Online fundraising page set up to support Afghan refugees being resettled in Northamptonshire

An online fundraising page has been set up to support the Afghan refugees being resettled in Northamptonshire.

Councillors, Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire and Northampton's Afghan community have teamed up to launch the GoFundMe page to help the 140 people coming to the county after fleeing from the Taliban.

They hope to raise £15,000 for the families which will be used for whatever they need over the coming days, weeks and months as they get used to their new surroundings.

West Northamptonshire councillor Danielle Stone said: "The idea behind it is so that we can meet people's actual needs instead of us just collecting items.

"People will want to donate clothes and toys and books and stuff which is great but there's always need in groups of refugees that we can't fund like transport or going on a course.

"So there will be things they need and the fund will be there for whatever needs they have which is brilliant."

West Northamptonshire Council has secured funding from a Home Office resettlement scheme to provide 140 refugees with emergency accommodation while their needs are assessed and they are due to arrive by the end of the week.

A county hotel, which this newspaper has chosen not to name for safety reasons, will be opening its doors to the refugees, with online bookings currently closed for the public until next year.

The GoFundMe is being supported by West Northamptonshire Council leader Jonathan Nunn, Northampton Town of Sanctuary, town councillors and Northampton Afghan Community founder Obaidullah Khushull.

Councillor Nunn added: “We’re always astounded by people’s generosity and their willingness to help others.

“One of the first questions we had from people when we first revealed that we would be helping with the Afghan citizen resettlement was ‘how can we help?’

“We have set up a page which will help us gather a sense of what support people might be able to offer and Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire is coordinating the fundraising effort.

“I would like to say a very heartfelt thank-you to everyone for their support for our efforts to help people going through the kind of trauma few of us can imagine.”

To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/afghan-crisis-appeal-fund.