A donation drop-off centre for Afghan refugees is open at Redbridge Town Hall. The centre, organised in partnership between Redbridge Council and the local voluntary centre, will be open for donations on Mondays and Thursdays between 10am and 4pm. For those wishing to support refugees, the centre is requesting good quality donations of specific items including pushchairs, baby baths, new baby bottles, sterilising units and tablets and suitcases. Clothes are not required.

Redbridge Council leader Cllr Jas Athwal said: “Redbridge has a long history of welcoming people from all over the world who have made our borough their home. The centre will be staffed by volunteers from Ilford Salvation Army. Donations will be collected and taken to a distribution centre in Havering to be sorted and shared with refugee families arriving across north east London.