Record year for charities
CHARITIES in the TRNC raised a combined total of almost 700,000TL for their causes in 2017, according to early estimates provided to Cyprus Today.
Several organisations supplied preliminary figures to this paper as they spoke about the highlights of the last 12 months and their hopes for 2018.
“Pink October” — breast cancer awareness month — once again provided a huge boost for the Help Those with Cancer Association (Tulips), with over 200,000TL raised during a six-week period.
The Esentepe Fun, Run and Ramble (Efrar) was also a big earner for Tulips, raking in 145,000TL. Event organiser Mary Watson said that 8,000TL had already been raised ahead of this year’s Efrar, with more events to come.
Tulips fundraiser Sue Tilt, who announced her retirement from the charity last month, along with fellow stalwart Carole King, said 2017 had been a “tremendous year” for Tulips.
“So many locals got involved this year, from banks to school and local businesses to hospitals, and all over social media, which made it an amazing round-up of the year,” Mrs Tilt said. “Now, we are officially finished.”
The total raised by the charity in 2017 will not be available until the end of the month, she added.
Other cancer charities to speak to Cyprus Today included the Kemal Saraçoğlu Foundation for Children with Leukaemia and the Fight Against Cancer and the North Cyprus Cancer Charity Trust (NCCCT), the latter set to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2018.
NCCCT chairman Wendy Anderson said profits from its two charity shops went up “by 35 per cent” in 2017 and that takings from each event held since March last year had surpassed the previous year’s figures. The most successful single event of the year was the
“Mega Tiga” party, which raised around 15,500TL, she said.
Mrs Anderson, who was unable to provide a total figure for money raised in 2017 due to the charity’s treasurer being abroad, said they planned to pay a visit to Girne State Hospital in the coming months to hand over new equipment purchased with cash raised.
“Thank you to all our supporters past, present and future,” she said. “We could not do what we do without them all.”
Saraçoğlu Foundation coordinator Övgü İnce said her organisation’s accounts for 2017 would be published next month.
“This year fundraising events continued for the benefit of our children . . . to help them with their treatments, both financially and emotionally,” she said.
“To provide better help, we have produced new and more products to sell, have taken part in projects and have held campaigns to increase both [the number of] donations and [bone marrow] donors.”
Members of the Civil Emergency Service Volunteers managed to raise over 44,000TL throughout the year and provided first aid training to over 600 people, operations director Stephen Collard said.
The Making a Difference group paid for physiotherapy sessions and equipment worth a total of around 30,000TL for 27 children at the Ziyamet Special Needs School.
Member Claire Lamb said the group’s target for 2018 was to raise funds towards the purchase of a “mobile magic carpet” for the children, which costs around £8,000. She said the “interactive resource” could be used by children “regardless of age or disability”.
Brenda Plant of the Friends of the TRNC Emergency Services (112) said a “hefty” 11,000TL had been raised in 2017, with activities scaled back due to health issues. The cash will be spent on more equipment for Girne State Hospital. Kyrenia Animal Rescue (KAR) chairman Margaret Ray said a final fundraising figure for 2017, KAR’s 20th anniversary year, was still being calculated. However their Christmas Bazaar achieved “record” takings of around 30,000TL and about 5,000TL was raised at their annual dog show.
“Looking back we feel it has been a very momentous year,” said Mrs Ray. “Each year it becomes more and more difficult to raise enough funds to do our work, but thanks to all our sponsors, supporters and friends we continue through another year.”
Stephanie Harrison-Croft, of Hope 4 Pets, which gained official charity status in 2017, said the charity had spent 32,000TL on veterinary costs, pet travel, food and shelter for both dogs and cats.
The Society for the Protection of Turtles (Spot) raised an estimated 150,000TL last year, according to marine biologist Robin Snape, while Karşıyaka Turtle Watch (KTW) managed to collect just over 9,500TL in donations.
Mr Snape said Spot, which was part of a successful bid for a 150,000-euro conservation grant from a Swiss-based philanthropic foundation, would be carrying out research with fishermen to find out how many turtles, seals, sharks and dolphins are accidentally caught and killed.