Fundraiser for refugee charity at risk of closure

Refugease runs shops in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Uxbridge

A refugee charity based in Kent is appealing for funds to save it from closure.

Refugease, based in Tunbridge Wells, was launched in 2015 to collect and distribute aid to conflict zones across Europe and beyond.

Founders say the charity is in "financial crisis" as a result of the increases in the cost of living and "donor fatigue".

It has launched a fundraising campaign to raise £48,000 so it can continue its work across Syria, eastern Ukraine and Gaza.

In a post on its fundraising page, the charity says: "Since the cost of living crisis has escalated, and new wars and natural disasters spring up more regularly, this has understandably resulted in donor fatigue.

"People have much less disposable income so our charity shop income has also reduced dramatically, which previously provided the backbone of our income."

The charity runs shops in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Uxbridge selling vintage goods to raise money for its cause.

Valentina Osbourn, Refugease founder, said: "For the last almost a decade Refugease has been my life - waking or sleeping. It would be devastating if the charity were to fold."

Refugease founder Valentina Osbourn, pictured on an aid trip to Syria (centre), said it would be "devastating" if the charity were to fold

Ms Osbourn continued: "In order to keep operating as we were, we need to find other sustainable reliable ways to make money, otherwise we face administration in four months.

"We’re just not making ends meet. We will, with all the cuts we've recently made, but we need to bridge that gap."

Refugease says it focuses its aid work in conflict zones where "other charities do not operate"

The aid organisation began as a direct result of the death of two-year-old Alan Kurdi from Syria, who drowned and washed up on a Turkish beach in 2015.

Refugease added that it was "itching to get back to serving the world's most vulnerable people".

So far it has raised just over £2,500 towards its target and thanked the Kent and Tunbridge Wells community for supporting its cause almost single-handedly since 2015.

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