Church and bank help to replace ‘dangerous’ partition
A “DANGEROUS” old partition at the adult Special Needs Centre in Karakum has been replaced, thanks to Girne’s St Andrew’s Church and a helping hand from Turkish Bank.
The church contributed £500 from its August Kurban Bayram campaign for the needy and the bank added £250 after school officials voiced fears that a wooden frame holding a large window as part of the partition wall was rotten in places and posed a threat to the 20 students and staff using the premises.
The issue was pointed out during a recent church visit to the centre by acting chaplain Rev Mike Graham and church warden Sandy Oram, and the replacement was agreed in place of a cash donation.
The new aluminium frame and window has now been fitted and a cheque to cover the cost was presented to the centre in a ceremony on Wednesday.
The centre’s head, Leyla Yorgancıoğlu Usta, said: “We were prepared to fix it ourselves as we were scared that it would injure someone if fell down or broke, so when we were approached by the church straight after our decision we were very happy to accept.
“It meant we could use the funding from our own budget on some other need for the school — and we have many. We are always grateful for such donations as we need extra support from the community.”
Mr Graham said Kurban Bayram donations had been collected after a suggestion by a parishioner and explained: “The head . . . had recently received a quotation for the work from a local contractor, Mehmet Güdükboy, who had himself generously offered to do the work for half price, but following the recent economic problems in the TRNC the balance was unavailable. The St Andrew’s collection allow[ed] this work to be completed and make the area safe.”
Mrs Oram added: “It’s nice to give to people who don’t always receive such funding from the public all the time.”