It was so great to be back in Chios yesterday and pick up friendships where I left off in September last year. After a nostalgic visit to where Souda Camp used to be in the centre of Chios Town, we had a mini reunion in Pizza Palace where Greek restauranteur ‘aunty’ makes everyone from everywhere feel special and welcome.

We met up with the brilliant Carol, Maria and Julie, of The Ripple Effect – Lancaster, and headed to the beach!

We met up with the brilliant Carol, Maria and Julie, of The Ripple Effect – Lancaster, and headed to the beach! NOT a normal volunteering spot! But it was because lovely Jess had fundraised and organised a beach bbq for the unaccompanied minors homed in Chios. It’s not often these kids get to enjoy their Greek island home the way our kids would if they were on holiday, and it was awesome.

The Ripple Effect, meanwhile, had fundraised overnight for 20 electrical cooking pots (90 had previously been given) and 5 kettles for the new arrivals at Vial Camp. Distributing is difficult for lots of reasons so we had a list of the new arrivals to give to and it needs to be fair to everyone. But need is always beyond donations and more people want the help that we can give to a few in a day.

Saying no to people is the most awful thing for something that costs just €18 and transforms feeding for a family. But seeing the smiles, and eyes light up of those who receive, is truly the best!

Access directly to Vial camp is hard and then the locals, whilst often sympathetic to the refugees and understanding of our helping them, some are also suspicious and overwhelmed by the disruption to their lives of having the camp on their doorstep. So someone called the police who came to inspect our distribution… Most importantly they questioned US, and not the refugees, they asked to see our papers, not theirs. They let all the refugees pass by with their new pots and kettles.