10,000 TOYS ARE HEADING TO SYRIA

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Sharen Ravat, centre, at St Philip's Church with the Rev Sonya Brown and Suleman nagdi and some of the toys

10,000 toys are heading to Syria

by Fiona Dryden

Generous folk have donated more than 10,000 toys for children devastated by the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Sharen Ravat, a multi-faith chaplaincy co-ordinator at Leicester College, was so deeply affected by the plight of children in Syria she decided to launch the initiative to help bring some joy to families, many of which have lost members.

According to the United Nations, the conflict has led to the worst humanitarian crisis since Rwanda, more than two decades ago.

The drop-in session held at St Philip's Church, in Leicester, on Sunday collected more than 10,000 toys – enough to fill seven van loads.

Sharen said: "The toys have been given to the charity Hand in Hand for Syria, which will take them to children in hospitals and refugee camps in Syria.

"I pay tribute to the wonderfully generous people, including many children, who donated toys for this vital cause.

"What was particularly heart-warming was that so many of Leicestershire's different faith communities came together.

"Collectively, they demonstrated their shared values of compassion and love for children they will never know. I hope that these toys will bring a smile to their faces."

The Federation of Muslim Organisations was one of the many faith organisations supporting the campaign.

Spokesman Suleman Nagdi said: "We were privileged to be part of this superb charity effort, which focused on children. I pay tribute to Sharen Ravat, who single-handedly had the vision to arrange this appeal." 

Fadi Al-Dairi, from Hand in Hand for Syria, said: "The people of Leicestershire will make a lot of children smile."

Hand in Hand works in partnership with projects overseas that have been established by members of the local community.

FAITHS COME TOGETHER FOR SYRIA APPEAL

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Faiths come together for Syria appeal

A toy collection is being held for children affected by the conflict in Syria.

Sharen Ravat, chaplaincy service manager at Leicester College, will be holding a drop-in session for members of the public to hand over unwanted or unused toys on Sunday, August 4, from 1pm to 5pm at St Philip's Church in Evington Road, Leicester.

Many different faith communities have already pledged support, including Leicester Islamic Centre, Leicester Cathedral, Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara and the Sikh Cultural and Welfare Society.

The toys will be given to the UK charity Hand in Hand for Syria, which will then distribute them at hospitals in the war-torn country.

Sharen said: "I decided to organise the campaign after being touched by the plight of children in Syria, many of whom have lost their loved ones, been injured, made homeless or just lost hope.

"The UN has already said that the Syrian refugee crisis is the worst since Rwanda with an average of 6,000 people fleeing every day.

"I am hoping that by offering toys to children, it puts an immediate smile on their faces."

For more information, call Sharen on 07919 290 313.

PLEA AS MORE AMBULANCES HEAD FOR STRIFE-TORN SYRIA

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Mohammed Elhadad, left, Leicester project leader for the UK Arabic Society, with other ambulance convoy volunteers

Pleas as more ambulances head for strife-torn Syria

by Tom Mack

Charities providing ambulances and medical equipment to war-torn Syria are hoping to get more support from Leicestershire.

UK charities have been working with the Red Crescent to deliver supplies to Syria since the civil war started there two years ago.

Next month, volunteers from Leicester will be joining a convoy delivering 15 more ambulances, bought with money raised by the UK Arabic Society and the Al Fatiha charity.

On Saturday, the charities will also be holding a fund-raising fun day in Highfields, Leicester, followed by a bucket collection at Pak Foods, in Chesterfield Road, Evington, on the following weekend.

Mohamed Elhaddad, Leicester project leader for the UK Arabic Society, will be leading the convoy.

He said: "It's a long, 3,000-mile trip through France, Italy, Greece and Turkey and it takes about seven days to get there.

"We sleep and cook in our vehicles to save money and along the way people sometimes open up community centres and other places for us to stay.

"There is a growing need for ambulances in Syria. We know that two parties are killing each other and our duty is to help the innocent people caught up in the middle of it.

"A lot of children are being hurt."

The UK Arabic Society first got involved with the Red Crescent in August last year and the first convoy took two ambulances.

Each ambulance costs about £5,000 second-hand from NHS trusts, plus about £3,000 more for equipment and the journey itself.

About £10,000 has been raised in Leicestershire since then, but the charities are planning to make much more in the coming months.The fund-raising day will be held on Saturday, between 11am and 4pm, at Uplands Primary School, in Melbourne Road.

Abdul Majid, 24, of Highfields, a volunteer for the Al Fatiha charity, will be joining the convoy in May.

He said: "I've done convoys to Gaza in the past as well and experienced living in that war zone, but this will be my first trip to Syria.

"We need to do whatever we can because what's happening to ordinary people there is unimaginable.

