MOST of us will have seen the picture of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, the Syrian refugee found drowned on a beach in Turkey.

The haunting image was published on the front page of several newspapers, and brought home to many the scale of the humanitarian crisis of people fleeing the war-torn country.

The photo struck a chord with Victoria Kennedy, who owns the Vintage Treasures shop in Church Street.

As we report on page six of today’s paper, the 35-year-old has made her shop a dropping off point for people wishing to donate items to migrants and refugees.

It has proved so popular that she is now looking for other drop-off points to meet demand.

Victoria plans to offer practical help to those in the camps at Calais, and the refugees on the Greek island of Kos, in the coming weeks.

Of course, the international response to the crisis needs careful consideration.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK will accept 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years, a figure well below the 500,000 a year Germany expects to accommodate.

There is plenty of debate about what to do, but whatever the outcome, it is heartening that there are people like Victoria taking practical steps to help those in need.

THE Gazette would like to wish Basingstoke Bison all the best when they open their league campaign at home to the Guildford Flames on Saturday.

Fans of The Herd have seen some strong performances in recent years, and we all hope that coach Doug Sheppard and the boys can make the town proud.