Ten years after French authorities dismantled the massive "Jungle" settlement, a new surge of migrants is arriving in Calais. Charitable groups are currently working to provide food and survival guides for those attempting to cross the English Channel.
A decade after the 40-acre Jungle was erased
The landscape of northern France has undergone a radical transformation since the October 2016 demolition of the Jungle. As reported by the source, the 40-acre shanty town was erased by bulldozers, ending a period of concentrated settlement that once housed families from sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East.
This destruction has led to a more fragmented and difficult-to-manage migration pattern. instead of a single, centralized camp, informal settlements are now scattered across 240 miles of French coastline, stretching from the Belgian border to the waters near Cherbourg.
The £840,000 charity network feeding 1,000 people daily
To manage this dispersed population, a network of 21 charities from Britain and France has stepped in to provide essential services. According to the report , these organizations, including L'Auberge des Migrants and Britain's Refugee Community Kitchen, are working to fill the gaps left by state policy.
Volunteers, including many unemployed Britons and students, gather near the Marcel Doret bus stop to support these humanitarian efforts. They prepare up to 1,000 hot meals every day, which are then delivered to various feeding stations via white vans.
Financial stability for these groups is a significant factor in their ability to opeate, with many charities maintaining an annual income of roughly £840,000. these funds, sourced from private donors and public money, are used to run temporary camps and living sites along the coast.
Multilingual guides and the 'SAFE TRIP 2' message
Visual markers and printed materials now define the Calais landscape as migrants navigate the region . A concrete wall at a former Second World War coastal artillery battery prominently displays the message 'SAFE TRIP 2', which can be read from a mile away.
Practical survival tools, such as the "New Arrival Guide, October 2026, Calais," are being distributed to help migrants navigate the asylum process.. These multilingual leaflets provide step-by-step instructions on contacting the British coastguard or the RNLI lifeboat service to ensure safety at sea.
The Home Office's 4,000-person waiting list
Current estimates from the Home Office suggest that nearly 4,000 migrants are waiting in the Calais and Dunkirk regions to attempt a crossing. This figure represents a significant concentration of people awaiting a window of opportunity to reach British shores.
However, several critical details regarding the scale of the crisis remain unverified.. It is currently unknown how many thousands of additional individuals are positioned further east, and it remains to be seen how many will attempt the dangerous journey via trafficker boats when the wind is expected to die down next week.
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