WEST Somerset communities are opening their hearts and offering their homes in response to what has been dubbed the worst refugee crisis for decades.
As hundreds of thousands of people flee from countries torn by conflict and poverty, dozens of people across the district have joined forces to launch Refugee Action Group West Somerset.
Its three objectives will focus on fundraising, raising awareness and offering refuge locally.
And the group is urging supporters to write to local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger to call on the British Government to do more than its recent agreement to take 20,000 people from refugee camps over the next five years.
Carl Smethurst from Watchet said the idea of the group had grown from conversations between friends as distressing images of the crisis began to emerge.
An initial meeting attracted 60 people and from this a core working group has been created to co-ordinate different strands of the campaign and appeal.
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