London Greek Radio

Everyone must be aware of the massive influx of refugees from war devastated countries to Europe, and the dangerous journeys they have endured. Transit camps are where many of them end up, a crossing point from Greece to Macedonia.

Andrew Marr, a volunteer worker with Hackney Cypriot Association, is now at one of these camps, working alongside the Hellenic Red Cross, Medicins Sans Frontieres and other charity volunteers.  Andrew has appealed for help in what is an increasingly fluid and desperate situation. Border restrictions increase; the European response to the crisis is unresolved; and the severe winter weather has taken hold.

Andrew has appealed to his friends in the UK for help, and how can we refuse?  At the beginning of November he wrote:

“We are desperately short of everything; we have not nearly enough coming in. For me, the numbers of people heading our way, with the everyday possibility of FYROM (Macedonia) closing the border and the prospect of sub-zero temperatures, biting Northern Bora winds and driving rain or snow, we have a humanitarian disaster waiting to happen here. 

We need winter clothes, particularly children’s and babies (hundreds of children come through every day, some with no shoes at all) we need just about everything for babies; blankets, small easy to transport sanitary products such as toothbrushes, shavers, soaps etc  

Local people are very generous, and visit the camp with hot cooked food, but there are no kitchen facilities onsite”

Hackney Cypriot Association is collecting essential clothing and everyday goods that are urgently required and sending it over to the camps. This appeal is for the money needed for packing, freight transport and any other urgent needs at the camps.

To find out how you can help or to send a donation click here to visit the Hackney Cypriot Association charity page.

Article written by London Greek Radio

Keeping the name Rizokarpasso alive!

On the 29^th November the Rizokarpasso Association celebrates 40 years and is hosting a very special dinner & dance at The Penridge Banqueting Suite, Arnos Grove.

The event will be a fundraiser for the Association which was created in the wake of the 1974 invasion to represent all of the UK Cypriots from Rizokarpasso and to help support their enclaved compatriots.  In 1977, the Association founded the Help Rizokarpasso charity in order to provide charitable aid to the enclaved and those who have been forced out of Rizokarpasso.

The event will provide food and drink for all guests, raffle prizes and music provided by a Greek DJ. The entry fee is £30.00 per person for what promises to be a memorable and enjoyable evening in the History of the Association of Rizokarpasso.

For more information and tickets telephone 0783 051 8245 or email rizokarpasso@gmail.com

Article written by London Greek Radio

Laya is almost 5 years old, she has a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy which means she can’t walk, crawl or even sit on her own. The only way Laya can move is by having an electric wheelchair.

The particular wheelchair, which Laya needs, can lower her all the way to the floor so she can play with her brother, sister and other kids on the ground. It can raise her to she can watch mum cooking in the kitchen. It can even make Laya stand upright which she has never been able to do before.

This Snap Dragon wheelchair costs £25,000 and so her friends and family are desperately trying to raise the money so Laya can enjoy the summer using it.

Laya’s parents explain more about her condition:

“Our precious daughter Laya was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA 1) when she was just 8 months old. Laya is now nearly 5. SMA1 is a life limiting condition without a cure. Laya cannot walk, crawl or even sit by herself. She has very poor head control and she has extremely weak muscles. For instance a small apple is too heavy for her to hold. Although profoundly disabled, Laya’s brain is completely unaffected by her condition, she is very bright, loves to sing, read, tell stories and chat!

A year ago, her current wheelchair, Wizzy Bug, gave Laya her first taste of independence. For the first time she didn’t need to be pushed or carried, she was able to move in a direction that she chose, where and when she wanted to. We will never forget her smile on that day, it’s a memory we will always treasure. She has now outgrown Wizzy, which is a pre-school wheelchair for toddlers.

Laya is very special as there are only a small handful of children around the world with SMA1 who have survived passed the age of two. Because Laya is a bit of an anomaly she doesn’t quite fit into any specific category and so we have struggled greatly to get any charity or government funding for a powered wheelchair that will give Laya this level of independence. This is why we have decided to fundraise ourselves”.

To help change Laya’s story and assist in raising the money for the wheelchair she requires, click here to donate.

Article written by London Greek Radio

Red Nose Day is back on Friday 13th March and once again, the nation is gearing up to put on their Noses, pull out all the stops, and get fundraising.

In aid of Red Nose Day, Anthony Webb estate agents have organised a Buskathon on Saturday 14th March located outside their office at 348 Green Lanes Palmers Green between 10am-4pm.

With the help of Centre Stage, a local Theatre School based in Southgate and their very own Martin McKelvey, the Anthony Webb team hope to entertain the public and raise funds for a great cause.

The Anthony Webb team will be providing the entertainment and all they ask in exchange is that the local community come along and have a good time: “Please pop along to support the local talent and donate! Staff from Barclays Bank, Palmers Green, will be on hand to collect donations and run a lucky dip for the children”.

The money raised for Red Nose Day is spent by Comic Relief to transform the lives of millions of people, both at home in the UK and across Africa.

They fund over 2,100 amazing projects, throughout the UK and since the last Red Nose Day, Comic Relief has spent £99 million helping over 12 million people – this includes money raised through Red Nose Day, Sport Relief and other fundraising.

 

Article written by Anthony Webb

I was so pleased that one of my favorite pieces was snapped up at a recent charity event at the Cypriot Community Centre in Wood Green.

“Emerald Light” is an optimistic vision where colour rather than substance was applied to achieve what some admirers have called “exuberant”.

The finished product was adapted from the original abstract painting to create a limited edition print. I decided to print on a diasec format in order to achieve the maximum gloss effect … a face mounting process that allows photographs to be bonded directly and permanently to Acrylic sheet.

The art work was Photograhed by the World famous firm John Jones and mounted by Kay mounting.

The piece was sold to a private buyer at the annual dinner dance of a charity which raises funds for children with special needs. The Chairman of SYNDESMOS ATOMON ME EIDIKES ANANGES John Kyriakides was delighted with the sale and commented afterwards “the proceeds will help to pay for social excursions and activities which mean so much to the children .”

The dinner was attended by local dignitaries and to all accounts was a great success.

Article written by Michelle Janes (Abstract Artist)