Guernsey pledges support to Turkey and Syria earthquake victims

The support pledged will be as follows:

• a Disaster and Emergency Relief Award of £25,000 direct donation to the UK Disasters and Emergency Fund (DEC) Appeal;
• a Disaster and Emergency Relief Award of up to £25,000 match funding to the Bailiff’s Disaster Relief Fund which also supports the DEC Appeal;
• a Community Partnership Award to match fund up to £10,000 the amount raised by some of our States Primary Schools by their Mufti Days on Friday 17th February.

The scale of the disaster is immense. Latest reports state that the total deaths have exceeded 40,000 with more than 100,000 people injured. The UNHCR report that 15 million people have been impacted and 3 cities have been half destroyed. Efforts are now shifting from rescue to relief with 1 million people in need of shelter in Turkey and 5 million in Syria.

The Commission will be supporting the DEC Appeal which was launched late last week. The DEC have 10 member charities working in Turkey and Syria in response to the Earthquake.

They are focusing on addressing basic needs such as shelter, food, water and protection. These programmes are seeking to serve the needs of the most vulnerable people including Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Even before the Earthquake there were 3.6 million Syrian refugees who had fled to Turkey due to conflict and this is likely to increase. The Commission will be making a total donation of up to £60,000 to the DEC both directly and via the Bailiff’s Fund and participating Primary Schools.

The Commission is very pleased that the Bailiff has opened his Disaster Relief Fund to allow public donations to be made. The Commission urges Bailiwick residents to support this initiative. Donations can be made:

• By bank transfer: Bank: NatWest Bank, Guernsey, Sort Code 60-09-20, Account Number 70956421 (Reference: Bailiff’s Disaster Relief Fund Turkey-Syria Appeal)
• In person at the bank counter: Any branch of NatWest in the Bailiwick for the account of Bailiff’s Disaster Relief Fund Turkey-Syria Appeal, number 70956421
• By post: Cheques may be made payable to Bailiff’s Disaster Relief Fund Turkey-Syria Appeal and sent to The Bailiff’s Chambers, Royal Court House, St. Peter Port, GY1 2NZ

For every pound donated by the public the Commission will also donate a pound to the DEC up to £25,000.

Under its Community Partnerships Awards scheme the Commission will also be supporting an initiative by Primary School Headteachers to collect donations for the DEC Appeal by holding a Mufti Day on Friday 17th February.

Deputy Chris Blin, the President of the OA&DC, said: “Although Turkey and Syria are not Countries we would normally support, the sheer scale of this natural disaster means that the Commission has concluded that it has to help in some way. The Commission has now received direct assurances from the DEC that the desperately needed aid can be securely delivered in Turkey and Syria, so it reaches those most in need. The Commission is especially pleased that this will include Syrian Refugees living in Turkey. DEC Member charities also have 10 years’ experience of delivering aid in Syria. This and the news in recent days that additional border crosses have opened up from Turkey to Syria gives the Commission comfort that aid can be delivered to Syria in a managed way.

“The Commission has also noted that the Bailiwick public feel great compassion for the desperate plight of those effected. It is absolutely delighted by the efforts being made by the public to donate and raise funds. It therefore wanted to show its support by match funding the donations being made by many primary school children. The Commission’s Community Partnership scheme is about further strengthening the Bailiwick community’s already good support for overseas aid, by working together with local organisations and groups which are fund raising for the developing world. I would like to personally thank the Headteachers involved for their initiative”.

Picture Credit – Disasters Emergency Committee