L'Auberge des Migrants
Since 2008, L’Auberge Des Migrants has been working with people on the move in the North of France, providing them with direct material aid, support and advocacy. It runs two projects: The Woodyard and Channel Info Project. They currently manage and facilitate the shared warehouse space used by all Calais Appeal member organisations. They also run two projects: Channel Info Project and The Woodyard.
The Woodyard
The Woodyard is a seasonal project distributing firewood to displaced people in Northern France. We bring people the necessary warmth to carry them through the cold season. The Woodyard is a project of l'Auberge des Migrants.
Who We Are
A project set up by l'Auberge des Migrants, The Woodyard is a volunteer project that provides people with firewood throughout the winter.
For those camping in freezing conditions, firewood is not only a source of heat, but allows cooking the food distributed by our partners Calais Food Collective. This creates informal social spaces and frees displaced people in Calais from dependence on hot food distributions, letting them camp and cook where they like, as well as dry their clothes.
Why We're Here
It’s been more than 6 years since the so-called Calais “Jungle” camp got cleared for demolition, 6 years of an inhumane cycle of evictions of people’s living places every 48 hours. The French authorities deforest, clear and wall up systematically after each large scale eviction. What is the result? While the situation in Calais stagnates, the living conditions of refugees and displaced people gets worse every year.
In winter, when tents, sleeping bags and blankets are seized by the police every day after each eviction and natural shelters are torn down, firewood distribution becomes a vital issue when the wind gusts and temperatures drop below -7 °.
Our Impact
Between November and May, we reach 400-1200 people per week, distributing up to 60 tons of wood in the colder months.
What We Need
Much like the other organizations part of the Calais Appeal, l'Auberge des Migrants is facing the risk of not being able to continue the Woodyard project.
Each donation has an immediate impact. Whether it is to buy and transport the wood, repair a broken chainsaw, get fuel in our van… the Woodyard will be able to carry on only thanks to your support.
If you'd like to volunteer, apply through this form.
Channel Info Project
Channel Info Project exists to provide reliable and accessible information along the UK-France border. We do this by providing multilingual and up-to-date information about the UK and French contexts, as well as access to charging and digital connection. Channel Info Project is a project of l'Auberge des Migrants.
Who We Are
Channel Info Project was launched by L'Auberge des Migrants (AdM) in November 2022 to react to the need for access to information and digital connectivity along the UK-France border. Our presence in the field includes a static info point at the local day centre and pop-up info stands at other organisations’s distributions; phone charging sessions near the living sites; information outreaching and facilitating workshops and trainings for volunteers and people on the move. We also produce monthly ‘New Arrival Guides’ for Calais and Grande-Synthe, translated into twelve different languages, and coordinate with our network of partners to draft, translate and publish various information documents as needed.
Why We're Here
We believe that access to information is not only a human right, but that it is also a lifeline for people on the move in Northern France.
On both sides of the Channel, access to trustworthy and accurate information and translation is very poor, with people often hearing about updates to the UK asylum procedure through word of mouth or social media. In Northern France information provision and translation is essentially done by grassroots NGOs with the UK and French states not even doing the bare minimum to keep people informed. As a result, people on the move end up with lack of agency to make informed choices, poor access to services, a lack of understanding about the asylum systems in France and the UK and a general sentiment of being misunderstood.
The impact all of this has on a person’s mental and emotional health cannot be underestimated, especially considering that people already have to survive in an already hostile environment. We have seen the impact that the Rwanda scheme announcement had here in Calais for people on the move and we saw the misinformation that was spread around regarding it. We believe it is essential that the UK and French states do their part to ensure that people on the move have access to information in a language they understand.
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Information | Digital Connectivity | Advocacy
Information
We respond to the changing information needs of people on the move in Northern France and we collate and disseminate reliable and accurate information.
Digital Connectivity
We host mobile charging and Wifi sessions near different living sites, as well as develop autonomous charging boxes, that can charge up to 100 phones, and are dropped directly in the smaller living sites. We also facilitate access to phone credit, and support with basic phone troubleshooting.
Advocacy
As a project, we also advocate for dignified and sustainable access to these services for people on the move. We believe that people should have autonomous access to resources to be able to make informed choices.
What We Need
Every donation has an impact. In order to continue our activities as a new project, and to be able to pay for quality translations as well as to continue running our operations in the field, financial support is needed.
