Swindon and Wiltshire's Turkish community are grieving for the loss of friends and family after a large earthquake rocked the country.
But despite their losses they have been determined to do what they can by gathering aid for those in need, with a huge local response.
More than 40,000 people have died in both Turkey and Syria following the tragic natural disaster that occurred on Monday, February 6.
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake and a series of strong tremors and aftershocks have devastated southeast Turkey and northwest Syria.
The Wiltshire Turkish Community, located in Gorse Hill, consists of several members who have lost loved ones back home due to the devastation.
Tugba Aliya Altun, head of woman's voice at the community, has been organising the aid effort.
“Many of the members here have lost loved ones and I have dragged them all here [to the Wiltshire Turkish Community building] because since the earthquake they didn’t eat anything and even feel guilty about taking care of their children,” she said.
“I feel like I am under that rumble and I feel I am wrecked but I am just trying to help as helping itself is healing me a little.”
Tugba Aliya Altun of the Wiltshire Turkish Community
The 32-year-old has been deeply affected deeply by what is happening in her home country but she refused to let it slow her down.
“I only sleep two hours a night since it happened and it feels like a lorry has hit me, all my bones are broken and I can’t walk,” she revealed.
“I release that I can’t sit home and do nothing so the only way to help is to get up and collect the donations.”
The group is the second-largest Turkish community in the UK and the members are offering help to those in need following the disaster.
“We’re sending blankets, tents, baby nappies and products, rash cream, food, clothes, underwear and more,” said Tugba.
“It was -7 degrees in places there so you automatically think of packing all the warm clothes and blankets but you forget simple things like underwear. We have now packed lots of this too.”
Tugba, who originally moved to the UK from Turkey 15 years ago, has been overwhelmed by the response of Swindon locals and different communities to the cries for help.
“We have had support from different communities and nationalities with everyone being so happy to help us,” she said.
“I appreciate everyone’s donations with Pakistanis, Brits and even a Ukrainian man all making donations.
“This was so emotional and I packed everything with tears as I thought to myself that we’re not alone. The response has been amazing.”
The Wiltshire group was founded in 2007, moving into their current building ten years later and this is where the donations are being dropped off and boxed up.
Hundreds of cardboard boxes consisting of supplies and donations fill the rooms at the community building showing a massive community response to the horrors that have occurred across the globe.
Each box will find its way over to Turkey to provide some aid to the victims of the earthquake and the supplies are being regularly shipped by air.
“DHL are helping us by shipping our donations to Turkey via their cargo planes,” said Tugba.
“Turkish Airlines already have such a heavy load on them currently so it is easier to go through DHL.”
If you would like to help the aid effort, you can donate clothes, food or other useful items to the Wiltshire Turkish Community located at 47 Beatrice Street, SN21BB.
You can also contact wiltshireturkishcommunity@gmail.com for more information.
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