Hidden among the tens of thousands of people who marched on Trafalgar Square this weekend you might have spotted a banner that read ‘Herts Welcomes Syrian Families’.

That group, along with district councillor Simon Grover - who is spearheading the effort to welcome Syrian families to the region - is gaining traction in the district.

Irene Austin, who is part of the steering group urging the county council to welcome refugees to the area, said the weekend’s march was “amazing”.

She went on: “The day had such a nice atmosphere. Things like this all add pressure; it won’t change policy drastically but it shows the government that there is a need to do something.

“We are urging the county council to accept a minimum of 10 families to the area and then to support 10 families when they are here. It is not a massive amount of people.”

While St Albans residents marched through central London, volunteers took to St Peter’s Street to collect signatures for a petition calling on the county council to “support the efforts of district councils and voluntary/charity groups in Hertfordshire to welcome at least 50 Syrian refugees, under the government scheme”.

Cllr Grover said he was pleasantly surprised at the support on show in the city centre this weekend.

He added: “We managed to get between 100 and 200 signatures. I was so pleased with the amount of people who came to help us get people to sign the petition – we must’ve had 20 or so throughout the day.”

To sign the petition, click here.