AFGHANISTAN refugees need baby items including clothes and prams, according to a community organisation.

Lend A Hand, run by Denise Silcock in Horwich, wants people to donate baby clothing, prams, nappies, sanitary products and scarves for women.

The heap of donations will then be passed on to Urban Outreach, who continue to work in areas like Bolton to provide help for refugees.

Mrs Silcock said: “We had to go into isolation because my husband has lung cancer, but I still wanted to do something.

“We did things like shopping for those who couldn’t get out either.

“Lots of people wanted to help out with the Afghanistan crisis, so we thought we’d collect things for them.”

She set the group up in March, 2020 initially as a way to help those in the pandemic.

Mrs Silcock said: “It just helps people to help others who also want to get involved somehow.”

A group of knitters have also come together to knit babies blankets, cardigans and hats.

Mrs Silcock said: “They are fantastic knitters, I know for sure I couldn’t do that.

“We have many volunteers with people collecting prams as well.”

Lend A Hand has also been involved with Bolton CCG and is up for the She Inspires Awards in Bolton, where Mrs Silcock is a finalist for her work.

The grandmother spoke about her difficulty in staying isolated due to her husband’s illness.

She said: “It’s been really hard as my husband is not well so we can’t go out as much, because catching Covid-19 is dangerous for him.

“We do it because that’s the right thing to do.

“Nobody chooses to be a refugee, it’s a matter of different things that happen and I could not imagine being in that position where I have nothing.

"The amount of donations coming in is madness. People have been so kind and are just trying to do their bit to help the Afghanistan refugees.”


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