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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be concerned about school trip and the chaos at Calais?

22 replies

pigsmightfly123 · 01/09/2015 12:20

Just that really. Have NC as don't want to out myself.

Y6 child due to go to france for a week at the end of this month with the school. Thats a big enough thing, for me, as I worry. But all the chaos around Calais/the tunnel, the strikes etc, the swarms of migrants in the queueing traffic, the riot police etc.

Does anyone know whether there is any advice to schools etc to change the port they were planning on using? DDs secondary school got held up because of the strikes earlier in the summer and they had to find emergency accomodation for a coachful and were over 24 hours later home, but I can't help thinking its somehow worse for primary ages?

OP posts:

CheddarGorgeous · 01/09/2015 12:22

They will be fine. It's not a war zone. DSS went through a week ago and saw nothing.

Original poster

pigsmightfly123 · 01/09/2015 12:24

see, thats what I need to hear, I want to hear from millions of MNers who have done that trip this summer with absolutely no trouble!

OP posts:

magimedi · 01/09/2015 12:26

It is not a war zone - Exactly.

And the migrants aren't 'swarms' but very worried & distressed individuals for the most part.

LooseSeal · 01/09/2015 12:28

DH does the tunnel often for work, and we did it a few weeks ago as a family for our holiday. There were excatly zero problems when we went on holiday, straight on the train both going and coming. DH has been held up a couple of times, but we are talking delays of 45-60 mins, nothing major.

There really aren't swarms of migrants and riot police, dont worry, your DC will be quite safe.

Asheth · 01/09/2015 12:29

We took ferry to Calais this summer. Boat was just 15 minutes late leaving and this was because of the weather not strikes or migrants. No problems at the other end. Got quickly on with our journey without even a passport check!

Came back via the tunnel. Again no problems. Train left roughly on time and not a migrant in sight!

Original poster

pigsmightfly123 · 01/09/2015 12:32

oh god I just realsied I used the word swarm which got David Cameron in so much trouble!! oops! I meant crowds, thats all.

I do feel for all those caught up in it, I do really. I know many of them are fleeing from horrors we cannot comprehend. I just not sure I want my child to see it all first hand. Also don't want them or me have the upset of a potential unexpected extra night stuck somewhere on the way home.

OP posts:

Mistigri · 01/09/2015 12:37

Yesterday's issues were nothing to do with migrants.

I wouldn't worry - there is of course potentially a risk of a ferry delay (though to put this in context, delays can happen with any mode of transport), but when I was in the area last month visiting a friend who lives and works nearby there was no sense of danger at all.

I hope your son has a great trip :)

Egosumquisum · 01/09/2015 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

5Foot5 · 01/09/2015 12:45

Are they going ferry or tunnel? We went Dover/Calais and back by ferry last week and there was no problem whatsoever.

MiddleAgedandConfused · 01/09/2015 12:49

We went through a few weeks ago - delays but no real problems.

Jinglebells99 · 01/09/2015 12:54

My dd went with the school in June to Paris. The day she went was the day taxi drivers were rioting in Paris and had blocked all ring roads and routes to euro tunnel! I checked the news as i hadn't had a arrival text and was so worried, but their journey was only delayed by a bit and on the way back they changed their journey and used the ferry instead. My friend's dd's trip (different school) a week later though was cancelled though but that was due to a strike.

EmmaGellerGreen · 01/09/2015 13:07

We came though Calais in August. We saw a fleeting glimpse of 3 migrants on the side of the motorway but if I hadn't known they were migrants I wouldn't have guessed. You do drive past the camp which isn't pleasant and the high fences between the motorway and camps made me feel very uncomfortable. But we were past it in a matter of minutes and I could easily have seen nothing by choosing not to look. No violence, queues, police etc.

jamdonut · 01/09/2015 13:11

Do you really think a year 6 child would be upset by an unexpected extra night? I would think most of them would find the prospect exciting and a bit of an adventure? A bit worrying and annoying for parents, but at least it's a school party, so they're being taken care of. The teachers with them will be in contact with the school constantly, I'm sure it will bigger headache for them.

Original poster

pigsmightfly123 · 01/09/2015 14:11

thanks for the reassurance. Hopefully it will all go smoothly. I do think most Y6s would be unsettled by an unexpected extra night, having to find somewhere in a hurry would also be stressful for the staff I am well aware, then theres extra meals to be found etc. I certainly don't envy them at all.

I did genuinly wonder if advice to school parties might be to avoid Calais if possible, just like our LEA banned trips to London for a while after the bombings. (I know of a school who were en route on the day and were phoned and came back again!)

OP posts:

Shouldof · 01/09/2015 14:16

Husband and 9 year old Son went through Calais on ferry on Sunday no problem, didn't see anything of note, no delays.

High.

Branleuse · 01/09/2015 14:26

its fine. There werent even any delays when we used it a couple of weeks ago. It was worse at the beginning of july, but there arent any swarms or chaos at calais in anything like the way the media would have you believe.

teeththief · 01/09/2015 14:31

We did the tunnel a couple of weeks ago and only saw 2 armed police on the top of a hill. We didn't see the camps and weren't held up at all.

If I hadn't been myself I would be worried like you OP. I wouldn't hesitate in sending my 10 year old now I've seen if for myself though

Mistigri · 01/09/2015 14:32

The DFDS industrial dispute has apparently been settled as of today so there is no particular reason to expect delays.

Tulipblank · 01/09/2015 15:56

We did the tunnel end of July in the midst of all the hype. Absolutely no problems. The main issues are, I think, around the freight tunnel, which is a completely different tunnel to the tourist tunnel.

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 01/09/2015 17:11

DC did the tunnel recently with no problems whatsoever.

The migrants aren't swarming, though, they're trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. HTH

Heehawheehawheehaw · 01/09/2015 18:01

There will be extra security at the moment so it's probably the best time to travel

Normandy144 · 01/09/2015 21:06

We travelled back on Saturday afternoon. There were zero problems, no traffic. I saw no evidence whatsoever of any trouble. I did see two people who looked like they were mostly likely migrants walking along side the road, but if I hadn't known about the issues, I wouldn't have even registered them. It couldn't have been further from the pictures the papers have painted. They of course don't bother to report now that the situation is under control.

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