Solidarity sleepout

CHRISTIANS from Barmouth are doing their bit to help Syrian refugees experiencing life-threatening winter weather.

Since the beginning of January 2016 over 17,000 refugees have arrived on the Greek island of Lesvos seeking sanctuary from intolerable hardship and brutality in their homeland. Of these, over half are women and children.

People from communities all over Dwyfor and Meirionnydd and beyond are working hard to collect, sort and transport goods and equipment for the refugees. Many have travelled to Greece to help and their reports tell of the degradation, humiliation and suffering that they have witnessed in the sorting sheds and tented villages on this small Greek island.

Bro Ardudwy Churches administrative assistant Becks Davie-Tettmar is currently in Lesvos volunteering to help the refugees that are arriving there in terrible conditions. Following recent correspondence with Becks, reverend canon Beth Bailey along with Sue Booth (Diocesan Churches conservation and development officer) will be camping in the garden of St David’s Church, Barmouth on Friday night (22 January) to raise awareness of the plight of the refugees locally. St David’s Church is the Barmouth drop-off collection point for the donation of items that will be sent out to the refugees via a sorting depot in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It is hoped that by showing solidarity with the refugees that more volunteers will come forward to assist with running the collections to Blaenau and to provide financial assistance to the refugees in Lesvos. For more information, visit www.barmouth.church/solidarity-sleepout