Myddelton College in North Wales has launched a fundraising music video to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria which claimed the life of the 17-year-old friend of a Turkish sixth former.
Student Zeynep Sener, 18, said her friend had escaped the first massive tremor but had gone back to look for her family and belongings and had been lost in the second huge quake.
Staff and friends at the school have rallied round to support Zeynep and fellow Myddelton sixth former Ekin Karabagli, 17, who have both been deeply affected by the tragedy.
Ekin’s family, who live in Mersin, 60 miles west of the epicentre of the quake, have had their home in a high rise rocked by the tremors which registered 7.8 and 7.7 on the Richter scale.
Now Myddelton College has joined with international mezzo-soprano Sioned Terry and musicians in Madagascar to perform a song by musical duo Brothers Abide to raise money for the victims of the disaster.
Parent Ed Brookes, from Conwy, who with brother Pete make up Brothers Abide, suggested the collaboration to headmaster Andrew Allman.
As the death toll rose towards 50,000 and with over a million people housed in temporary camps, Ed worked with staff and pupils at the school to put together a recording of their Song of Hope (Til’ We Can Run) for Turkey and Syria.
Staff and pupils at the school have been involved making the music video to post on social media to raise money for the victims of the disaster.
Ed said: “I sat down with the headmaster and we have worked out a plan which we hope will raise as much money as possible and we want to use our students’ contacts in Turkey to find a charity there that we can work with.
“We have used the whole school to create a cover version of the song and Sioned Terry has come in to help out and sing a verse in Welsh. We have also been collaborating with musicians in Madagascar who will be joined by singers from across Africa to sing the harmony.
“The idea is that the song can be sold on Spotify and across social media to generate as much money as we can for this dreadful disaster.”
Andrew Allman said: “Pupils and staff at Myddelton have been very keen to do something to help the people affected by this disaster and it has been great to have a parent like Ed volunteering his help.
“He has been fantastic and so has the reaction from everyone connected with the school and we’re determined to do our best to raise as much as we can for the people of Turkey and Syria.”
To donate to the Myddelton College earthquake relief appeal go here.
