Earthquake aid: Chesterfield collection organisers appeal for lorry to transport supplies to Turkey

Organisers of a mercy mission in Chesterfield to gather essential supplies for people who have lost their homes in the Turkey-Syria earthquake are appealing for a lorry to take donations to a stricken town.
By Gay Bolton
Published 13th Feb 2023, 11:25 BST
Updated 13th Feb 2023, 11:25 BST
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Rico Gunes and Sofia Brown started their collection just hours after learning of the quake last week, which destroyed 600 buildings in Rico’s birthplace Elbistan in Turkey. Fortunately, Rico’s parents and his two older brothers survived the devastation.

Sofia said they have been inundated with donations which have filled a shed and overflowed into an office at her business Olympia House Antiques on Brimington Road, Chesterfield.

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Today (Monday), 39-year-old Rico, who runs the Marmaris takeway in Boythorpe, is driving a van full of the supplies donated by kind-hearted individuals and businesses to Ellesmere Port where they will be sorted and sent on a flight with Turkish airlines.

Sofia Brown is appealing for a lorry to transport essential supplies to Elibstan in Turkey which was affected by the earthquake.Sofia Brown is appealing for a lorry to transport essential supplies to Elibstan in Turkey which was affected by the earthquake.
Sofia Brown is appealing for a lorry to transport essential supplies to Elibstan in Turkey which was affected by the earthquake.

Among the cargo that Rico is transporting to the Wirral is a teddy donated by a five-year-old girl. The message attached to it says: “I hope this teddy keeps you safe and warm. Love from England. My name is Ayda.” Sofia said: “The whole family came on Friday with four car loads of donations.”

The generosity of people in north Derbyshire is mirrored around England and the rest of the world where heart-strings have been tugged by harrowing film footage and photos following the earthquake.

Sofia said: “We’ve had to stop taking donations due to all the places accepting the goods to be sorted and sent are full – they have been overwhelmed with donations. There is not enough lorries and they are awaiting the lorries to come back to refill and send.

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"I’m currently trying to find someone who can transport the goods. I’m looking for a large van or lorry that can take the donations straight to Elbistan in Turkey. I hope to raise the costs by asking for donations and my family and others will put towards it.”

Rico Gunes with the teddy donated by five-year-old Ayda which is among the vanload of supplies bound for Turkey.Rico Gunes with the teddy donated by five-year-old Ayda which is among the vanload of supplies bound for Turkey.
Rico Gunes with the teddy donated by five-year-old Ayda which is among the vanload of supplies bound for Turkey.

If you can help, call Sofia on 07542 516627.

The death toll from the Turkey-Syria earthquake has risen to 33,000, with 29,605 lives lost in Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of people in the affected area have been left homeless in sub-zero temperatures

Related topics:TurkeySyriaChesterfield