,000 people in other cities. Probably asylum seekers will have the priority. 3,000 is not enough.
The census of August showed at least 9,106 people living in the jungle. 676 unaccompanied minors.
Let me tell you about Samrawit. She was around 18, probably less, from Érythrée.
She was living in a little camp 50 km near by, at Norrent-fontes. On a Monday morning, police evict this camp,
so she went to Calais. On Monday afternoon she asked a place at JulesFerry refuge center, where the state have to take
care of women and children. It was full. So she came in the jungle where she met others Érythrean guys.
On Monday night, they went to the highway to stop trucks, but one lorry never stop. She was dying while that truck enter a ferry,
and teargas were blowing on the jungle. We found 4000€ to bring her body to her family.
It was the 7th death at this border this year, now it's 11. So. I don't know what to ask. We are fucking low on donations.
Tonight we distribute our last sleeping bag. May I ask you oil, or milk? Small, medium tee-shirts, hoodies,
joggers (28 to 32) ? Boxers ? Socks ? Shoes ? (41 to 43, ideally black trainers) Sleeping bags ? Tents ? Kidney beans, again ?
We are not allowed to bring any building materials on the camp. Even the firewood have to be shortcuts.
We need firewood. And a new truck to carry it. And caravans.
If you have some money, spread some, please.
You can donate by www.helprefugees.org.uk
Help Refugees acts quickly to get your donations to the people who need it most.
We are a charitable fund providing aid and upholding dignity to refugees across Europe.
If you can come and help, please do.
Or may I ask you a political issue ?
For your government to get off their arse and get a move on about 676
unaccompanied minors in the jungle, who could resettle under the dubs amendments.