Turkey-Syria earthquake: Batley and Spen MP ‘proud’ of local aid support and donations to disaster victims

People across north Kirklees have been raising money and collecting donations of warm clothes and blankets to be sent to the disaster zone in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

And Ms Leadbeater has praised the efforts to get help to the many thousands of people left homeless after the earthquake hit on Monday, February 6.

She said: “It’s impossible to imagine what life must be like for those people who have lost their homes and everything they own while grieving for lost loved ones or fearing the worst for those still missing.

“Our community in Batley and Spen is brilliant at coming together at times of greatest need and I’m really proud of all the work that’s being done locally to get aid out to the earthquake zone as quickly as possible.

“I would urge everybody to donate what they can either through the national Disasters Emergency Committee appeal or via one of the local collection points.”

Churches and mosques across the constituency have appealed for money to be given through the DEC - www.dec.org.uk - which is supported by Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and other leading charities.

Clare Ellarby, from Batley, is a regular visitor to Turkey and has many friends there who she says are suffering in the freezing weather and in need of help. She is collecting donations and can be contacted via www.facebook.com/clare.ellarby

The World Care Foundation is also collecting items including new clothes, blankets, torches and canned and dried food. There are drop off points in Batley, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Bradford and Leeds. More details can be found at www.worldcarefoundation.org