Highland charity renews appeal to aid Syrian refugees
Highland charity Blythswood Care is renewing its appeal to provide food for Syrian refugees on their journey through the Balkans.
"We have provided food for many thousands of people in the past four weeks," said Blythswood’s head of projects, Finlay Mackenzie. "I want to thank everybody who has enabled us to do this.
"The situation in Serbia is changing every day. Blythswood Serbia is working with the Serbian Red Cross in Presevo, down in the south, where people are pouring across the border from Macedonia.
"This is a part of Europe we know well. We’ve been working there for more than 20 years and are keenly aware that the Serbs can barely provide for their own people. They have massive unemployment.
"Our challenge is to help the Serbian people to provide for the huge number of migrants who are passing through. Between four and five thousand are passing through Presevo every day. They are completely focussed on moving north. When two of our colleagues asked some migrants what they needed most, they answered, ‘a bus’.
"We are constantly reviewing what we are doing for these people but right now the best we can do is provide food. £5 can purchase a sack of flour in Serbia. We can fund a meal of a small loaf of bread with cheese for 37 pence."
At present Blythswood is not transporting clothes or other aid from the United Kingdom to Serbia.
"Buying food in Serbia is the most efficient way to help right now," Finlay said. "But we are always pleased to receive donations of clothes, bric-a-brac and other items that help fund our projects at home and abroad."
Donation can be made to Blythswood refugee appeal by texting SYRI15 £5 to 70070 or online at www.blythswood.org or by calling 01349 830777 or by sending a cheque to Blythswood Care, Highland Deephaven, Evanton, IV16 9XJ.