A group of women from Nottingham's Turkish community have rallied to stage a bazaar to raise funds to help the victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake. The event will take place this Saturday, February 25 in Beeston. Nearly all have lost a friend or relative in the quake, which struck the two countries on February 6,
Homemade Turkish food, including sweet and savoury pastries, and Turkish tea and coffee will be on sale, along with crafts made by the members of Nottingham Women's Group, who are behind the event at the Pearson Centre for Young People, in Nuart Road. There will also be activities for children and adults.
Second-hand clothes, toys and books will be available. One of the community's members is a physiotherapist who will be giving neck and back massages on the day in return for a donation.
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Ten cities have been affected by catastrophic earthquake, measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, which was followed by a series of aftershocks. The death toll is currently over 40,000 but event organiser Gulay Ozkan said that figure is 16 days out of date. Gulay, a PhD student in Nottingham, said a plane load of donated items such as clothes, nappies and baby food has already been sent out there.
Ferda Ozcan will be busy baking for the charity sale. A former marketing manager in Istanbul before coming to Nottingham, she said: "We are trying to do our best. We are away from them but our hearts are with them. My British friends have called me several times asking how they can help. I think this is a good opportunity for all Nottingham residents to come together and do something."
Her husband's 27-year-old cousin had died in the earthquake. Ferda said: "They saved her husband but he lost his right leg. We are just praying. Luckily their two-and-a-half-year-old son was saved. They saved many babies and children from the rubble.
"They have lost everything. Tens of thousands of earthquake victims are trying to survive in the unbearable cold. Some were placed in tents and some had to be deported to other cities.
"Most British Turks living in and around Nottingham are from the earthquake region. We have family members in Haya, Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep and Adana where the earthquake hit hardest. Almost all of us have lost a loved one or a friend. We all deeply feel the pain in our hearts.
"The aim is to reach as many people as possible in the Nottingham area. We invite all Nottingham residents, our friends, neighbours, colleagues, students and the wider community to come along."
Funds raised at the event, from 11am to 4pm, will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee, of which the British Red Cross is a member.
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