#Bake For Syria

Product Information

The students are proud to have attracted the State Secretary’s attention. ‘This will help gain the attention we so desperately need,’ says Damla, a psychology student. ‘Then we really can make an impact. It’s hugely encouraging if your fight gets recognition, not just from Uslu but also from your fellow students.’

Why - UNICEF UK

Students are manning an information stand in the main hall of the Pieter de la Court building. Drop by for a chat or make a donation with the QR code. It's Tuesday and all day long enthusiastic students will be selling muffins, cake and Turkish delicacies. Visitors can also make an extra donation with a QR code. At 11 in the morning, several plates are already empty. Will they have enough? ‘There’s still a bit in the freezer but we hadn’t expected it to go so fast,’ says one of the organisers. All profits from the sale of #CookForSyria the recipe book will be donated to charity - in aid of UNICEF's Children of Syria Appeal (Unicef UK registered charity 10726212 England and Wales and SC043677 Scotland).

Event Details

Baileys are partnering with #BakeForSyria, allowing bakers and chefs to donate 100% of their sales to NEXTGen London. Bakeries, restaurants and food partners that have already confirmed their participation include: Anna Jones, Bill Granger, Dalia Dogmoch, Deliciously Ella, Dominique Ansel, Helen Goh, Imad Alarnab, Jamie Oliver, Jasmine Hemsley, Jordan Bourke, Lily Vanilli, Maggie Beer, Melissa Hemsley, Paul A Young, Rachel Khoo, Thomasina Miers, Yottam Ottolenghi and more. Leiden students are distributing posters with a QR code that makes it easy to donate to a number of aid organisations. The poster can be found here.

bake sale for Turkey and Syria Heartache and cake at the bake sale for Turkey and Syria

There are huge concerns over the safety and well-being of children who have lost their homes, those who are sleeping rough in freezing temperatures, and those who have been separated from their families. The students taking part in the Bake Sale wanted to do something–something other than sit at home in the knowledge that family and friends have lost everything and are fighting for their lives. Deniz, a psychology student, says, ‘We don’t just want to raise as much money as possible but also want to keep interest in the disaster alive. It’s an enormous region that has been destroyed. You really can’t rebuild it in a week. They’re going to need consistent aid.’ Vice-Dean Kristiaan van der Heijden is impressed that the students have managed to pull this off. ‘It really did come from the students themselves. All we did was support and facilitate. It’s great to see the community that has developed and fantastic that they are doing something for a good cause.’

Organisation

Istanbul-born Kurdish chef and writer Melek Erdal, the lead organiser, said: “The scale of devastation is unimaginable and continues to unfold. The death toll continues to rise, many more have been injured and millions have been left without homes (replaced word shelter because used twice) in freezing winter conditions, in desperate need for shelter, supplies and food and drink. The impact of the disaster will reverberate in the region for generations. With this comes the urgent need to rally together and show solidarity.