Dear friends and supporters,
As another difficult year comes to a close, we would like to inform you of our activities these last 12 months and to thank you for your support.
The situation for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece has not improved, on the contrary.
Many do not have access to any kind of help, those living in previously open camps now have to apply for permission to exit the new ‘controlled’ camps in order to attend classes and medical or legal appointments, with some of those camps a far bus-ride away from any commerce or cities. The present life of these people is precarious at best, their future prospects limited.
🔥 Still, we do not give up, for there are great refugee and volunteer communities, Greek and international, working relentlessly with passion, collaboration and creativity on the ground. We are grateful and proud to be able to support them.
🔥 This year, we have carried on our commitment to these wonderful NGOs, embodied by big hearted humans.
We thank Action for Education, Attica, Better Days, Home for All, IsraAid, Just Action, Project Armonia, Refugee 4 Refugees, Steps, Waves, Yoga and Sport for Refugees, altogether bringing shelters, goods, food, legal and medical advice, education, sport and above all hope and compassion to those who most need it.
Thank you for being the light.
🔥 Thank you to those who have supported us throughout the year by organising outdoor events such as the Eel Pie Island Swim, or the online 6000 meals for Ramadan fundraiser. Thank you for your inventiveness, know-how and commitment, raising thousands of pounds!
🔥 Thank you to all who have financially supported us. You make it happen! Thank you for your trust.
This year we have been lucky, some of you switched to regular monthly donations. If you haven’t yet, please consider doing so…this allows us to be able to plan the future a little better!
📕 Thank you Scholastic publisher! The sales of Kind, the book published in our support, have been fantastic and are going strong, keeping us going through these difficult times. Thank you again Kind author Alison Green and all the Kindillustrators who gave their work, including our great Patron, Axel Scheffler.
May we remind you that Kind is also a wonderful present?!? So if you still have a few stockings to fill, get your copy here or any good bookshop near you.
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Many refugees and asylum seekers have moved on from the islands to the mainland. They receive little or no support from the state. We work with small, committed independent NGOs who are able to adapt quickly to the needs of the situation. Many have now opened new centres in Athens, and we are glad to have been able to support them in their new ventures.
Our monthly expenditure goes towards the rental cost of Attica’s accommodations and warehouses (Athens and Lesvos), the support of Just Action free shop and vegetable garden project (Samos), Wave food, goods and laundry washing services (Thessaloniki area), Steps street support with food, hygiene products and legal advices and the rental of YSFR sport centre, both in Athens.
But we also provide for emergencies (for example the recent purchase of 6000 euros worth of nappies) or some logistic costs which although fundamental are often overlooked (we took on the cost of transport of valuable goods containers from Sweden to Greece.)
And we do support trial projects, such as the sponsoring of bus tickets for the inhabitant of Samos “controlled camp”, now located miles away from the city. It enables visiting medical and legal centres based in the city without having to spend the very little money attributed to food.
And if you like numbers, have a look at our financial reports on our charity commission page.
🔥So yes, we do need you!
Whether you would like to make a one-off Christmas 2021 charity donation, or would like to set up a regular monthly donation for 2022, PLEASE DO! You can do so here or contact us at threepeasinapot@outlook.com
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🔥Will we be able to gather and dance in 2022?
We hope so, and have tentatively planned a Three Peas disco at the Eel Pie Island Yacht Club, please do pencil a save the date in: 26th March, all for the good cause!
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🔥Come and join us!
Finally, our wonderful trustee Anne Hornby will retire after five years on the board of Three Peas. If you would like to take an active role in our charity, we are on the look out for a new trustee with strong admin skills, interest in charity governance and teamwork spirit…
We’re awaiting you, drop us a line at threepeasinapot@outlook.com!
We wish you a peaceful, warm and happy festive season.
Gratefully,
Your Pea team.