The devastating earthquake in Turkey has had a real impact at our club and particularly for our committee member Nazmi and defender Baris who both hail from the country
We will be collecting donations from the list below at our game on Saturday at Christie Gillies Park.
£500,000 in emergency funding is to be given to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to support the humanitarian aid efforts following the severe earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
Regions of southern and central Türkiye and western Syria were hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the early morning of Monday 6th February. The earthquake has caused a significant loss of life and severe damage to homes and infrastructure. The funding will enable the DEC to focus on priorities including emergency food, hygiene supplies and blankets.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The scenes over the last few days from Türkiye and Syria are heart wrenching. This earthquake has caused a huge amount of damage and significant loss of life that will be felt for some time to come.
“There is an urgent need to support the humanitarian efforts being made to help those affected in Türkiye and Syria.
“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting efforts in the region and members of our emergency services have already been deployed to help the search and rescue operation on the ground.
“We will provide £500,000 in humanitarian aid to the DEC Appeal to support those affected with medical care, shelter, food and clean water.
Members of the public can also pledge support and make donations to the DEC Appeal in a variety of ways and I encourage everyone to consider donating to the DEC if they can do so.
“The people of Türkiye and Syria desperately need our support.”
The DEC Appeal for Türkiye and Syria launches today (Thursday 9 February 2023). Details are available on the DEC website for how to donate to the Appeal.
The UK government yesterday (Wednesday 8 February) announced further support to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes.
The UK will provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate response to the crisis. The equipment being urgently deployed from the UK’s stockpile will meet the needs of up to 15,000 people.
The UK is also providing a world-class team of UK medics with surgical capabilities and equipment to provide vital emergency treatment.
The announcement comes in the critical 72 hours following the first earthquake. The support will be used to urgently provide life saving interventions to those who need it most in the region as temperatures plummet.
The UK is coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations (UN) in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs in the coming days.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK is sending life saving kit to Turkey and Syria. This will include vital medical expertise and hygiene kits and also tents and blankets to help people keep warm and sheltered in the terrible freezing conditions they are having to endure on top of the devastation of the earthquakes.
Our priority is to ensure life saving assistance is given to those most in need, coordinated with the Turkish government, UN and international partners.
The UK is prioritising what the Turkish government and UN are asking for. The additional support will save lives by bringing world-class UK expertise and equipment to the region.
This £8 million of additional support comes after a team of 77 UK search and rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs arrived in Gaziantep yesterday to begin their life saving operations.
Their specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate survivors in the rubble during this vital time.
The government remains in contact with British humanitarian workers in the affected areas, and we stand ready to assist any British nationals affected.
The UK will immediately deploy emergency response teams to Türkiye to assist rescue efforts.
The government is deploying a team of experts to help on the ground in Türkiye following the 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK is sending immediate support to Türkiye including a team of 76 search and rescue specialists, equipment and rescue dogs.
“In Syria, the UK-funded White Helmets have mobilised their resources to respond. We stand ready to provide further support as needed.”
Jill Morris, British Ambassador-Designate to Türkiye, said: “The British Embassy in Ankara is in close contact with the Turkish authorities to understand how we can best support those on the ground.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by the earthquakes today. We pay tribute to the brave Turkish first responders working to save lives.”
The UK is providing support that the Turkish government have asked for. The UK International Search and Rescue team have specialist search equipment including seismic listening devices, concrete cutting and breaking equipment, propping and shoring tools.
In north-west Syria, the UK-aid funded White Helmets have activated a significant search and rescue response and mobilised all their resources to respond to emerging needs.
The government is in contact with British humanitarian workers in the affected areas, and we stand ready to provide support to any British nationals affected.
Anyone in Turkey and in need of urgent help should call +90 312 455 3344.
Anyone in the UK concerned about relatives or friends should call the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London on 020 7008 5000.
UPDATE
Today (Tuesday 7 February) a UK team of 77 search and rescue specialists, 4 search dogs and rescue equipment arrived in Gaziantep in south east Turkey to join the emergency response.
An Emergency Medical Team were also on the flight. They will conduct a full assessment of the situation on the ground.
