A Bellsmyre man who has just returned from spending a week meeting refugees at a camp close to the Syrian border has told the Reporter about some of the difficult sights he witnessed and the positive hopes he has for the refugee population in the future.

Doug Callander, 68, is a regular visitor to the Middle East after his first visit in 1973, and estimates that he has made 60 and 70 visits to the region over the last 18 to 20 years.

As part of his time there, he spent a week travelling through Lebanon with charity Embrace the Middle East, which aims to provide aid supplies and educational opportunities to Syrian refugees at a camp in the Bekaa Valley, which lies just fifty miles from the Syrian border.

Fierce fighting is still going on in the country and many of those attending the camps find themselves as innocent and vulnerable victims who were forced to flee their homes in the wake of the conflict.

For Doug, the trip opened him up to some difficult stories.

He said: "On one occasion, I found myself speaking to a woman whose mother was killed by IS and then there was another young woman at a food station who must have been the same age as my granddaughter whose house was bombed from the air.

"There are a lot of stories of death and pretty much all of the refugees knew someone who had been killed. Talking to those people is very hard, but you have to try and hold yourself together, wait until you're back in your hotel room, then have a little cry."

Doug worked as an architect for Strathclyde Regional Council and then West Dunbartonshire Council before retiring, and now has an active local role as an elder in the Rock Community Church, which meets in Dumbarton Academy.

He says that many of the refugees are trying to rebuild their lives, but face considerable problems after fleeing the fighting.

He continued: "One of the places I visited was a centre in Beirut for girls at risk as so many simply have to run and have nothing. The centre helps to keep them out of prostitution, provide them with schooling and try to provide help and hope for a normal life.

"One of the programmes ran by Embrace gives out milk and nappies for refugee mothers, many of whom are using plastic bags for nappies because they had to run and didn't have time to take any possessions with them."

However, despite the immense challenges faced by many of those in the camp, Doug said there were many positive stories and experiences from his time there.

Doug said: "I was amazed by the resilience and attitude shown by the Syrians throughout it all. There was one man close to the border who lived in a tent made of bags because he said he didn't want to look like a beggar.

"Also, there was a 14-year-old boy who spoke five languages - and was learning a sixth - acting as a translator to some of the medical schools and doctors helping out over there."

Through the Rock Community Church, Doug also supports refugees from home, with four of the church's monthly donations per year going to support Embrace's work in the Bekaa camp, and across the Middle East.

He said: "I help out because I love the people and the food. In spite of the bad news, it's good to be part of some good news and stories.

"It's a part of the world I enjoy being in, with wonderful people of different backgrounds."