Helping victims of the Earthquake

Good morning everyone! It’s probably no surprise to anyone reading that this week we turn our attention to Southern Turkey and Northern Syria following the earthquake that at time of writing have taken 11,000 lives. Tens of thousands of others have been displaced and are in urgent need of clothing, health provisions and blankets to stay warm. Our lovely member Austin is working with a Turkish family whose relations have been affected and is working to get this much needed aid where it’s needed most.

Loads of love x

Dear Joe,

I trust this finds you well

My wife joanna, son Nate and I have spent from late afternoon, helping shrink-wrap donations from all our neighbours of warm clothing, blankets, woolly hats, gloves and children's clothes for our Turkish neighbours to take to their surviving family and friends in Hatay, Turkey, one of the locations devastated by Mondays earthquake.

The tremors caused this hospital in the city to collapse at an angle. The earthquake reduced the city's castle and the Shirvan Mosque to rubble. Survivors, particularly the elderly, have been trying to keep warm in cars since the quake struck.

Survivors have reported that it was the first time they had experienced such severe and long-lasting tremors. My neighbour told me that an aunt said the quake lasted over 88 minutes.

The husband has already reached his former home. Much of his family including a 10month old baby sadly perished when their twelve story apartment block was flattened. It’s now resembles a bungalow!

It’s been humbling to see neighbours on our estate here in Weybridge, Surrey  all pulling together, digging out donations and loading our neighbours car.

I’d like to nominate the Selli family, including a 13 year old boy and his young traumatised sister,  so they can use the donation from the glorious 500 to help those now homeless and frightened in Hatay, around 170km from the earthquake epicentre. I know they’ll be completely overwhelmed… they’ve already been humbled by everyone pulling together this evening.

Lots of love, Austin