The UK government is immediately providing the support requested by the Turkish government. The UK will continue to assess the situation and stands ready to provide further long-term assistance as needed.
The UK International Search and Rescue team is made up of firefighters and staff from 14 fire and rescue services from across the country, including experts from England, Scotland and Wales. They will be using specialist search equipment including:
Their world-class specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate survivors in the rubble during this vital time.
The team is self-sufficient upon arrival and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations.
In solidarity with the Turkish people, the British Embassy in Ankara and Consulates across Turkey have lowered their flags to half-mast for the 7-day national mourning period declared by the Turkish government.
In north-west Syria, the UK-funded White Helmets continue to carry out a significant search and rescue response and have mobilised all their resources to respond to emerging needs. The UK has given the White Helmets £2.25 million in the last year and an additional funding uplift of £800,000 for front line search and rescue operations.
Funding of £500,000 is being provided by the Scottish Government to help with relief efforts in Pakistan after devastating floods left millions of people homeless and vast swathes of the country under water.
The funding will be split between the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Pakistan Floods Appeal and members of the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund Panel.
International Development Minister Neil Gray said: “More than 1,000 people, including hundreds of children, have lost their lives and 33 million people in total have been affected by the devastating floods that have left a third of their country under water. This Scottish Government funding will go directly towards supporting the humanitarian efforts to help all those affected.
“Our thoughts are very much with all of the people directly affected by the floods as well as the Pakistani community in Scotland who will be worried about their families and friends in Pakistan. I have written to the Pakistan Consul General outlining the Scottish Government’s support for Scotland’s Pakistani community, ensuring that where we can, we support what the community here will be doing to support friends and family in Pakistan.
“I would encourage people who are able to offer support to donate through the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Pakistan Floods Appeal.”
Floods in Pakistan: letter to Pakistan Consul General – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Of the £500,000 funding for Pakistan, £250,000 will support the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Pakistan Floods Appeal. The Disasters Emergency Committee is made up of 14 major UK aid agencies: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
The remaining £250,000 will go to members of the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund Panel.
To make a donation to the Pakistan Floods Appeal visit the Disasters Emergency Committee website (dec.org.uk).
The UK is providing urgent support to Pakistan after flooding in the south of the country killed at least 900 people. Extreme monsoon rainfall has affected millions, with at least 700,000 homes destroyed.
In response to the disaster, the UK will provide up to £1.5 million for the relief effort. The UN is carrying out a needs assessment over the weekend, and a UN appeal is expected to be launched on Tuesday.
Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, said: “The floods in Pakistan have devastated local communities and the UK is providing up to £1.5 million to help the immediate aftermath. We are witnessing the catastrophe that climate change can cause and how it impacts the most vulnerable.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families, and I would like to pay tribute to everyone involved in the relief efforts. We are also working directly with the Pakistan authorities to establish what further assistance and support they require. The UK stands with the people of Pakistan during this time of need.”
The UK also provides assistance to Pakistan through international organisations working directly with the victims of the disaster, including the World Bank and the United Nations.
The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now offered sanctuary to 10,056 displaced people from Ukraine to travel to safety in Scotland, far exceeding the original commitment to host 3,000 people.
The total number of people from Ukraine offered a place in Scotland through the Super Sponsor Scheme and the UK Government Homes for Ukraine scheme with individual sponsors is more than 13,000 – representing 16.5% of the total UK population share to date.
To accommodate more displaced Ukrainians whose visas have been approved under the Super Sponsor Scheme, the Scottish Government has chartered a second passenger ship, M/S Ambition, to be located in Glasgow. The ship, which is due to be fully operational by September, will provide accommodation for up to 1,750 people with the same level of facilities and support currently available to those in Edinburgh.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now enabled more than 10,000 people to come to Scotland following the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, there is currently no end to the war in sight. We are firmly focused on supporting displaced people from Ukraine who are seeking sanctuary in Scotland as they flee the war in their homeland.