"A lot of people want to help us and it's non-Muslims as well as Muslims who support us."

Leicester's Lord Mayor, Councillor Abdul Osman, will be attending Saturday's event.

He said: "I think it's a very worthy cause. They've done a lot of work nationally and sent a lot of ambulances over to Syria and I understand they want to raise more money in Leicester.

"I wish them well and I'm sure there will be a lot of support from the generous people in this city."

To make a donation to the UK Arabic Society transfer money to the "UK Arabic Society", sort code 30-92-13, account number 0355 3576.

For more information, e-mail: info@ukarabicsociety.org.uk

MERCY MISSION VOLUNTEERS ON ROAD TO WAR-TORN SYRIA

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Mercy mission volunteers on road to war-torn Syria

A group of volunteers has set off on a 3,100-mile journey to deliver humanitarian aid to families in war-torn Syria.

A convoy of 16 vans and ambulances met at Leicester Forest East services on the M1 yesterday afternoon to begin the arduous journey to take clothing and supplies to the Middle Eastern country.

The vehicles, which have also been donated, include six ambulances.They have all been filled with supplies and medicines and equipment for field hospitals in the country.

Syria has been embroiled in civil war after a series of uprisings against President Bashar al-Assad.

Aid worker Fadi-Al-Dairi, a Leicester representative of the charity Hand-in-Hand for Syria, said: "All of the vans are in good condition and they will be used for transporting patients.

"Rather than send them over empty, we thought we'd fill them with clothes and supplies which can be distributed once we get out there."

Most of the vehicles and supplies have been donated by people from Leicestershire.

There are 45 volunteers, mainly from Leicestershire, accompanying the vehicles.

Each van will carry at least 30 bags of clothes and supplies, including medicines, medical equipment and baby milk.

All the donated items have been collected during the past six weeks by Hand-in-Hand for Syria volunteers.

Mr Al-Dairi said: "I want to say a big thank-you to everyone who took time out to buy and donate clothes. We have collected hundreds of items and they form a vital part of aid delivery."

The journey from Leicester to Syria will take four days and cross Europe, through France and Italy, before a ferry takes the convoy to Greece and Turkey.

When they reach the Syrian border they will hand over the supplies to members of the Libyan Red Crescent – part of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The project has been organised by Hand-in-Hand for Syria, in partnership with charity Save Life, Save the World. Hanabi Alkhder, press officer for Hand-in-Hand for Syria, said: "We're hoping to get the humanitarian aid and medical equipment to people in Syria and to field hospitals.

"There are a lot of organisations involved here, but we're all working together to get vital supplies to those who need it the most."

For more information, visit: www.handinhandforsyria.org.uk

CITY'S SYRIAN FAMILIES IN BID TO HELP OUT REFUGEES

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

City's Syrian families in bid to help out refugees

Syrian families living in Leicester are helping to raise thousands of pounds for refugees fleeing the Assad regime.

The small community in the city is supporting the charity Hand in Hand for Syria, which is sending much-needed medical and food supplies to refugees in camps in Lebanon and Turkey.

Three of the four charity trustees live in Leicester and they are holding a fund-raising meal on Sunday at the University of Leicester.

The country has been rocked by violence since the uprising against President Bashar Assad started one year ago.

The UN says more than 8,000 people have been killed, many of them unarmed protesters.

Charity trustee Fadi Al-Dairi said: "We all have relatives who live in Syria or who have fled their homes and are living in refugee camps.

"I have family who have fled Homs so I have to be very careful what I say. But, they are in desperate need of help. They need medical equipment, medicines and first aid materials, food and equipment to keep them warm."

He said: "We are strictly humanitarian and want to protect and save life."

The charity was formed last year and has so far raised nearly £70,000.

It has also managed to smuggle food and medical equipment into Syria.

He added: "We desperately need money and the local community has been very generous.

"But fund-raising is not the principle aim of the event. We want to raise the plight of the refugees and the civilians suffering in Syria."

One of the charity's supporters, a doctor from Leicester, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "There are about 10 families from Syria in the Leicester area and they have been active in supporting our humanitarian efforts.

"We have been helped by the wider community including people from Libya, because they know what we are going through. We have been successful in getting essential life-saving supplies through. But we need to do more.

"We hope the meal will encourage more people from the wider community to contact us and help us in our work."

The event on Sunday will be addressed by one of the charity's trustees, Omar Abdul Gubbar, who is an orthopaedic consultant for the University of Leicester Hospitals Trust.

It will be held at the O2 Academy, in University Road, on the University of Leicester campus, beginning at 2pm.

Entry, which includes the price of the meal, costs £15 for adults and £10 for children.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.handinhandforsyria.org