Our Story
Aid Box Community was founded in 2015 by Imogen Mcintosh who after seeing the image of young Alan Kurdi's body washed up on the mediterranean shore was not able to look away.
After calling out for donations from friends and family to take to the French refugee camps and getting the most overwhelming response form the Bristol public a group was formed 'Aid Box Convoy' 30 Volunteers convoyed to Dunkirk Refugee camp with 350 Aid Boxes, hundreds of tents, sleeping bags, food boxes and building materials to attend to the basic needs of the people stranded in the camp.
Aid Box Convoy continued to coordinate volunteers and donations on the camp, fundraise and raise awareness across the UK and Europe of the plight of refugees.
In April 2016 after witnessing the poverty, isolation and trauma that many were experiencing once they had reached the UK, Aid Box Convoy became Aid Box Community, a Free shop and Welcome Hub in Bristol. From here ABC has provided support, supplies and sanctuary to thousands of refugees and asylum seekers in Bristol.
The Situation Today
The UK is home to about 1% of the 43.4 million refugees that have been forcibly displaced across the world. The world is facing one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of our generation. Millions of people are being forced to flee their homelands in search of safety from war, extreme poverty and government oppression and persecution.
Europe has seen a huge movement of desperate people and is struggling to offer a sufficient response. Where governments and large NGOs fail to tackle the situation, the crisis grows. Camps and pockets of people emerge across Europe with little or no support other than that provided by individuals and small independent organisations who can’t turn their backs.
For those who arrive in the UK, it can take well over a year to be granted asylum. Many displaced people suffer from PTSD, depression, and isolation. Those who are not granted asylum face destitution and deportation and are often held in deportation centres - some for years. Some granted asylum end up homeless and destitute due to the lack of mental health, employment, and housing support.
Over the past 12 months we have supported 3703 individuals and families settle in Bristol. We are a team of 12 part-time members of staff, 356 loyal volunteers and 7 trustees.