Scarborough residents show their support for families hit by devastating Turkish earthquake

Mehmet Kaya, 49, who runs the Stop & Shop Mini Market on Victoria Road started collecting warm clothing and other items to help those in need in the devastated country, and to date has delivered three van loads of items to a collection centre in Beverley for onward transportation. A fourth is almost ready to send

The village of East Ayton has rallied around Mr Kaya with their own collection efforts.

Resident Suzanne Carr said: “Mehmet and his family used to live in Ayton and so the village is very supportive of any efforts to help with his work to get aid to families in Southern Turkey.

“There are 2 initiatives taking place. A collection of pre-loved soft toys and small games/toys to be taken to children that have lost their homes and all their possessions in the earthquakes.

“Toys can be taken to the library until Saturday March 4. To make it more personal you may like to add a label on the item saying who had donated it.

“The toys will be handed over to Mehmet Kaya in the school assembly on Monday March 6.”

There will also be a grand “Cake ‘N Bake” Sale in Ayton Village Hall on Saturday March 18 from 2pm – 4pm to raise money for the Earthquake Appeal.

Cakes, bakes and savouries for sale. Cream teas, Competitions and Stalls.

Anyone would like to bake or help in any way should contact Suzanne Carr on [email protected]

Mr Kaya said: “People have also donated money, over £1,000 so far, I am going to buy dry food and brand new underwear for women and children. You can’t give people used underwear.

“People have been bringing second-hand clothing and my friends in Ayton are collecting pre-loved soft toys and small games.”

Fourteen members of Mr Kayas extended family died in the earthquake and a further four are still missing.

He suspects that they may have been buried without the family's knowledge. “That’s what they've had to do,” he said, “They have put them in mass graves without any identification by people’s families.

“They’ve not taken the names of who they were - so many are still missing

“We have been sending messages to different hospitals. We don’t know, but we are classing them as dead.

“The whole country is devastated. It would be selfish to only concentrate on my family.

“Some guys lost their entire family - the impact has been devastating. I’m not lying when I say they lost 30/40 people

“I cry for every single soul - I grieve for every one.”

Mr Kaya is now focussing his collection efforts on soft toys for children in hospitals, tents and care homes.

He is also collecting baby powder, milk, porridge, weetabix, rice, pasta, shower gels, tinned potatoes , cannellini beans and portable kitchens. Anyone who would like to donate may take their items to the Stop & Shop on Victoria Road.