Volunteer stories: Ellie (Oct 16)

I went to work in Alexandria in October for 2 weeks. It seems a strange thing to say but I really did have a great time! I met some incredible people, people who have just put their own lives on hold to help others who really need them. And they really do need them!

As a young female going out on my own, I was at first a bit wary of safety. I can honestly say at no stage did I feel unsafe. The wonderful staff at the hotel make you feel very welcome and could not do enough for us all. You are working in a great team of hardworking people and you become a pretty tight unit. The Syrian people themselves are very welcoming and friendly and are used to seeing new faces all the time.

Initially I found it quite hard to get my head around the bigger situation of what is going on in Greece and across Europe. It really is sad, and actually can make you feel a bit hopeless when you realise the scale of what is going. But after working there, you can really see what can be done, and is being done to improve the lives of some of these refugees fleeing from such awful things.

Their lives still are really tough, but at least in Alexandria, they are able to live with some dignity. Having the shop and boutique allows them to have better food and supplies, and gives them a little bit of normality in their lives.

Refugee Support are a great charity to work with and I would say that anyone who is considering it should go for it.

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