IT LOOKS like quite the haul already, but this is in fact the third van to be laden with goods by people wanting to help refugees.

Wantage residents donated more than 250 black bags full of aid to be sent to Calais at a weekend-long collection.

A dozen people donated clothes, sleeping bags, tents, ground sheets and toiletries – all to go to people fleeing war and persecution.

The two-day drop off at Wantage Health and Wellbeing Centre was organised by electricals shop manager and charity champion Ray Collins with help from other volunteers.

The Springfield Road resident said: “It’s been a fantastic response.

“We’ve had quite a few padded jackets of amazing quality – quite a few brand names, it’s surprised us all.”

Paralegal Gail Vallis, 26, helped co-ordinate the collection and is currently planning to join a large convoy of cars and vans going to Calais from Oxford in November.

But she said: “We’ll take it wherever it is needed – the situation changes in Calais every day so we’ll see if it’s needed in November .”

Miss Vallis, who grew up in Wantage and went to King Alfred’s secondary school, said she also planned to run a financial collection at some point to fund the cost of either petrol to drive to Calais or the cost of shipping the aid somewhere else .

Tesco in Faringdon donated food to the collection, TSB bank in Wantage gave some toiletries and a group from John Mason School, Abingdon, dropped off some bags on Saturday.

Andrew Chapman, from Wantage, leant a hand at the Health and Wellbeing Centre on Garston Lane.

Mr Chapman, 49, said: “I wanted to help because I’m interested in the cause – not for political reasons, just the humanitarian side.”

The group also thanked centre manager Jane Doyle for her assistance.

The Wantage collection is just the latest in a string of grass roots efforts in Oxfordshire to help Calais refugees.

Groups in Headington and Abingdon appealed over the course of last week for goods to donate to stricken families on the continent.

Headington resident Dr Carolyn Morningstar, a campaigner for the Green Party, filled her York Road front room with tents, sleeping bags, clothes and food donated by her neighbours.