Jay Rubinstein from Massive Outpouring of Love (MOOL) talks about community life under lockdown
“Our group began with a Facebook post in September 2015 from our founder Moxie DePaulitte, who said she wanted to take a van full of supplies and messages of hope and love from Scotland to the camps in Calais.
“The response from locals to Moxie’s post was extraordinary. In no time at all hubs shot up in towns and villages throughout Dumfries and Galloway, collecting and sorting clothes to take to the camps. (Photo above of the first lot of donations for Calais in 2015)
“We became a registered charity in February 2016.
“In ‘normal’ times we run a wide range of activities from befriending and a community choir to large social events which aim to bring all sections of the community together.
“The lockdown has curtailed much of this of course, but our volunteers continue to keep in touch with the resettled Syrian families by phone. Some volunteers are also writing letters to them which have been translated into Arabic.
“As well as this we’ve organised an art competition under the title “Hopes for a Post-Covid World” which closes on 7th June. We’re going to use the entries for an online exhibition during Refugee Week next month.
“At this stage, it’s difficult to know exactly how COVID-19 will impact our work, but we will continue to work towards a robust and inclusive society.”
“If people would like to support us it would be great if they could share our posts on our Facebook page. Or even better, volunteer with us. And we’re always happy to get people’s ideas on ways we can help displaced people in our region.”
