05/06/2026
“Simon, what you have helped build within the Care4Calais Liverpool group is truly outstanding, you have helped create a welcoming, supportive community that has made a real difference to so many lives. The impact of your leadership continues to inspire us all.”
After five years, our lead in Liverpool, Simon, is stepping back - and as our Field Operations Manager for the Region, Bex, outlines we are going to miss him!
As he steps back, we couldn’t not have a conversation with Simon about the last five years, both the highs and lows.
And there is no better time to have that conversation than during Volunteers’ Week, when we are celebrating all that our volunteers like Simon do for people seeking safety.
Going back to when it all started, Simon reflected on a period of personal change.
“My wife got ill and I had been working in a litigation role for years and I had a moment where I thought; “What the f**k am I doing?”. I quit that job that I had come to hate, moved into an education role and committed to volunteering.”
Having spent a few years collecting donations from various collection points for Care4Calais, we were the obvious choice.
“I officially joined in summer 2021, and by early 2022, Kelly, the Head of Field Operations, had me signing up as Liverpool area lead!
“Everyone who has met Kelly will know she has that power of persuasion. But she really was a mentor to me, and I am forever grateful to her.”
As Liverpool lead, Simon says he built the group's work around four key cornerstones - 1) distributing material aid like clothing; 2) Befriending; 3) Wellbeing support; 4) Organised drop-ins and activities.
“When I signed up, I knew I would be busy with handing out aid, organising drop-ins, doing befriending and wellbeing work. What I didn’t expect was to be jumping out a plane to raise funds for the legal challenge against Rwanda. As someone with a fear of heights, that was a challenge.”
Simon raised well over £1,000 towards the fight against the Tories’ Rwanda plan.
Whilst we spent time reminiscing about all the highs, there was no avoiding the biggest of lows - the riot in Knowsley.
Simon told us he had headed to a counter protest against a demonstration that had been organised with support from well-known far-right groups. He didn’t expect the evening to turn out as it did.
“We turned up to counter the far-right, and ended up kettled in a carpark, with fireworks fired towards us, and burning police vans as people rioted.
“It really shook us. I recognise it wasn’t the first time there’s been far-right violence, but it was new for Liverpool.
“It was a scary experience, and one I have spoken about at many events since, organised by trade unions and groups like Stand up to Racism.
“But whilst that was my experience of the riots in Knowsley, what was more important was the experience of those living in that hotel.
“The next day, we returned. To show solidarity, to create connections and just remind them that people do care about them. The juice and sweet treats helped with that.”
“You can imagine the atmosphere inside the hotel was one of real fear.
“Many of the residents had risked their lives to reach safety in the UK, but here they were, in Liverpool, with a riot on their door. It was shocking.”
Knowsley was hard. But Simon wanted to emphasise how positive his experience with Care4Calais has been.
“Over the years I have received so many messages from people who I might never meet again, people thanking us for the support we’ve given them as they set out on the next stages of their lives. My wife and I have shared so many tearful moments reading kind messages from the people we’ve met - it’s incredibly touching.
“But as I take a step back, for now, I have every confidence in the Care4Calais Liverpool team. The best part of being involved with Care4Calais is absolutely the extraordinary people I’ve met. They give you a lift, even in the hardest of moments.
“We’re a team that has built a capacity to say yes, even when it would be easier to say no. And by saying yes, we are giving the community we support the confidence to be themselves, to leave their accommodation and be part of the community.
“Being part of Care4Calais changed me.
“It’s the happiest I’ve ever been.
“As I step back, I do so knowing that Care4Calais is still there to support the community - I hope people like you join them.”
From all at Care4Calais - thank you Simon!
And thanks to all our wonderful volunteers this Volunteers’ Week, who like Simon, make a world of difference to people seeking sanctuary.
You can join the team and become a Care4Calais volunteer here - https://care4calais.org/get-involved/
