COMMUNITY leaders in Trowbridge have praised the generosity of local residents after being overwhelmed with a huge pile of clothing and other much-needed items for desperate survivors of the earthquake crisis in Turkey and Syria.
The combined death toll from last week's devastating earthquakes, which were magnitude 7.8 on the Richter Scale, has risen to more than 36,000, according to the latest figures.
Generous residents from Trowbridge and the surrounding area with items to spare donated them the earthquake crisis appeal at the Studley Green Community Centre in Lambrok Road on Sunday.
Richard Culverhouse, president of the Studley Green Community Centre and joint president of Trowbridge Lions Club, who organised the collection, said the people of Trowbridge had been very, very generous.
“The number of people coming in on Sunday was amazing. It was just constant and we could not keep up with it.
“We ran out of boxes in which to put the stuff and were running around town to everywhere we could think of to get more.
“There was so much, we have had to hire two more vans to take the donations to Bristol. I’m absolutely delighted. The people of Trowbridge have been very, very generous.”
Sila Iscan, 38, who runs a tourism business in Trowbridge, together with her husband, Ozan, was among 30 volunteers who helped to collect and sort the items for onward despatch.
She said: “I really don’t know how much we collected but we had to stop at 4pm because we didn’t have any more space. People have been so generous.
“We had a lot of items, including sleeping bags and baby stuff, some of which was brand new and still in the packaging. It really makes me happy to see how much people have given.”
The organisers had called for people to donate blankets, pillows, large rucksacks, winter shoes, hats, gloves, coats, socks, sleeping bags, baby food or formula (new and sealed), baby nappies (new and sealed packets), women's toiletries (new and sealed packets), baby bottles (new) wet wipes (new), and warm clothes for survivors of all ages.
The collection for the Turkey and Syrian Earthquake Crisis Appeal will go to The Bristol Turkish Community group who are delivering the items to the affected areas.
Collection boxes also in place at Giftbox, 5 Silver Street, Trowbridge. All money collected will be going to Lions Clubs International Foundation via Trowbridge Lions Club.
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