Hampshire charities work to help Syrians forced out of their country by civil warÂ

About 6m people fled Syria in 2015 due to the onset of civil war and the fear of persecution. Four years on, Eloise Armstrong, fundraising manager for Children on the Edge, has stressed the desperate situation which many people still face.

'˜The situation is still very unstable and there is a big pressure on refugees to be pushed back into Syria. Many people would like to return home but it is simply not safe to do so,' said Eloise.

Chair of RRN, Julia Thistleton-Smith, added: '˜At the time the focus of the world was very much on Syria but now people's attention has moved elsewhere. However the situation is still dire with millions of people still displaced and living in refugee camps where the conditions are horrendous. It is vital we don't forget these people who still need our help.'

Launched in October as a collaborative venture by both charities, the Serve Food for Syria initiative involved people in local communities hosting dinner parties in which they would serve Syrian dishes in return for donations of money. Families were also encouraged to host Syrian refugee families currently displaced and living in the Hampshire area.

In addition to individual families hosting events, local businesses also became involved with Madhuban Restaurant in Liss hosting a Syrian dinner night which raised £1,000. In total the initiative has so far raised £2,648.50 which Eloise has said will provide education for the children in the refugee camp.

'˜One of the key roles for Children on the Edge is to provide education programmes to children in refugee camps. The money will help to provide training to refugees to deliver our education curriculum. It is very difficult for children to get into schools and so one of our roles is also to build temporary schools within the camps. Hopefully by providing the appropriate training we can equip people to ensure that in the long term children continue to be educated,' said Eloise. 

In addition to providing support to refugees living in camps one of the key roles for RRN is to provide a safe haven for refugees in Hampshire. So far the charity has managed to re-home 10 families. 

'˜In order for refugee families to be granted permission to stay they need accommodation. We ensure refugees are allocated a house and use donations to provide furnishings, a television and a laptop with internet so they can keep in touch with family members who may still be in Syria,' said Julia. 

The charity hope to ensure families become self sufficient within three years.

Julia added: '˜We pay for extra English tuition to help children settle into schools. We also provide grants which people can use for driving lessons and to set up their own businesses. A number of refugees have now established themselves as window cleaners, hair dressers and joiners.'

Following the success of Serve Food for Syria, the Rural Refugee Network will also be running their annual sponsored Walk for Hope event in the South Downs which will take place on Sunday, February 3.

'˜Houses will generally cost around £3,000 to furnish and so we are completely dependent on these donations to continue to provide this support,' added Julia.