Generous Brits are donating clothes and offering up homes to help thousands of refugees arriving from Afghanistan.
More than 8,000 Afghans, including ex-UK staff and those at risk from the Taliban, have been flown to the UK.
Many are shoeless and wearing clothing suited to the 32C heat of Kabul.
Care4Calais says over the past 12 days donations have more than quadrupled.
Volunteers for the charity are sorting through clothes, shoes, toiletries and toys at warehouses to send to hotels housing refugees.
IT businessman Nigel Sarbutts, 56, said he and his wife decided to give up their weekend to help.
The dad-of-two, of Rochdale, Gtr Manchester, said: “Thousands are coming into our country, and are tired and bewildered after a long journey.
“As far as I can see they have served our armed forces and diplomatic corps in Afghanistan so they deserve our support.
“It’s the least we can do for people who have risked their lives for
us.” The speed of the Taliban’s advance – and the Government response – left charities with little time to prepare.
Since repatriation flights began landing at RAF Brize Norton on August 15, around 2,200 children have arrived, the youngest was one day old.
The Mirror understands early refugees could travel with a bag weighing 10kg. But some of those on later flights arrived with nothing.
Mum-of-three Lucie Dennis, of Walsall, West Mids, has organised a Facebook appeal for Afghan children. She has packed 48 rucksacks with socks, underwear, colouring books, pencils and toiletries. They have been paid for by the public on Amazon.
Lucie said: “About 50 Amazon boxes just turned up. It has been completely overwhelming.”
On Monday, the Mirror visited a warehouse in Stockport, Manchester, where 45 Care4Calais volunteers spent the day sorting clothes.
Junior doctor Olivia Price, 28, said: “Manchester is where I’m from so I want to help refugees feel welcome. It’s humbling to see how much the people of the city want to help.”
IT manager Wayne Harrison, 34, began volunteering after seeing photos of a three-year-old Syrian boy who drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean.
He had booked time off to travel to France but instead chose to volunteer for nine days at the depot.
Wayne said: “We made one drop-off for people who were in Kabul airport when the bombs went off. We brought 1,000 blankets, toiletries and baby food.”
The Home Office is paying to house refugees in hundreds of hotels. Officials are working with local authorities to find permanent homes.
Some will get refugee status and others will be given a five-year visa. Any Afghan migrants who cross the Channel will enter the asylum system.
Charity Refugees At Home said it had been “inundated” by people offering homes or rooms. A spokeswoman said they had received more than 1,000 offers in a fortnight.
Airbnb has offered to house 20,000 refugees for free. Ex-social worker Annie Mellor, 65, of Plymouth, Devon, wants to offer a free room after her son worked with Afghans.
She said: “Airbnb wants houses or flats. But I’m very happy to have somebody.”
Care4Calais’s founder, Clare Moseley, said: “It has been fantastic to see such generosity. We had to close a drop-off centre in Manchester because it was so full.”
The charity still needs clothes, shoes, mobiles and chargers, along with volunteers and cash donations.
Visit: care4calais.org/#afghan
