Money raised at talk to go on wheelchairs

MONEY raised at a talk on the Knights Templar is to be used to buy wheelchairs and walking frames for British military veterans living in the TRNC, it has been announced.

Around 50 people attended the talk by Keith Lloyd at the Levant restaurant in Karaman last Thursday, which generated funds for the Royal British Legion (RBL) Kyrenia branch.

The event raised a total of 940TL and the RBL Kyrenia branch is to use the money to buy two wheelchairs and two walking frames for veterans. “I’m pleased about that,” said Mr Lloyd.

The 78-year-old, originally from Chester and who moved to Girne in 2003 with wife Betty, said he had spoken about the legacy of the Knights Templar, which was formed in the 12th century, “in Girne, Gazimağusa and other regions”, including how they were “purged by the Pope in 1310 and how they were the world’s first bankers — an influence which continues today”.

He added: “I spoke about their history, to the time when King Richard the Lionheart gave Cyprus to them during the third crusade.”

Mr Lloyd said he might repeat the talk — already given for the second time — after 20 people had to be turned away due to the demand for places.

While auctioning a bottle of Scotch, he also told the story of how the late Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides saved Turkish Cypriot soldier İbrahim Salih Bekir, who died in London last year aged 98, from being sent to a concentration camp while being held captive by the Nazis in Poland.

“The Germans had mistakenly thought Mr Bekir to be Jewish,” Mr Lloyd explained, because they believed his name was “Abraham”.

“Mr Clerides . . . told the Germans that Mr Bekir was in fact his fellow countryman and said that he was actually Cypriot,” Mr Lloyd said. “With his actions, he saved him from going to the gas chamber, to his death.”