Collecting spare renewables kit for calais migrant camp

[Gavin A]

as per the title, I seem to have roped myself in to sorting out some of the infrastructure problems at the Calais migrant camp to support a grassroots effort to clean it up and make it less of a hell hole for those unfortunate enough to find themselves stuck there.

I'm going on a reccy this weekend to suss out what's needed a bit better, but it looks like lots of small off grid battery systems to run low loads of LED lights, phone charging, computers, site lighting etc on the electrical side, MDPE plumbing kit for water distribution, and drainage kit to sort out the really bad drainage issues, plus maybe wood stove with back boiler / solar water heating panels, cylinders etc for hot water for washing up, washing clothes, and showers.

If anyone has any random useful odds and sods of panels, batteries, offgrid inverters, SWH kit, pipes, cables etc that they'd be willing to donate please let me know (there are collection sites around the country).

also if anyone would be up for a weekend mission across there with me to help set kit up that'd be appreciated, though I know we're all busy.

There's a report here produced last week by brum university that really highlights how bad the situation is there at the moment, and neither Government is willing to get involved to sort it out because they're too busy posturing over how tough on migration they are and building fences etc.

Should be a bit of light relief from the FIT fiasco anyway

 

[SolarCity]

I'm not sure I have anything to donate, but I'll keep it in mind.

Fair play to you for doing this. A fantastic effort which will go a long way.

I'd love to offer some help but off-grid work is far from my expertise. Maybe I could offer a pair of hands though?

 

[Gavin A]

an extra pair of hands would be good, the battery set ups will be pretty basic so if nothing else it'd be a good introduction to 12v stuff. WIll keep you posted.

 

[whinmoor]

Hi Gavin,

Not wishing to pour cold water over your efforts but here's an article from today's rag:

UK Islamic charity considers cutting off aid for the ?Jungle? at Calais after visiting the camp and deciding most migrants had no real reason to leave their home country* | Daily Mail Online

Always have to take such reports with a pinch of salt so interested to hear your opinion on your return.

I've donated stuff to a Leeds-based charity which ships it for solar projects in East Africa. Of course, this isn't very hands-on but I felt a worthy cause. Let me know if you'd like the details for a warehouse clear-out and I'll dig out the details.

Philip

 

[Gavin A]

that's the daily mail though, and this bit is basically agreeing about the need for infrastructure on the site, so the charity is really just changing the emphasis of what they're doing rather than stopping helping the camp as the headline makes out.

An HRF spokesman said yesterday its presence at the camp would be maintained, but with an emphasis on ‘building communal kitchens and portable shower units for camp residents’ rather than continuing to provide food and clothing.

It's true that they've been swamped with clothes donations and have asked to stop sending them for a bit, and a lot of the wrong stuff has been getting sorted and rejected, and the organisation on site is chaotic (kinda the point of helping to make it less chaotic) but the stuff about food being left to rot's a bit off as that's because of a lack of refrigeration and storage on the site rather than a lack of hungry people.

The majority are from Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, all of which are war zones / areas where people are escaping persecution, and where particularly young men are having to escape conscription etc.

either way there are still thousands of desperate people trapped there about to spend the winter in a makeshift campsite that's liable to become a muddy hell hole this winter.

Would be interested in the Africa charity for future reference though.

 

[Worcester]

Got a 30kW Perge log boiler needs buffer tank, flue, and fan coil / unit heater lots of rads and a laddomat, though will burn almost anything, weighs about 500kgm happy to give it to a good home, else will be on ebay in the spring, or going in on a non-rhi installation next spring. Would give hot water for the showers and use 'free fuel', aka broken pallets..

Needs a proper power supply that's the only problem I can see..

 

[Gavin A]

oooh now that could be good, I know one of the key issues on site is how to provide heating through the winter, and hot water and showers etc.

on navitron I've been offered lots of random pumps, valves and a couple of small tanks etc by one of the plumbers, and we have a 200ish liter cylinder sat on the shelf that I think I cocked up an order for ages ago or something. I have a few lenghts of flu as well I think.

also I've been looking for an excuse to bring a telehandler onto site.

any idea what the electrical requirements are for it?

 

[Gavin A]

and fan coil / unit heater

what's this bit?

 

[Worcester]

fan coil unit to blast out hot air, - they are also called unit heaters - here's a picture:




Power supply 13 Amp socket.. (very basic just to run the pump and controls)

Myson make some so may be tap them, or a plumbers merchant, I'll put out the word on the UK plumbers forum

 

[Gavin A]

ah right, thought that might be what you meant but thought I'd best check. I assume that's an optional unit, could just be rads etc?

need to keep power requirements to a minimum really I'd think.

 

[whinmoor]

Would be interested in the Africa charity for future reference though.

PM Sent

 

[Gavin A]

change of plan, far too busy for this malarky this weekend, hopefully will head out in 2-3 weeks time.... got to prioritise bringing the work in to keep staff paid etc I guess.

 

[SolarCity]

Offer stands if you need some help. We're busy also, but I'm keen on helping out as much as I can.

 

[SibertSolar]

Fair play Gavin, can't help with any gear but if/when you're heading to the coast feel free to drop in for a cuppa....I'm just off the M20 so you'll be heading past

 

[Gavin A]

I'm now planning to head over the weekend of 23-25th to build a classroom for the onsite 'school' with solar power for lights, phone charging, IT kit etc.

Knew I'd been storing up dozens of pallets for a good reason, I just never realised it was so they could be used to build a classroom on a refugee camp.

If we have time I should also have the kit to do power and light at one other site.

Solarcity, fancy a mission that weekend?

Worcester - I'll sus out if that wood boiler is likely to be useful while I'm there and get back to you afterwards.

