Exeter sees fundraising drive after earthquake in Turkey and Syria

Charlie Gershinson News Editor

THE Exeter Turkish Society have led a fundraising effort in recent days to raise funds to assist in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which occurred in Turkey and Syria. After the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, 41,000 people have been known to have been died with many more missing. The United Nations has appealed for a “flash appeal” of $1 billion. The Exeter Turkish Society has responded in their own way by producing their own fundraiser to help those affected in the region.

The society has been stationed in the Forum on Streatham Campus multiple times over the past few weeks looking for donations from students. It has organised multiple fundraising events such as an emergency appeal bake sale and a buffet of traditional Turkish foods. At the time of writing, their efforts have raised over £8,500 from over 400 donors. These donations will be given to AFAD and AHPAB, government organisations set up to provide for those affected by earthquakes, the former of which has been set up by the Turkish government. You can still donate at the link attached to the QR code provided.

In a Student Communications email from 13th February, the University has encouraged students to support charities aiding the victims of the earthquake through a fundraising desk in the Forum on Streatham Campus, which will provide funds for charities affiliated with the Disasters Emergency Committee such as the British Red Cross and the International Rescue Committee.

Away from the University, Exeter’s Turkish community has been reeling from the impact of the earthquake while supporting charities helping those in need. According to DevonLive, many in the Turkish community have been “leafletting, fundraising, [and have] got stalls out at the moment because a lot of them have been directly affected by it.” There has also been action taken by the Pinhoe-based Devon Turkish Community Centre, such as collecting donations and sending clothing to Turkey.

A spokesperson from the Students’ Guild told Exeposé : “There was an immediate response from our Exeter community to the news of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. Members of the Turkish society have used our fundraising platform and have so far raised over £5,000 to go to aid organisations to distribute funds where they are needed most. As your Guild, we exist to empower students to make a difference and we’re proud of the compassion and support our students have shown at this incredibly sad and distressing time. We are continuing to seek out ways that we can enable students to support this crisis, and will keep students up to date with any developments.

EXETER City Council have announced new formal plans to build a retail park north of Honiton Road, behind the Princesshay Shopping Centre.

The plans for the Moor Exchange Site come three years after their approval. Its proposal had previously been rejected three times by the council’s planning committee initially due to the scale of the development, and later for not conforming to the expectations for a local shopping centre as well as concerns over air quality.

Outlets within the development will include a supermarket, two retail units, a gym, two mini retail pods as well as two drive-thrus. The planning application does not include specific names of retailers.

Estimated to cost £40m, a statement with the submitted plans talks of how the retail park will provide “substantial investment” to the local area, as well as job opportunities. More broadly, it described how it will serve existing residents and local businesses.