The Bearded Broz community project and foodbank has today started sending off donations to Turkey and Syria after the devastating earthquake left hundreds of thousands displaced.
Reports now estimate the death toll to be at least 20,000, and yesterday the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) have officially launched their fundraising campaign.
The project in Smethwick, Birmingham, say they set up a drop-off zone outside their emergency foodbank after over 800 people from the community emailed or called, asking how they could donate.
Rescuers search for survivors under the rubble, following an earthquake, in rebel-held town of Jandaris, Syria
KHALIL ASHAWI
Owner of Bearded Broz, Imran Hameed, told GB News he had no hesitation to organise aid for the people affected.
He said: “We specialise in local projects, but we thought you know what let’s do it.
“It’s been really, really saddening and it’s touched people’s hearts.
“People just don’t want to sit there; they want to physically do something, and this is what they’re doing.”
He added: “We’ve had coats, blankets, trainers, baby milk, nappies […] you name it, the kitchen sink, everything!”
This isn’t the first international effort the organisation, and community in Smethwick, have got involved with. At the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the group sent more than 200 tonnes of aid to affected areas.
The UK government is sending a huge aid package with thousands of tents, blankets, and hygiene kits, as well as a UK surgical team and equipment to help address urgent medical needs.
A 77-strong UK search and rescue team has joined more than 5,000 Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) and Syrian Arab Red Crescent staff and volunteers on the ground helping to find survivors.
Back in Birmingham, Mr Hameed explained how the donations would reach Turkey.
The Bearded Broz community project and foodbank has today started sending off donations to Turkey and Syria
GB NEWS
He said: “We’re liaising with Turkish Airlines to send out some cargo and if that fails, we’ve got other people who are going to be driving lorries out there.
“So, it’s a bit of a longer-term measure, but I reckon the first load will be there in four to five days.”
With temperatures in impacted parts of Syria reaching as low as minus six celsius, the packages sent from the foodbank will help feed and keep warm some of the 24 million people estimated to have been affected.
To donate to the DEC fundraising appeal, visit: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal
