Increasing numbers of charities, councils and businesses in east Kent are rallying to support Afghans fleeing the Taliban,

Thousands of refugees are being flown out of the country after the hardline Islamists took complete control of Afghanistan on Sunday.

The British government has pledged to taken in 20,000 over the next five years, 5,000 in the first year.

Local organisations are offering them accommodation, support for those already heal or appealing for the public to help,

Deal Save the Children is asking for people to support the charity's national appeal.

It says that youngsters were suffering even before the Taliban took power because of continual conflict, drought and and fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

It explains that now even more children are going hungry and thousands more are living outside in the open without food or medical care.

"Children who don't have access to education, health or protection services risk being recruited by armed groups." Sarah Spong, Deal Save the Children

Millions are struggling to access enough food across the country and nearly half of all children under five need life-saving treatment for acute malnutrition.

Deal branch chairman Sarah Spong said: "Teams from Save the Children have been providing lifesaving health, education protection, nutrition and livelihoods services to help children and communities across Afghanistan."

"We have seen repeatedly that children who don’t have access to education, health or protection services in a conflict are at a higher risk of being wounded or killed forced into child labour, displaced or recruited by armed groups."

To support the Save the Children appeal visit the website savethechildren.org.uk or telephone 020 7012 640.

A spokesman for Migrant Help in Dover said: "Supporting those who have been forcibly displaced has been always been at the very heart of our work.

"As such, we welcome the Government’s announcement to resettle up to 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan here in the UK. As with the Syrian resettlement scheme, we’re prepared to offer support and advice to those who need it."

Kent Refugee Action Network, based in Canterbury, is encouraging people to offer rooms in their homes for refugees after registering with the specialist organisations Refugees at Home and Rooms for Refugees.

KRAN spokesman Bridget Chapman said the group was otherwise mainly supporting 100-plus young Afghans already living locally.

She said: "All of them have friends and family in the country and they are desperately worried.

"We are working hard to keep their minds off the situation with activities such as sport and art, and we are looking at how we secure funding to support their mental health and well being at this difficult time.

"We know that no one leaves their home without good cause and we are extremely sad that the recent events in Afghanistan will displace even more people.

"However we know from experience how willing the Kent community are to step up to offer hospitality."

The Abbots Barton Hotel in Canterbury is to take on more than 1000 refugees.

The Home Office has sought its help for the temporary settlement of men, women and children who have fled the troubled country.

The business' owners, Best Western, is working with the Home Office to provide rooms and facilities exclusively for refugees.

Meanwhile Canterbury City Council says it is working with the private sector to find available accommodation.

One of the first Kent local authorities to announce it would help was Ashford Borough Council.

Leader Gerry Clarkson announced on Tuesday that it had already approached the Home Office to offer help.

He said the council was likely to take in about 10 families a year, a similar number to those it had done for Syrian refugees over a five-year programme from 2015.

A spokesman for Dover District Council told Kent Online: “We have participated in previous resettlement schemes, including supporting Syrian refugees.

"We await further guidance from the Government on their plans for supporting refugees from Afghanistan.”

Read more: All the latest news from Deal.