A COMMUNITY group set up in the midst of the Syrian refugee crisis has shipped off an aid lorry to the Greek and Macedonian border.

Gossip Girls for Refugees, set up by five women from Ascot, Maidenhead and Camberley, who are all members of other online ‘Gossip Girls’ networking groups, had set up a campaign to collect supplies in support of Syria Relief’s emergency appeal.

A lorry, the £5,000 cost of which will be covered by a Just Giving appeal set up by the Windsor team, left on Thursday last week (24/9).

The groups were prompted to take action after seeing a photo of the body of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi washed up on a beach in Turkey last month.

Collections of essential supplies, from canned food and clothes, to sleeping bags and soap, have been co-ordinated across the area with contributions coming from individuals, schools and churches in Ascot, as well as Aldershot, Camberley, Windsor, Wokingham, Slough and Maidenhead.

Many more individuals have also been working to provide further drop offs from their own homes.

Emily Highmore-Talbot from Gossip Girls for Refugees said: “It’s been simply incredible to see the response from members of the local community and we’re absolutely thrilled that we’re going to be combining our efforts to send a lorry straight to where it’s so desperately needed.”

Rachel Bradley from Gossip Girls in Action Wokingham for Syria said: “I met a number of Syrian families on my summer holiday in Greece and felt the need to do something, to change perceptions of who these people are. They are professional people, mothers, fathers. Just great people who are in a terrible situation.

“I knew I needed to do something, anything to help. It’s been amazing how our local community has come together and connected with these people too. We all just want to reach out and lend a hand.”

To support the trip visit www.justgiving.com/windsorsyriarelief.

A 40-ton lorry set off from Colnbrook on Thursday, September 24, heading for the Greek Macedonian border, laden down with vitally needed supplies to ease the suffering of Syrian refugees.

It marked the climax of a month of hard work carried out by mum-of-two Jennifer McGeachie, 30, of Albany Road, Old Windsor.

Mrs McGeachie set up a Facebook page appealing for people to help her organise a collection of vital items for the refugees.