REFUGEES will benefit from from a new website designed to connect all the charitable people in South Lakeland, maximising the relief effort.

Matthew Connolly, from Bowston, believes the best way to tackle the refugee crisis is with a 'collaborative effort'.

There are currently small groups in various towns collecting clothes or food for the migrants in mainland Europe but often they lack the resources to transport their goods to the Continent.

That is where webiste Resscu comes in - it is designed to be a forum that brings all the separate groups together in order to strengthen the overall relief effort, linking people who want to donate with those who can transport their donation.

Matthew said: "We hope to provide information on all the local groups to increase the effectiveness of the effort. There's a strong grass roots movement and it's crossing political, social and religious barriers.

"Resscu has in its sights transport and shipping companies locally, because the crippling costs of taking or sending stuff out to refugees could swallow up local people’s donations which would be better spent on food and hygiene.

"So I plead for a local transport and shipping company to join Resscu and have the whole community thank them!"

Speaking about why he decided to help out, Matthew said: "My family have moved house recently and we're in our dream home. The contrast between us and them [refugees] was a turning point for me and my wife.

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"There are so many ways to try to respond to this. We're trying to build a collaborative effort to try and bring these people together with each other."

But Matthew is prepared to go one step further than simply making a donation - he is willing to volunteer his home to refugees.

He said: "The big word is sanctuary. As a family, we could offer it to refugees and a lot of people are ready to open their lives and homes to strangers from different cultures."

To get involved, visit Resscu at www.resscu.org.uk