THE Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME) is partnering with Samara’s Aid Appeal to send urgently needed winter aid to Iraq, where an estimated 8.2million people need humanitarian assistance, of which 3.7 million are children.

Its Liphook-based head, Canon Andrew White, described his recent visit to northern Iraq as “the most harrowing ever”. He said: “The internally displaced people I met in the north of the country, many of them Christians, have no proper homes.

“Those considered ‘fortunate’ live in disused military trailers or in tents provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

“Food is in limited supply, provided by international non-governmental organisations and a harsh winter has already arrived.”

With sub-zero temperatures recorded , what is needed most of all are winter clothes. Samara Levy, founder of Samara’s Aid Appeal stated some 3.2 million internally displaced people are sheltering from Islamic State and the continuing conflict in northern Iraq.

“In recent weeks, temperatures have dropped as low as minus 11 degrees but despite this, children don’t even have shoes,” she said.

“Many of the Kurdistan regions of northern Iraq have also been flooded by heavy rain and tarpaulins have been used to reinforce leaking tents.

“Our partners on the ground recently visited camps and settlements and reported children were sleeping on wet, muddy floors. We are appealing to individuals as well as churches to organise urgently needed collections.”

Call Samara on 07960 937716 or visit frrme.org.