Humanitea for refugees

Aim

Our aim is to fit out and deliver a purpose built, practical catering vehicle. Suitable to supply hot tea and soup to refugees in Europe.

Last winter we spent time in the Calais Jungle building insulated shelters to keep people warm and alive through what turned out to be a mild winter. 

The situation for refugees in Europe is only worsening... numbers rise every day, the winter is here, temperatures are below freezing and conditions are beyond grim.  Refugees are dying because of the cold.

While we were in the jungle, tea, hot sweet tea was a kind of currency... the currency of support, of thanks, of comfort, a simple way of sharing humanity.  A cup of tea crosses all language barriers to bring warmth and respite from the bleakness in hopeless situations....

Moved by the plight of the millions of displaced people in the world, and determined not to sit by and do nothing ("Inaction is a weapon of mass destruction." Maxi Jazz- Faithless), we wanted to create a useful and sustainable method of bringing some comfort to people living without homes or hope.

Conrad had the vision to created a purpose built catering van to deliver hot food and drinks where they were most needed. Through the generosity and energy of a brilliant group of people we now have the van and the build is well under way. 

We have teamed up with Lily and Rosie, two energetic, positive, courageous  young women who have spent time in Chios, a Greek Island at the heart of the refugee crisis. They spent time on the landing response teams, being the first point of contact for people arriving across the water. They also spent time in refugee camps... 

This is what they had to say about tea....."We have both been working in a refugee camp on Chios, Greece for the past four months. As we went about daily camp life we noticed how much of an important role tea played in the wellbeing and happiness of the residents. So we thought up PositiviTea; A moving café where people come to reflect, relax, meet new people, warm up and most of all, to distract oneself, if only for a moment, from the fear of tomorrows uncertainty."

Rosie and lily needed a van for their project... we are building a van.... so it seemed synchronicitous to work together.

We will drive the truck to the balkan route and stay to help for a while.  When we come back home Lily and Rosie will run the project, with  passion and heart and humanitea.....

I am sorry to be asking for money, we would dearly love to be able to entirely self fund this project..... sadly this is not the case.  So in order to be able to spread a little Humanitea we are fundraising for the cost of driving the van to eastern Europe and our return journey home.  We also need to make sure we have enough money to cover contingencies... repairs if we break down, changes to route, detours for weather etc.,.

The project will also need money in the coffers, for ongoing vehicle costs, insurance etc and consumables, like cups, milk and sugar.. ( i think they have had unlimited tea dontated which is awesome), gas will be a pretty major ongoing expense and fuel to move the truck to where the hot tea is most needed. So any money left after we get home will go straight back into the project.

I know there are a lot of demands on your wallet and  this is just another crowdfunder, begging for your hard earned....  but we really believe that this project will spread love, warmth and  hope to people who are in very desparate situations through no fault of their own.  Humanitea has to be a good thing... please help us make it happen.

Thank you 

This project successfully funded on 31st January 2017