“Following the arrival of the M/S Victoria I – which has been well received by people on board – the Scottish Government is chartering a second passenger ship – the M/S Ambition – which will be located in Glasgow from early September. This will further enhance our ability to provide safe and secure accommodation for those who need it.
“We are getting close to capacity for the temporary accommodation currently available, particularly across the Central Belt. While areas like Glasgow and Edinburgh are more familiar to Ukrainians, we are encouraging everyone arriving here to consider other areas across Scotland, especially as we see more visas being issued. We can guarantee that anyone arriving here will receive a warm welcome from communities across the country, keen to provide support and open their homes.
“As a humanitarian crisis requiring a whole-of-Scotland response, the Scottish Government continues to work closely with local councils and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to ensure those displaced people who are already here, and those who have applied and are granted permission to travel, will be safe, secure and supported for as long as they need.”
Maggie Tookey, a 71 year old volunteer with Edinburgh Direct Aid (EDA), is currently in Ukraine.
She has just returned to Lviv, having teamed up with Norwegian and Ukrainian volunteers to make a long and difficult trip to Kremenchuk and Kharkiv in north east Ukraine.
In Kharkiv, they delivered thyroxin & wound dressings to a hospital in the west of the city; they were lucky as the heavy shelling at that time was in the north of the city. In Kremenchuk, they brought food to traumatised displaced people from Kharkiv.
Maggie says it is the stories of the elderly that she finds particularly distressing – just as she did when helping elderly victims of the Syrian conflict in recent years: “forced not only to witness death taking place in front of them but also knowing that the final years of their lives may never be spent in their own homes again”.
THE FIRST WEEK IN UKRAINE BEGINNING 24th APRIL 2022
So it’s one week since arriving in Ukraine to begin EDA’s third session in this embattled but extremely resiliant country.
The resistance goes on and just about the whole world is here trying to support that resistance. Still there is the belief from all the displaced Ukranians I meet through our EDA distribution programme, that Ukraine simply can’t lose this war. We can only hope that they’re right.
I’m now in Kremenchuk in Poltava region – central/eastern Ukraine and probably considered the first reasonably safe place reachable from the hell of Kharkiv, around 200km away. We arrived here – ‘we’ being Ira, our constant translator and ‘fixer’ and Knut, our big gentle Norwegian driver with his rusty but trusty Sprinter van, late on Friday night. The journey was long and took us 2 days of fairly non stop driving.
The van is like a Tardis. It just seems to keep holding more and more valuable aid so we just kept filling it until finally Knut said enough! It was overloaded but he thought it would be OK and it was. The last item we loaded as a special request was 150 civilian body bags to help with the numbers of dead in the badly hit city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city. It was a sobering request but we had the space so we were able to help – why wouldn’t we? The bags would be taken onto Kharkiv from Kremenchuk.
The first portion of the journey was fine – fast on good roads and enough fuel stations to keep the tank topped up even though we were rationed to 20 litres.
The second part of the journey which was around a 1000km in total because of diversions for damaged roads etc, was far more challenging – some of it was ‘off road’ and the rest was over the most pot holed surfaces I’ve ever experienced.
It was so bad that we kept losing various fixtures and fittings off the van – the jarring was endless and exhausting but the main problem was the scarcity of diesel. We begged and pleaded but the little fuel available was reserved for emergency and military vehicles and not even to humble volunteer bringers of aid.
We had bought more fuel containers so could carry around 80 litres of diesel but these were the reserve. We needed to keep the tank reasonably full. On one occasion we were allowed up to the front of the queue but one time we sneaked in through the ‘no entry’ route on the advice of a local and came to a pump facing the queue. Smiling broadly and constantly and looking dim works wonders as does Ira our translator who probably sheltered us from much Ukranian swearing.
Kremenchuk is a small city of around 75,000 but 22,000 Internally Displaced people have arrived in the city since the beginning of this month. It’s a typical Soviet style place – mostly large blocks of flats and 70% of its population speak Russian. Most of the displaced have fled from Kharkiv and as ever, there are some terrible stories.
The distribution has taken two different pathways. We were supplying the increasing number of IDP shelters springing up out of necessity around the city – the pressure on the Municipality is great so every aid shipment is important.
