Bermudians have been asked to come together to support Syrian refugees by donating baby carriers.

The Facebook group “Bermuda Cares: Slings for Refugees” is urging the public to provide slings, wraps and baby carriers for the growing number of Syrian migrants seeking refuge in Europe.

A large number of refugees have poured out of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea since 2014, attempting to escape poverty, oppression and conflict. More than 600,000 migrants have applied for asylum in the European Union, particularly Germany.

Krisia Justensen, a Bermudian living in Denmark, said she first got involved after seeing media reports and Facebook posts about the refugees.

“My husband cycled through Syria not long after I met him in 2009, and the cities he visited, full of friendly, welcoming people, are now piles of rubble,” she said.

“I was horrified, but also felt helpless. Although I am in Northern Europe, and actually have some Syrian refugee families as neighbours, I didn’t feel personally connected to what was happening.

“Aside from my husband helping our neighbours acquire some clothes, toys, furniture and a computer, I felt like that was it.

“I am a member of a Facebook group of international mothers in Aarhus, the city where I live, and someone mentioned that they were starting a subgroup to see what we could do to assist refugees.”

Mrs Justensen said that one member of the group had gone on vacation to Greece and, talking to volunteers, discovered that there was a need for baby carriers.

“When she sent this message to our group, it was a given that would be what we could donate,” she said.

“We are all mothers, many of us use carriers with our kids and we know the value of being able to have a happy, comfortable child safely on your chest or back, while having both hands free for whatever else you need to do.”

Mrs Justensen said she posted about the effort on Facebook and received an immediate response. Her posts caught the attention of Mount St Agnes teacher Lexi Rego who said she felt she had to stand up and do what she could to assist the effort.

“I have been watching what has been happening on the news,” Mrs Rego said. “I was just heartbroken. I wanted to do something.

“I just had a baby myself and I wanted to donate my old carrier. I started to put it out there online on several mother groups and there were several other people who wanted to donate. I even had someone willing to donate a carrier they were still using and buy themselves a new one.

“It started with making a donation myself and it just all came crashing down and everyone wanted to help.”

Mrs Rego set up a Facebook page and is hoping to collect as many slings, wraps and baby carriers as possible before next Friday so they can be sent to Kos Kindness, a charity based on the small Greek tourist island of Kos.

Mrs Justensen said: “This is a mainly tourism-based island, with no refugee camps, large aid organisations, or anything really to support the thousands of refugees that are arriving. Our group here in Denmark will be sending to a private group in Lesvos that is in the same situation.”

So far, Mrs Rego said she has been contacted by ten people who want to donate carriers and several others who want to donate financially to pay for the shipping and help support efforts.

“I don’t know how much it is going to cost yet. Until I know exactly how many carriers we have coming in, we won’t really be sure. Even if there are extra donations, there are options where you can go on Amazon, buy supplies and have them sent directly.”

Members of the public looking to donate carriers bring them to Nest Maternity and Baby on Reid Street between 10am and 5pm.