'Ross-shire town's earthquake response makes me so proud to be part of this community'
PEOPLE living in Ross-shire who have lost loved ones in a catastrophic earthquake that has killed more than 41,000 people and displaced millions more have been humbled by the big-hearted local response.
As the extent of devastation suffered by Turkey and Syria became clear, close-knit communities in Ross-shire began working together to lend a helping hand.
Alness-based Serhat Yavuz, a trained nurse, woke to dozens of missed calls the day it hit and immediately offered his help, making contact with the Turkish consulate in Edinburgh and helping coordinate an immediate response launched by local youth group, The Place.
Within hours, after an appeal was shared by Place stalwarts Janette and John Douglas, donations of bedding and clothing started to arrive, piled ceiling to roof in the High Street premises which have so often been the focal point of local responses to tragedy down the years.
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Standing next to his wife, Carrie, who came to The Place as a child herself and is still heavily involved, Serhat said: "We have a very direct reason to help but lots of people don't.
"Yet they still are helping without personally knowing anyone who is affected and that is very humbling. I'm so proud to be part of this community."
He has first-hand experience of the 2019 Istanbul earthquake.Tragically, close friends of his in Ross-shire have lost loved ones in the latest natural disaster. Two friends, who run a barber shop and a takeaway, immediately shut up shop and headed out to help. The premises of one now forms a makeshift store for donations gathered in Easter Ross.
Carrie said: "This has has sent out a clear message to people from Syria and Turkey who are living here that they belong and that people care about them. It has been amazing.
"When we started a public appeal I think we were thinking we'd get maybe a carload of donations to take down to Glasgow."
In the event, half of The Place was filled and several vanloads havebeen taken from Alness to an onward distribution centre in Glasgow and from there by cargo plane to the worst hit areas.
Carrie, who has grown up with the youth group as part of her life, says she has always been proud of its contribution in times of trouble.
She said: "People here have been fabulous."
Lodge Averon chipped in an immediate £2000 and sleeping bags, vital in the relief effort, were bought with extra contributions.
Serhat recalls buying sleeping bags from Go Outdoors in Inverness – which gave a discount – and then being stopped outside by a member of the public who asked if they were collecting for the disaster: "He went into the store and came out with two more sleeping bags that he bought on the spot and said it would be more if he could afford it."
Shadi Ali (19), a Syrian refugee who has made Alness his home and already contributed hugely in helping out at The Place and his local community, said: "To see this happening is quite overwhelming. We wanted to do what we could to help."
Michael O'Neill of Emergency Community Rescue in Alness, said has also driven a van-load of goods to the centre. He said: "We just did what we could to help. It makes me proud to be part of this community."
Details of the Disaster Emergency Committee appeal can be found at www.dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal
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