First Aid Support Team - FAST

As I watch the May 7th election results coverage, it is challenging to see the politics of division in manifestation.

As an antidote, I want to tell you about some people I met in Calais. These 5 memories have stuck in my mind as they humanize these individuals.

To Glasgow- Attending a site, we spoke to an Eritrean man who had just returned from a failed crossing. He had been at sea for 13 hours in a dinghy. He enquired where we were from. Smiling, he said “I will see you in Glasgow.” It transpired his mum and brother lived in Glasgow, my home city.

A prayer- Over three visits to our biggest site, I witnessed a man quietly retreat to a tree nearby. He would retrieve the same piece of cardboard out of the tree, using it as a prayer mat. Like many in times of distress, prayer can sustain us, offering solace and comfort.

The bracelet- I dressed a wound for a young Sudanese teenager, sustained after falling from a lorry. I noticed he had a bracelet with a heart charm, inscribed with ‘MUM’. He told me his mum had a similar bracelet, her half of the heart inscribed with ‘SON’.

Glasses- A man had lost his glasses and was complaining of headaches. We managed to source him some glasses. In hindsight, we likely didn’t have the correct prescription and he squinted trying them on! Yet, the man graciously accepted, saying the glasses were perfect.

Memorial- Following further fatalities in the Channel, we attended a memorial in Calais town centre. A large scroll was rolled out which has documented those who have died attempting to cross the Channel, since 1999. New names and their ages are added with every fatality.

Most were teenage or young men.

Some were babies.

Multiple are unidentified and symbolised with an ‘X’.

- From a recent volunteer

“On our second day volunteering, we met a young guy at one of the sites who said very little.
Not because of language or nervousness but because he couldn’t move his mouth for pain.
I asked to inspect his teeth. He could barely open his mouth but I was able to see a very large abscess from a broken back tooth that was clearly infected. His left cheek was swollen and pain was radiating down to his throat and up to his ear.

I explained we could give basic treatment like a clean toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, antiseptic wash and clove oil rub for the tooth itself to provide some pain relief but that he urgently needed to see a dentist for an extraction/antibiotics.
He was willing to try anything and nodded, following our advice.

The problem is, dentists only offer services a few days each month. We did not know when the next clinic at the hospital would be.

He came back to us the next day.
Again, we urged him to go to the hospital clinic for antibiotics but he was very reluctant. He was just 16 years old and had traveled alone all the way from Sudan.
He also didn’t want to miss an opportunity to cross, the thought of real safety was more of a priority than a serious infection.

Later in the afternoon he came back to see me. He had been to the clinic but he had only been prescribed painkillers- no antibiotics.
The dentist wasn’t there and we still didn’t have a date for their next clinic.

This plays reflections onto the nature of displacement.

Not knowing what tomorrow or the next will bring, where you will be, or what you will be facing.
Over the coming days we saw this young person again and again.
We built a rapport and laughed about my terrible Arabic pronunciation, or a joke about football. Just normal human conversation that meant this boy, felt just like that, a boy and not a displaced person.

His pain got a lot better and his swelling reduced. We later got confirmation of the next dentist date and on my last day volunteering he attended the clinic and was able to see the dentist.”
- A reflection from a recent volunteer

If you are interested in volunteering with us please send us a message 💙

Our Board member Jackie has just come back from visiting the FAST team in the field.
“Visiting the team in France this week was both humbling and inspiring. Working clinically alongside our volunteers reminded me of the realities faced by people on the move, and the vital role FAST plays in meeting their most basic health needs.

Mike, our Field Coordinator, exemplifies compassionate and values-driven care. He ensures people receive essential treatment and, just as importantly, dignity and respect. His work, alongside the dedication of the wider volunteer team, highlights what can be achieved even in the most challenging circumstances.

What remains deeply troubling is the environment in which this care is delivered. People continue to live in squalid, unstable conditions, shaped by a persistently hostile context that undermines both physical and mental wellbeing. These are not short-term hardships, but ongoing realities.

Being there reinforced for me the importance of both action and advocacy. The commitment of Mike and the volunteers is remarkable—but so too is the need for this work to exist at all.”
-Jackie

A massive Thank You to our wonderful volunteers who came to Calais with a car filled with healthcare supplies and raised £1000 for us!
We are so grateful to all our supporters, followers and volunteers 💙
Did you know FAST is a small grass roots charity and relies on donations and funders for all of our work.
Want to get involved? Send us a message📩

As I move into April, my second of three months (it moves fast!) as field Coordinator, there is a theme that keeps me going.
It is this community of displaced people. Who travel this earth, simply, to seek a better life. They deserve more.

What FAST offers on paper seems can seem quite bare.
But in reality, I see our daily service giving people hope and some comfort.
My days so far have been cold and wet with howling winds.
At times, they feel chaotic but they never pass without satisfaction at the end of the day.