 

[SolarCity]

Sorry Gavin, I'm away on Friday in Portugal for 2 weeks so can't make that weekend. Wish I could help, I've wanted to do something for them for a long time.

 

[Paul.M]

23rd-25th..... I'm up for it Gavin. Building a classroom sounds like fun. PV install I can help you out with but any lights, EM light, sockets, data points that need doing I'll jump on that as well.

Because it is a classroom, please check on specs. All cables (including DC) may need running in steel conduit for example.

 

[Gavin A]

sounds good paul, re the spec, it's a classroom in a swamp built largely out of junk and pallets so I don't think standard school specs quite apply.

planning on running 24V DC lights, and panels will be in the ELV range, with something like a 150-250W inverter to serve a few sockets at a phone charging station mainly, possibly some external lights.

Have been getting some tips about french regs, but as long as it's safe I can't see there being much of an issue, though I'll leave the twin and earth behind.

 

[Paul.M]

Gavin, you failed to mention which refugee camp we a re going to. Is it "The Jungle" by any chance? Just makes it a lot more interesting and more rewarding.

 

[Gavin A]

yep, tis the jungle.

Just got a request to check out the electrics at a new warehouse the UK solidarity with Calais network have taken on for sorting and storage of aid while we're out there as well. Looks like we'll be busy

 

[Paul.M]

So it is building a class room from scratch in the Jungle and also checking out the electrics in a warehouse, all in two days! Not a problem, bring it on.

 

[Gavin A]

pretty much.

and if we get time maybe providing power and light for a communal kitchen space.

 

[Paul.M]

pretty much.

and if we get time maybe providing power and light for a communal kitchen space.

Anything is possible, I'm a Yorkshireman :rofl:


Gavin your the leader of this little weekend trip, point me to the job and I'll jump in both feet first regardless of the situation.


two points:- 1, I'll be missing the Rhinos V's New Zealand match!!!!

2, Electrical exam on Wednesday morning. Make sure I'm back by then?

 

[Gavin A]

we need to be back Sunday night at some point for other reasons, if we ain't back by wednesday then things have gone a bit awry.

 

[Worcester]

Pcking up on the workload above;

Presmably there will be lots of free semi-skilled (and maybe even skilled) resources to do most if the grunt work, so the actual requirement is to supply / co-ordinate materials and tools and design and project manage on site, rather that actually doinbg the screwing together of the pallets.

Yoi will need some good interpreters, though hopefully they would also be some of the refugees.

 

[Paul.M]

I've been doing a little bit of research of the camp from all forms of internet sources to get a good idea what I'm getting myself into. Wow I had misconceptions. Most speak English, there are translators, there are quite a lot of English teachers from different Nations, there are engineers/builders plus other skilled trades.

What is needed is building materials & tools. One of the biggest problems is the warehouse and the organisation of donated items. For example cars and vans are just turning up to the camp and dropping off whatever they have collected. One statement mentioned that a pair of red leather knee high boots were donated!!! Loads of women clothes, although only 10% of the camp are female.

 

[GMES]

I've been doing a little bit of research of the camp from all forms of internet sources to get a good idea what I'm getting myself into. Wow I had misconceptions. Most speak English, there are translators, there are quite a lot of English teachers from different Nations, there are engineers/builders plus other skilled trades.

What is needed is building materials & tools. One of the biggest problems is the warehouse and the organisation of donated items. For example cars and vans are just turning up to the camp and dropping off whatever they have collected. One statement mentioned that a pair of red leather knee high boots were donated!!! Loads of women clothes, although only 10% of the camp are female.

So that's your work shoes sorted then Paul!!!!!:wink5::wink5::wink5:

 

[Paul.M]

So that's your work shoes sorted then Paul!!!!!:wink5::wink5::wink5:

Ssshhh, you know not to talk about what we get up to on Staff nights out!!!!

 

[Paul.M]

I just have to say a massive thank you to Gavin.

He had this crazy idea of building a classroom in a refugee camp in another country, planned it, bought/recycled the materials, transported it and another two of us, organised accommodation (well, that almost worked ..... Paul to the rescue whilst on the A1 :rofl: ), Project managed the full build with (part time) volunteers from all different walks of life and we some how turned a bit of grass wasteland into a school!!!


Gavin. Your vision, drive and determination is to be admired Sir. In the course of time hundreds of children from a multitude of countries will benefit from what you dreamed of achieving instead of them learning from the God forbidden streets and pathways of a refugee camp. A safe haven and a place of learning away from the SH!T filled paths of the Jungle.


Thank you for letting me being involved in such a life changing experience. When are we doing it again?

 

[SolarCity]

Superb effort fellas.

 

[Gavin A]

Think a return visit is needed weekend of 21st Nov if anyone's interested in getting involved?

work by day, dinner and booze by night.......

 

[SolarCity]

I'd definitely be up for it. But I'd only know about a week before. Work is hectic right now and I'd not be able to commit until then.

 

[Paul.M]

If you can.... go for it Gents. I'm up for it.

Before......



During....



Afterwards...



Gavin A and two of us turned up Saturday morning, at ten O'clock it was just a bit of grass..... At 8:30pm Sunday night it became a well built shanty class room that will stand the test of the forthcoming winter.

Lets do it again. Lets take a van loaded up with materials and tools, take it to a part of Europe that no Laws or Rules apply and build something that makes a difference to children that have nothing (including a future).

If you want to do it again I'm up for it. I need to get my hammer back, left it in the camp site!

 

[Gavin A]

need to get my hammer back.... love it

Think we might be on more of a solar mission this time.

 

[Paul.M]

Gavin your famous!!!! That volunteering group made a 15 min video and have posted it up on Facebook. You get glowing praise from them by the way and even got a close up of you working! Strange watching that on video, I need to loose some weight lol.