Afghan Newbury sweet shop worker helps Afghan refugees

A Newbury shop worker who donated bags of sweets to Afghan refugees in the town has told how he only just got his family out of Kabul.

Sharif Anwari, from Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe on Northbrook Street, answered the call to help the people being put up in hotels in town.

Then he revealed that his wife and three children had only just got to the UK.

“I have lived here in the UK for 20 years and because the Taliban are now in Afghanistan I wanted to bring my family here," said Mr Anwari. "I can see how everybody is scared there and I called the Home Office to see what they could do.

“They said I can bring my family here. I am very happy. I don’t know what to say. Just very happy. They live with me in Reading now, and came over three weeks ago.”

As Mr Anwari pulled his family from Kabul, more than 100 refugees were given temporary accommodation at two hotels in Newbury.

He gave them big bags sweets and chocolate, as well as gobstopper-sized lollipops.

“It was nice to help them," he added. "If we see them again, they can have more!”