Freemasons in Durham have contributed to a £60,000 grant which will support victims of the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey - which has so far claimed more than 19,000 lives.
The donation comes from the Masonic Charitable Foundation and will go to the British Red Cross, UNICEF and the UN High Commission on Refugees - who are leading the relief effort on the ground. This comes after the earthquake which hit 7.8 on the Richter scale.
The quake devastated large areas of south west Turkey and northern Syria. As is stands, many survivors are living in dire conditions, sleeping in the open in sub-zero temperatures where snow is falling.
