Local councillors leave today with aid for French refugee camps

Four Derry City and Strabane District councillors will leave today with aid for refugees in camps in the French port of Calais.

Independent Councillors Gary Donnelly, Darren O’Reilly and Paul Gallagher will each drive a van with food and shelter donated by people from throughout the district.

Also going on the trip, which is part charity driven and part fact-finding, will be Cllr Warren Robinson, Linda Nash, Eddie McBride and former councillor Jimmy Carr (representing his father, Independent Cllr Sean Carr).

Cllr Donnelly said a special mention was due to Helen Derry whose “hard work” had made the trip possible but was unable to go.

He added: “Once again local people have dug deep despite their own economic difficulties.”

Photo shows (from left) Cllrs Gary Donnelly, Darren O’Reilly, Sean Carr, Paul Gallagher and former councillor Jimmy Carr loading vans with aid bound for refugee camps in Calais.