Sunderland students collect cash, clothing, blankets, tents and torches to help Turkey-Syria earthquake appeal

More than 22,000 people are now known to have died in southern Turkey and northern Syria, where aid workers are desperate for more help. At least 13,000 buildings have been destroyed and people are still beneath the rubble.

Students did what they could by organising a bake sale, with wares given entirely freely by students, to help out. Collections of practical items such as clothing, blankets, tents and torches were arranged too.

The bake stall was set up at short notice at the university’s CitySpace on Chester Road and proved very popular, although a final total is yet to be counted.

Zara Bashir is president of the university’s Islamic Society, a third-year medic and one of the organisers.

Speaking at the event she said: “We’re raising money for the Turkey-Syria earthquake that’s just happened. We’re helping any charity raising money for this cause.

“Everything we sell has been donated by students. We’ve had so many donations and it’s refreshing that so many people want to help. We’ve had around 100 people buying in just the last hour.

“It was all done as quickly as we possibly could to get donations in. We’ll sit down as a committee and plans thing for the future too. We’ve had a lot of donations from students. We’ve also had a huge donation from Shahi Catering, who we normally work with at events.

“We’re doing this now in City Space, then we’ll be moving over to the (university) mosque and the fundraising will continue there.”

The university’s Asian and Arab Society are collecting items to send directly to Turkey and Syria.

Society president Zaynab Iqu said: “We advertised two days ago that we would be taking donations from people. We put a list on social media of what we need, like winter clothes, food, women’s toiletries, hygiene products.

“Young Asian Voices, they’re a charity based in Sunderland, let me know they would be bringing a minibus of items today. We’ve been sifting through it.”

University chaplain Chris Howson added: “These students deserve great credit. They’ve worked so hard on this.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/islamicreliefnortheastandyorkshire.