As many of you may or may not have seen on my previous trip we smashed our target and touched £5000 + in donations, we made a huge difference to families, widows and children living in the city of Adana and living on the Syrian border town Reyhanli. (Previous fundraising: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/billalm)

You can see pictures from our previous trip here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B3QTTpbLrU0xenlHZlBOaGwweVk

Many believe that the war in Syria is over, but this is far from true and with the continuous waring of internal and external forces within Syria those who suffer the most from the fall out are children and families. As ISIS (Daesh) loosens it grip in Syria, they turn to more violent tactics against civilians. Additionally, the battle between the Syrian regime and the Syrian rebels continues to intensify in largely civilian populated areas.

You can see a live map here of the current situation in Syria; http://syria.liveuamap.com/

From my last experience I learned that these people are not just refugees, they are ordinary people like you and I, they have no wish to 'flood our borders' they want to return home, be back in their homes and with their families. Until it is safe for them to return it is not only our human responsibility, but the responsibility of us to pick up the pieces where our own governments have failed these people.

On my first trip, we arrived in the beginning of summer, the month of Ramadan (fasting) had set in and many were staying in the shelter that they had. Now winter has set in and this opens up a whole new set of elements for these refugees to battle with. Some are lucky enough to have sponsored accommodation or have a member of family who is able to work gritty jobs to provide just a little for their family, others are living in the below conditions and when its winter, these reigions of Turkey can get below 0 and inclusive of snow and heavy downpours;

This time our goal is to go back and provide more long term aid to create sustainability for these families, so we can get them off this destructive and never ending cycle of 'short term aid'. This will include providing material resources such as sowing machines and other such related items to create employment, financial stability and the chance to rebuild their lives.

Secondly, we want to get more children and families, including orphans out of tents and run down sheds and into proper housing.

Finally, there will be a slight empathise on short term aid such as financial donations, toys, food and clothing aid. However, this will be far more focused, now with a better personal scope of the situation I believe I am far more experienced to make these decisions. Such donations now will also include paying salaries for Syrian teachers who have not been paid in over 6 months at orphanages which sit on the Turkey/Syria border.

There is also a temporary rehabilitation/medical centre that we would like to invest some money into and get it built up so it is fit for cause treating young men and women with severe injuries due to airstrikes and landmines.

One big thing I have realised and want to pass on to you all is how useless large charities can be, the situation in these towns is dire, dark and sub-human. There is a non-existent presence of large charities including the UN. Going forward myself and friends will be focused on smaller charities who are on the ground and make a real life changing impact.

Let's show them that it's not just the charity and a handful of people who care but there are many of us that do, with big hearts, open arms and generous pockets.

It was not long ago that I asked for you guys to give and now I am here asking again, many of us are not rich, but every penny makes a real difference. Previously 3,000 pounds was raised by 74 people that makes an average of £40.00 per person, in reality its not a long, but at the same time that £40.00 makes such a difference it is truly unbelievable. Share this with your friends and family and lets smash this and do some real good again!

I am to travel during December, this may be delayed to January but I will keep you all posted. I am transparent with the money raised and any donations given out so please feel free to ask me about these.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.