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Volunteers are at the heart of the Winter Action

23 November 2020

Every year when the cold weather arrives, the Winter Action (or “Wanteraktioun” – WAK in luxembourgish) project comes to the aid of the most vulnerable people in our society. Andre Soares, who coordinates the activities of the Luxembourg Red Cross at the Findel answered three questions to tell us what this project that was launched last week for the winter of 2020, is all about.

– How does Winter Action work?

The Luxembourg Red Cross together with Caritas and Inter-Actions team up to organise and ensure that Winter Action runs smoothly. This initiative, funded by the Ministry for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, helps the most vulnerable in our society when temperatures fall. The aim is to meet their basic needs: food, clothing, a little rest, support and a listening ear.

This year Winter Action is taking place from 16 November 2020 to 31 March 2021 at the Findel. The Red Cross is providing a daytime welcome shelter; offering hot meals and a place to “recharge batteries”. We have also set up a changing room to cover clothing needs. Caritas takes over in the evening and offers night-time accommodation for homeless people. Doors opened last Monday and we can welcome about a hundred people each day.

– What is the role of the volunteers?

Volunteers are essential to the Winter Action initiative. This year nearly 50 people have signed up to work alongside the Red Cross to help with meal service and tidying up. In addition to this help, they also offer a listening ear to the beneficiaries, kindness and friendliness. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart.

Some of them come back every year to help us. It’s great to be able to count on such support. Our volunteers were by our side when we launched Winter Action at the beginning of 2020, to meet the exceptional needs of homeless people during the first wave of the Covid-19 epidemic. We made our volunteers aware of social distancing measures and some of them have now taken the baton and are raising awareness amongst homeless people. Our actions benefit from the multiplier effect of our volunteers.

– What has changed for 2020?

We have had to adapt our activities because of the coronavirus epidemic this year. To begin with, we have grouped the day and night shelters on a single site at the Findel. We have of course trained staff and volunteers, and we have been providing accommodation for symptomatic people who need to be tested to self-isolate since 20 April 2020. We have also increased the number of distribution points for hydroalcoholic gel.

Furthermore, we have adapted our meal service hours, extending them to three o’clock in the afternoon. This type of measure makes it possible to manage the flow of visitors and ensure physical distancing between beneficiaries. Finally, this year’s edition of Winter Action was launched earlier than usual, on 16 November, to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable during the second wave of the epidemic.