THE DESPERATION of refugees in Calais has been described by a woman who has spent nine months volunteering at the makeshift camp.

Tina Brocklebank, of Otley, has been coordinating systems for the distribution of basic food items to everyone in the camp - known as The Jungle - so that people can cook for themselves.

After returning to England she said: "At the heart of our system is upholding dignity and enabling people to come together to cook, eat and share. We are the only people doing this in the Calais camp. The most recent monthly census reports there are over 9000 people in Calais now and the need for donations is enormous. There are no formal organisations there, only volunteers; no government support, just donations."

She appealed for people to help via the fundraising link http://Bit.ly/calaisfood and stressed that the people in the camp needed peace, safety and opportunity, just like anyone else.

"For nine months my days have been filled with huge anxiety at having enough food for everyone," she said. "We carefully negotiate tense situations everyday where people are angry that we don’t/can’t bring more. We respectfully challenge hundreds of people every day who say that there are 20 people sleeping in a tent when we can clearly see there are only five. This awful, desperately uncomfortable position of having to make a judgement on how much food to give people – because we simply don’t have enough."

She added: "There is such desperation here, such frustration at not being to able to get to England, to reach family that are there, to start life. There is immense sadness and despair at a world that treats them so unkindly. There is immense humiliation, proud men that had professions and careers and provided for their family, reduced to queuing for a new pair of socks or a plate of hot food.

"There is anger at living in such a horrible place amongst millions of rats, with an insufficient rubbish collection system, inadequate toilets for everyone; dignity stripped at every turn. There are huge tensions at so many people from different cultures living in such a small space, of course there are fights, it is surprising to me there aren’t more. Yet there is also immense community and solidarity.

"When news is received that someone has successfully made it to England there is huge celebration, this brings hope to everyone that it is possible. For us as volunteers we know that the next sets of problems are just about to begin. If you are caught and are from Afghanistan you will be deported straight away. The UK government judges Afghanistan now to be safe. Talk to any of my Afghan friends escaping the Taliban and they will tell you very clearly otherwise."

She added: "These people are like you and me. Only they are not. They are ignored and judged and despised by much of the world. They are treated as inconvenient by governments and assumed as terrorists when in reality they are fleeing violence and want only peace. They want what you and I have – peace, safety and opportunity."