Bradford charity considers withdrawing Calais assistance

A Bradford-based charity has told ITV Calendar that it is considering withdrawing its aid from the camp in Calais, following a visit to assess the situation in the area.

The Human Relief Foundation said that many people living in the Calais Jungle have enough food and clothes, with some suggesting they are happy to stay in the camp.

Deputy CEO Kassim Tokan described life in the camp as “miserable”, but said the visit had led him to question the motivations of some people living there.

Given the current political climate, Mr Tokan suggested many of the people living in the camps would be better off closer to home.

He stressed that each case had to be taken individually, but indicated that it would be difficult to isolate “genuine” cases among the thousands of people living in the camps.

Mr Tokan suggested the charity would look instead to support people closer to their country of origin. “We need to find other places to help them… we are going to help people in Jordan, in Lebanon, in Turkey.”