LOCAL efforts to pave the way for the possible arrival of refugees in South Brent have received the backing of parish councillors.

At Monday’s meeting of the village’s full parish council, resident Penny Wainwright reported on the activities of a small group of locals that had run a successful breakfast cafe.

The event raised £1,630, of which 25 per cent portions would be used to buy clothes and to to the British Red Cross, while the remaining 50 per cent would be given to the Boat Refugee Foundation.

Penny said she and her colleagues had also distributed a questionnaire to find out what kind of help ­villagers might be able to offer refugees. Responses had included several families prepared to offer accommodation along with many others who could provide food, clothing and financial support.

Other residents said they could provide services such as English teaching, transport, help with form-filling and even trauma counselling.

Penny spoke of the depth of local support in the ‘wonderful, caring community’ of South Brent and said there was a strong feeling that ­villagers would like to offer their support.

Responding, Cllr Richard Fone said: ‘Brent has got a big heart – we know that. The question now is how to translate that goodwill into action.’

Cllr Sue Gaskin praised the ­questionnaire and suggested that other local groups should be involved to find out what kind of help people could offer. Council chairman Cllr Greg Wall also noted that a considerable amount of money had been collected through the church for the refugee appeal.

South Hams Council chairman Cllr Ian Bramble said he had been ‘impressed, not to mention moved, by the response from parishes’. He said the district council was waiting for the lead from the Government, but that parish initiatives would inform what action was taken.

Penny stressed the importance of the parish council ‘taking ownership’ of the information that had been gathered and getting behind the campaign to help refugees.

She asked for the item to remain on the agenda and won support from Cllrs Fone and Heidi Rice, who said the breakfast cafe had been a vibrant event and that the parish council should be a part of the ­movement to help refugees.

At a meeting of South Hams Council’s executive committee ­earlier in September, Green Party candidate Dr John Green asked if the council would encourage families and second-home owners to house refugees, identify other ways to help and welcome them to the area.

Responding, council leader Cllr John Tucker said: ‘South Hams Council is deeply moved by the refugee crisis and we are following events closely. We fully understand that people in our communities want to do all they can to support them.

‘As far as the current situation stands, we are awaiting further information from central government about the role the district council can perform in this process.’