Human Relief Foundation fundraisers walk 50 miles for earthquake survivors 

A group of intrepid fundraisers battled the blisters to undertake a marathon walk from London to Cambridge on Saturday 18 March, raising funds to provide much needed food packs for Turkish, Syrian and Lebanese victims of the recent earthquake.

The walkers, raising funds for the international humanitarian charity Human Relief Foundation, trekked 52 miles on a “Walk 4 Hope”, from East London Mosque in Whitechapel to Cambridge Central Mosque. The group raised over £16,000 through generous donors and sponsors. The money will be used to provide food packs for those affected by the quake.

The charity has been working with Turkish partners, Ataa Human Relief Association on the ground in southern Turkey and northern Syria to bring relief and comfort to a dire situation. Teams have been out to Sarmada and Azmarin in northern Syria, and Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş in southern Turkey to deliver food, clothing and shelter to people who have lost everything. 

Khoyrul Shaheed, Fundraiser with Human Relief Foundation, said: “The recent earthquakes may be fading from the people’s minds but the situation I’ve personally seen in Turkey and Syria is still dire. Survivors have had their lives drastically altered by these terrible events and are now living in temporary shelters, requiring food packages and clothing to survive day by day.

“We’re always looking for challenging events to take on, and a fifty-mile walk is no exception. All the participants had a great day’s walking. Raising raising over £16,000 to help alleviate the suffering being felt by those affected by the earthquake is a fantastic achievement, and I'd like to thank everybody who has supported us on this endeavour."