We were able to unload into a big store room here and sort out what is needed for each shelter working with the local volunteer coordinator as our guide.
The second pathway involved working with the local priest who helps many individual families in his ‘parish’, listing their needs and passing these on to anyone who might be able to help. We were royally treated by the priest and his family – they were a delight. We were hugely over fed! Once again the admiration for these volunteers and the support they try to bring to their communities is admirable.
Food shortages cause problems for all in Ukraine and although these local volunteers are not enduring constant rocket attacks like Kharkiv and other places, the deprivations of war are suffered by all.
Once again the terrible stories are told when we visit the IDP’s in the shelters. Most here are from Kharkiv, some from Donetsk and the Donbas.
They are all distressing stories but perhaps none more so than by the elderly who are forced not only to witness death take place in front of them but know that the final years of their lives may never be spent in their own homes again. I find these the hardest to deal with.
One lady of 85, Varanella, from a rural village near Luhanske, came face to face with a Russian soldier when he entered her house as she was trying to escape.
He pointed his gun at her chest ready to shoot – terrified she turned and ran into the toilet but he opened fire on her fleeing back -somehow he missed and she bolted the door but he continued firing – the bullets only partially penetrated the metal door and thick walls – she cowered in terror and finally he seemed to get bored and went off to some other house but not before trashing the inside of hers.
She stayed there until dark and then managed to get help escaping from the village to a safer town and onto Kremenchuk. She cried constantly through the telling of this story, still reliving the horror of what happened. Many of her elderly neighbours were not so lucky. She was severely traumatised.
So now she has safety, warmth, support, companionship, and food – what she doesn’t have is her beloved home and this is the greatest wish for all those I met in Kremenchuk. We spent 4 days around the shelters and individual families distributing a lot of aid but mostly we talked.
I seemed to represent some symbol of hope to them but I felt a fraud. In the end what can I do – listen and hug!
UPDATE: THURSDAY 5th MAY
EDA is just back late last night from Kharkiv very close to the Russian border and a very dangerous place to be. There is constant shelling in some parts of the city and many have died there.
I was part of a larger food and medical aid delivery by the Ukraine Guardian Angels group – all volunteers just like us.
EDA was delivering much needed Thyroxin and eye medication and wound dressings. We were pleased to complete the job safely.
EDA and its team had also just completed a 4 day distribution of urgent food and hygiene goods in the small city of Kremenchuk, in Central/eastern Ukraine.
The city and its fantastic local Ukrainian teams of volunteers are now under huge pressure to offer shelter to over 22,000 displaced and traumatised people who have fled Kharkiv and other Eastern cities being flattened by constant Russian shelling.
Edinburgh Direct Aid does what it can but it can only do what the funding allows. We need delivery transport, food and medical supplies. These are the basics. If we get help with these we can DELIVER. We are now back in Lviv taking a breather!
The Edinburgh Direct Aid Ukraine Relief Fund, which supports Maggie’s work, can be found at:
https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/help-for-ukraine
A package of UK support will help reach the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced today.
United Nations (UN) agencies and charities working on the ground to provide care, support and protection for those in Ukraine and at its borders will receive £45 million in UK funding, as part of a wider package of support.
Nearly 16 million people are reported to be in need of humanitarian assistance within Ukraine. Over five million refugees have arrived in European countries since the conflict started, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War.
Women and children are particularly vulnerable to abuse and harm. Of the £45 million, £15 million will go to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), to provide immediate life-saving assistance and help tackle sexual and gender-based violence through targeted services, legal support and crisis accommodation.
A further £15m will go to UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, to fund vital services like nutrition for pregnant women and mental health support for children.
The Foreign Secretary is also announcing today that the UK will provide further deliveries of medical supplies, on top of more than five million items already delivered, including wound care packs to treat over 220,000 patients and around 380,000 packs of medicine.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Britain has stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine throughout this conflict. As one of the largest humanitarian donors we will continue to make sure those bearing the brunt of Putin’s vile war have the lifesaving aid they need.
“British aid is supporting the most vulnerable in Ukraine, particularly women and children, who are facing increased risk of sexual violence and exploitation.”