My next group of medical volunteers have arrived and I am supporting them transition. No one comes not ready to help.
I simply have to give them a bit of light to where they are going and how to get there. Without exception, they teach me more than I hope to teach them.
As do the people we support every day.
-Mike, current Field Coordinator

Want to join us? Please send us a message 💙

Greetings from Mike, the new F.A.S.T. Coordinator in Calais!
“Alongside my career as a Surgeon my humanitarian work has been varied but persistent, including trips to Honduras, India, Puerto Rico and most recently, Gaza. I have a life long interest in wound care and limb preservation.
I enjoy supporting health professionals at the beginning of their humanitarian journey. My best trips have been a combination of teaching, clinical, and administrative work.
I completed my public health degree mid career with an emphasis on humanitarian issues and crisis management.
Now at FAST, it has been a busy few weeks on the job. Thanks to Lissa for the handover and my volunteer team!
Working with the displaced population in need is an honor. I hope to serve them well.
The weather has been all over the place. The days have been super busy and then quiet with no clear rhythm yet.
I will keep updates coming.”

-Mike, Field Coordinator
Come and join Mike and his team by volunteering!

Our 2025 Annual Report has been published and it tells a story of urgency and resilience.

This has been FAST’s busiest year yet. We provided treatment 44,000 times.
44,000 acts of care, compassion and dignity in the face of growing hostility.

In Calais and across Europe, refugees continue to endure violence, exclusion and impossible conditions.

We wish this work wasn’t needed.
We wish people were met with safety instead of suspicion.
As borders harden and hostility rises, we stand firm.
We will keep showing up, speaking out, and providing aid for as long as people need it.

We dedicate this report to the people we are proud to support.

A massive thank you to our funders and those who have made donations to help fund our work. We simply wouldn’t be able to operate without your support.

We would also like to share our thanks to our dedicated volunteers. The time and skill you offer is vital in achieving our aims of providing first aid that is consistent, evidence based and kind.

Thank you also , to the other wonderful charities and organisations that work alongside us in Calais and Dunkirk.

Together we all help make a difference.
Stand with us. Read the report. 🤍
Link to report:https://www.f-a-s-t.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Annual-report-2025_FINAL.pdf

This week, in freezing temperatures, wind and relentless rain, small camps were evicted once again. Police operations were timed alongside NGO visits — blocking access to healthcare and legal advice for people already living in impossible conditions.

You can still see fires burning where people fled in a hurry. Tents are torn down, ground churned up and the flora which acts as a wind breaker cleared. Belongings left scattered.

Lives disrupted in minutes.

Harsh weather is one thing.
Border violence is another.

No one seeking safety should be cut off from medical care and legal support.
FAST ran its clinic despite the evictions. Our team also hung their food in trees to save it until people can return and to reduce pests. We also left hygiene products to prevent illness.

We will keep showing up.
Join us.

FAST are hiring a Field Coordinator to lead our healthcare service for displaced people in Calais and Dunkirk for a minimum of 3 months starting: Middle of MAY 2026.

This is a voluntary position with a contribution of €600 a month towards living expenses.

The role includes:
-working first aid shifts, acting as a contact point for volunteers focusing on coordination, managing schedules and managing first aid supplies, liaising with other NGOs, running first aid training and running clinics.
-You will be supported by an experienced remote team of health professionals.
-Training and a handover will be provided.

You must be a registered Nurse, Doctor or Paramedic to apply to this role.

We welcome applicants of mixed experience and clinical backgrounds. You do not need to have previous humanitarian work experience.
An understanding of the humanitarian crisis in Northern France is desirable but training will be provided.

-Please message us any questions and share with any Health Professionals you think might be interested!
-We can be somewhat flexible with dates so if this is something you are considering please message us.

For more information and to apply, please email your CV to: [email protected]

As Ramadan begins, the FAST team have been out sharing miswak with our community during our first aid clinics🤍
Did you know? Miswak is a natural toothbrush derived from the Salvadora Persica tree. It’s a popular method of cleaning teeth across the world but is often seen as part of traditions in some Islamic communities.
It’s environmentally friendly, natural and as effective as the plastic toothbrush.
Research has also found it to have antibacterial properties and reduce the presence of plaque!

Distributing Miswak is small but meaningful gift to support wellbeing during this holy month.

Ramadan Mubarak from all of us at FAST🌙✨

We are so excited to release our first ever FAST merchandise… just in time for Valentines Day 💙

The designs featured have all been carefully created by some of our wonderful volunteers.

By purchasing FAST merch, you directly support medical care for people on the move in Calais and Dunkirk.

100% of the proceeds fund our first aid work.

Why FAST merch?
FAST is a fully volunteer-run organisation. Our merch helps us fund essential medical supplies, hygiene items, and the daily work of our volunteers in Northern France.

When you buy from our shop:
• you wear a statement of solidarity
• you help us provide first aid six days a week

Your purchase directly contributes to medical care for people on the move!

Check out the link to our website to place your order

https://www.f-a-s-t.eu/fast-merch/

💙

Take a picture of you in your merch and tag us- we’d love to see you in our collection!