British father-son embark on cycling tour for quake survivors

MANISA

In a display of solidarity, a British father and son duo have embarked on a remarkable 1,000-kilometer cycling journey to raise funds for citizens affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes that hit Türkiye’s southeast.

Hailing from Bournemouth, England, Geoffrey and William Sherwood are currently traversing the Manisa-Izmir route in Türkiye’s west as part of their larger world tour, which commenced in Cyprus en route to London.

Geoffrey Sherwood, the father, expressed the motivation behind their cycling endeavor and stated, “The earthquakes in Hatay and neighboring provinces upset us. We went on such a tour to help the citizens affected by the earthquake in the region.”

The devastating earthquakes in 2023 had resulted in more than 53,000 deaths and over 107,000 injuries.

Speaking further about their fundraising efforts, he added, “We collect money from the communities we visit during the tour. We have collected 3,000 British pounds so far. We will collect another 2,000 pounds until London and donate the 5,000 pounds to relevant institutions and associations.”

Beyond their charitable mission, the Sherwoods are relishing the opportunity to engage in social responsibility while forging connections with communities along their journey.

We are on the road both in terms of social responsibility and getting to know new people, Geoffrey Sherwood emphasized.

He also expressed their fondness for Türkiye and remarked, “We met friendly people in Türkiye and we were welcomed very well.”