A GROUP of people who have helped Ukrainans caught up in war are now setting off to Turkey to assist families living in ‘towns the size of Bromsgrove’ devastated by the recent earthquake.
Bromsgrove Ukrainian Support and Relief (BUSAR) has teamed up with Hereford charity Logistics Aid to drive lorry loads of vital support across to Turkey later this month.
The group has also received support from Birmingham Central Mosque, which has donated to the cause and put them in contact with people already on the ground in Turkey.
One of BUSAR’s members owns a restaurant near Charlie’s Kebab House on Worcester Road, where owner Bekir Babir and cousin Bekir Gungormez have lost many members of their family as a result of the earthquakes.
A fortnight ago Mr Babir and Mr Gungormez launched their campaign to help the Turkish people caught up in the earthquake.
The death toll from the quakes in Turkey and Syria has now risen above 45,000.
BUSAR was formed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year and the group has since made four trips, delivering around 30tonnes of supplies including food, clothing, medicines and maternity cots.
It has also helped Ukrainians settling in Bromsgrove by holding meet and greets and Christmas parties to foster community spirit.
Jim Bennett from BUSAR said the organisation would continue to help the people of Ukraine but felt they could make a positive impact in Turkey.
“We had decided to help as soon as we saw the awful scenes but after speaking to the staff at Charlie’s Kebab House it really hit home how devastating this was and it propelled us even further to do all we could.
“A lot of the bigger organisations tend to help the larger cities in Turkey, but there as towns the size of Bromsgrove which don’t get similar support so our aim is to offer aid to people living in the lesser-known areas of the country.”
Visit BUSARs Facebook page for more information on how to support their cause.
