'Tooting is amazing' - Local charity lauds community's response as it starts new refugee partnership

A Tooting-based charity has started a new partnership to help refugees - and it's gotten off to a great start.

Tooting Community Kitchen , a well-known foodbank in the community, has started collecting clothes to help Care 4 Calais - a volunteer-run charity that works with refugees in France, Belgium and the UK.

The foodbank has started taking clothes donations - including shoes, backpacks and suitcases - to try and help refugees get set up when they first come into the country.

Nub News spoke to Ollie Couillaud, a trustee of Tooting Community Kitchen, who talked us through the importance of clothes donations for refugees.

"When they arrive they have nothing, all they have is the clothes they wear," he said.

"They get transported to wherever and they get put in a hotel in Colliers Wood until they are moved elsewhere.

"In the meantime they have nothing.

"So we collect clothes, shoes, rucksacks, suitcases, so when they get taken elsewhere they have spare clothes."

Despite being the first weekend of this initiative, there have been no issues in getting donations - something which Ollie says the Tooting community is amazing for.

He said: "The response has been amazing.

"We are trying to build from that by getting in contact with local schools.

"Tooting is amazing like that, the response we get is incredible. Whenever we need something we put it up on social media and the response is always incredible.

"I've got a car full of clothes - on Wednesday I am taking it to Colliers Wood."

With food being Tooting Community Kitchen's speciality, Ollie also hopes to incorporate that eventually into this partnership, but for now, just wants to get a steady supply of clothes each week.

If you want to support this cause, you can drop off clothes at the food bank which is open every Friday from 9am until 1pm at 104 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EN. If you feel you can donate, please message the Tooting Community Kitchen Facebook page.

What is Tooting Community Kitchen

The charity provides a biweekly stall serving hot food and essential produce as well as a food bank that works as a drop-in collection service.

The aim of the charity is to strengthen its presence within the community and as a general support network to assist its guests.

They believe that everyone in our community deserves to feel cared for and valued without prejudice.

If you would like to find out more or volunteer, go to the Tooting Community Kitchen website.

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