The Dutch Red Cross is to concentrate all its energies on the refugee crisis and is looking for 1,000 new volunteers to help.

The organisation will continue to respond to emergencies such as environmental disasters, but other projects will be postponed.

‘We are asking our local departments to stop with other projects and to concentrate on refugee work,’ director Gijs de Vries told broadcaster Nos. ‘Projects such as exhibitions or the new clothing line we want to launch are postponed.’

The Red Cross says the refugee crisis is the biggest aid operation since the 1990s, and it is looking for 1,000 new volunteers to help in caring for the refugees.

They will work alongside the existing volunteers in providing a human face to the reception centres being set up around the Netherlands and in manning the Welcome Shops where refugees can collect their first parcels of necessities donated by local people.

The organisation is also asking schools to become involved by collecting children’s clothes and getting pupils to draw pictures for refugee children.