These latest allocations mean the UK’s full £220 million package of support has now been committed to governments and partners to deliver support in Ukraine and the surrounding region.
Following a request from the Government of Ukraine, the UK has already committed up to £2 million in vital food supplies like dried food, tinned goods and water to areas of Ukraine encircled by Russian forces. Seventeen trucks of food with over 50,000kg of pasta, 10,000kg of rice, 60,000 tins of corned beef and over 80,000 litres of water have already been delivered.
The UK has already tripled its humanitarian support to Poland, providing £30 million to ensure vital supplies reach those in need, both inside Ukraine and those fleeing the conflict.
We are also playing a critical role providing expert assistance to countries bordering Ukraine. The UK is deploying a specialist team to Poland to assist the Ukrainian government with gathering evidence and prosecuting war crimes, including experts in conflict-related sexual violence.
Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said: “The war in Ukraine has caused immense human suffering and as always, the highest price is paid by civilians.
“This generous contribution from the United Kingdom will enable the UN’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund to scale up the delivery of fast, effective and life-saving aid to people who are caught up in this unfolding nightmare.
“Managed in-country, the Fund is uniquely positioned to support partners, including front-line local and national NGOs, providing an agile response to the fast changing needs on the ground.”
A fleet of NHS ambulances will provide urgent care for those injured by Russian attacks in Ukraine following a donation from the UK.
The donation of around 20 NHS ambulances will help bring vital lifesaving care to Ukrainians remaining in towns and cities under attack from Russian bombardments.
This donation will help replace those Ukrainian ambulances lost to Russian attacks, bolstering the existing fleet’s resilience as the barbaric war goes on.
It is estimated more than 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine.
The conflict has stretched Ukraine’s health services, with Russia’s indiscriminate attacks targeting civilian shelters and even hospitals.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is leading the way, donating four of its ambulances, with further donations from NHS trusts across the country soon to follow.
The first ambulances will arrive in Ukraine this week, destined for Lviv in the west of the country, where they will be transported on to those areas most in need.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “We have sadly seen day after day the horrific impacts of Putin’s cruel war on the people of Ukraine, including evidence of appalling acts by Russian troops in towns such as Irpin and Bucha.
“The UK has been among the biggest aid donors, providing food, medicines and generators to help those affected. These world class NHS ambulances will now help bring lifesaving care directly to those injured in the conflict.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “The UK government has stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and provided them with the lifesaving medical equipment they need.
“The invasion has damaged key medical infrastructure and the generous donation of four ambulances by South Central Ambulance Service will ensure people in Ukraine can receive urgent care. It marks the first of many ambulances the UK government and the NHS is donating to Ukraine in the coming days.”
Paul Kempster, SCAS Chief Operating Officer said: “Ambulance Trusts around the country have been rallying to provide ambulances and we in SCAS are immensely humbled to also be able to support those in need in Ukraine.
“We hope that this small gesture goes some way to helping provide immediate frontline healthcare support to the many people who desperately need it.”
This latest funding and donation comes in addition to the nearly £400 million (£394 million) already pledged by the UK for the conflict in Ukraine, including £220 million of humanitarian aid.
To date, the UK has donated more than 5 million items of medical supplies to Ukraine to help the country cope with the medical emergency caused by the Russian invasion.
You can help children living in fear 
http://save.tc/ZEkM50I81WJ
All children in Ukraine – at least 7.5 million under 18-year-olds – are in danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress and displacement, following the escalation in conflict.
As a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), we’ve joined forces with 14 leading aid charities to help children and families in Ukraine survive war.
Help us reach children by donating to our #Ukraine appeal today.
We’re on the border of Romania and Ukraine giving supplies to children and families in need.
We’re distributing warm clothes and blankets as temperatures plunge below freezing, providing cash and vouchers to help families pay for food, accommodation and medicines, and also offering vital mental health and education support to children whose lives have been torn apart.
You can help us reach more children and keep them safe.
Donate to the @DEC appeal now: http://save.tc/5Spz50I9exV#UkraineAppeal
