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Seyhmus Ozdemir, originally from Turkey and owns the Acapella Bar lost 6 family members in the disaster, including his younger brother, and it would have been easier to close the bar, but he has battled on to use it as a centre for people to donate clothes etc. There is still plenty of space and the bar will be open as usual as well
Seyhmus and myself (Mark – Editor of The Hockley Flyer met around 2006 and have been friends ever since) want to fill the Acapella Bar with clothes ready for the people in the Earthquake zones, and is planned to start transporting this Monday.
The first Earthquake struck around Monday 6th Feb at around 4.00am in Turkey and Syria with a magnitude of 7.8, and to quote one survivor, “I was woken by being violently shaken in bed and heard the walls cracking and rubble falling, I managed to grab some clothing and got my family out only to watch my home collapse. First thing after the shock was, I realised how cold it was.”
A second earthquake struck some 9 hours later with a magnitude of 7.5 both earthquakes causing nearly 44,000* deaths, and over 108,000* people injured, along with over 4,000 aftershocks and more expected for quite a while since the initial quakes on Monday (6th Feb).
Temperatures in Turkey are close to freezing point in the day and colder at night. Most people in the 10 provinces affected, covering a huge area are living in their cars, if their lucky. Others are having to make shelters out of scraps of anything they can find.
To quote a survivor again, he says, “those that survived the earthquake won’t die of hunger as aid seems to be getting through, as is water, but we are at risk of dying from the severe cold.” It is mid-winter in Turkey/Syria, and one province is also experiencing heavy snowfall, with little prospect of warmer weather on the horizon. In this region the rescue workers hands are so cold they are almost unable to use them in the rescue efforts!
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So far donations of clothing have been coming in very quickly, including a huge amount from the staff from two local Birmingham Hospitals, (City Hospital and Sandwell Hospital), who raised £300 at very short notice and went on a shopping spree for clothes to go with other donations, this is from underpaid and overworked staff from hospitals who even on what little spare time they have are thinking of others!
Mark Haddleton Publisher/Editor The Hockley Flyer
* In bold above last updated 17th February
SEE LATEST NEWS ON EARTQUAKE FOR THE VERY LATEST
“Dear JQ
I am writing in regard to the earthquake that took place in the early hours of Monday morning in Turkey/Syria, where thousands of people lost their lives, their family, and their homes (this includes members of my family).
Can this message be sent to all JQ wide to reach out to all the business owners and members of staff for any donations such as winter clothes: consisting of jackets, jumpers, gloves, scarfs, shoes, blankets and sleeping bags etc. These items can be old, new or unwanted (no food or money donations). Any donations, no matter how big or small will be greatly appreciated.
All donations received will be transported to the London Turkish Embassy on Monday 13th Feb and will be sent to support those people during this crisis.
Please contact me on the number below if you can help us during this tragic time, or simply drop your items into the Acapella Bar 50 Frederick Street, Birmingham B1 3HR
Your support is very much appreciated,
07983 548433″
Here is the list of items that are desperately needed:
- Warm coats, rain coats
- Boots
- Sweaters/Pullovers
- Winter scarves, headgear, gloves
Other supples:
- Tents
- Mattress for tents
- Blankets
- Sleeping bags
- Nappies
- Women hygiene products