By Can Gazi……. Joining me in the Bayrak studio this week is enigmatic psychotherapist D. U. Sivri. Sivri is back on A Cup Of Conversation to talk about his latest book “The Secrets Of Love And Attraction”.
By Engin Dervişağa…….. For this Vox Pop show, I went along to to the Girne home of Danish Afridi who came to Northern Cyprus in 2003 from Pakistan. He studied for a degree in Business Management at Girne American University where he graduated in 2006 and obtained a further degree in 2015 and currently works as the […]
By Engin Dervişağa……. By popular demand, I am delighted together with my colleague Qossay Eleyan to bring you a repeat of the interesting report on “Discovering North Cyprus” about the British Law Courts in Lefkosa.
Turkish Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said that the TRNC’s current international embargoes cannot continue forever, and there will be different processes after today.
The British Residents Society is a non-profit organisation, run by volunteers, that provides information, support and advice for those owning or renting property in North Cyprus.
Although they provide a service mainly to their members, they try to assist anyone else who asks. Most of their website advice and many of their services are shared with all who live or wish to live in the TRNC regardless of nationality.
All personal information that they receive is kept strictly confidential and shared with no other person or organisation. To visit the website of the British Residents Society please click here
With the election of a new committee for the British Residents’ Society, it seems a lot is changing within BRS and they have reached out to cyprusscene and requested our help to publish their news with our worldwide readership.
We are delighted to have this opportunity to help them and show below a nice report by BRS when a party of members visited a number of locations in southern Cyprus, which I have also visited, so I can imagine the great time they had on their two day visit.
The BRS is pleased to report a recent and very successful cultural tour of Paphos and the surrounding area. This was the first event to take place since the election of the new committee. It was led by the new Events’ Organiser, Tina King, supported by BRS members Sandie Mansell and Mike Diplock and professionally guided by Yusuf Nidai and Georgia Constanti.
The two-day event began by a visit to Pano Lefkara where the vernacular architecture was enhanced by the beautiful spring blossoms and where the group was able to spend time with a local family, the Rouvis, who have made some of the finest embroidery and silver art work to be found. On this day, we were also privileged to visit the historical Church of the Holy Cross, the Lemessos Medieval Museum of Cyprus, to view the mosaics at Dionysus House and to witness the birthplace of Aphrodite at Petra Tou Romiou. Later, we explored Paphos Harbour, so attractive in the evening light.
BRS members enjoying their visit to Kourion
The second day of this adventure was a cultural treat with visits to the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, the archaeological site of Kourion with its beautiful mosaics and amphitheater and to St.Neophytos Monastery before a leisurely lunch on the beach at Coral Bay.
Judging by the flood of responses, this tour was appreciated and enjoyed by those who took part and BRS look forward to offering its members many more trips and events in the coming year.
We invite you to check our website and your emails frequently for upcoming short trips and also for some further afield such as future plans to visit the Trabzon area by the Black Sea, Istanbul and Cappadocia. And while we have your attention, do not forget to make a date for a much loved favourite, the annual Summer Ball to be held at the Merit Hotel on 10th September.
For further information please visit our website, www.brstrnc.com
News from BRS……
By Julia Bennett – BRS Events Organiser…..
On 26th October the BRS held their annual Life Members lunch to honour their Life and Honorary members. Life members are those who have reached 80 and Honorary members are those who have given the BRS exemplary service.
The event saw 15 life members (over 80’s) and 5 honorary members (those who have given exemplary service to the BRS) as well as 22 spouses and guests arrive for an excellent three course lunch at The Rocks Hotel in Girne. The meal was chosen from a delicious menu and guests had wine and beer as well as soft drinks served throughout. The waiters were very attentive and nothing was too much trouble.
This year the oldest member in attendance was Ruth Smith at 89. We also saw the celebration of a 20 year wedding anniversary for Stan and Ann Keevil who are both life members. There were two new life members attending this year – Alan Peek, who has previously served as a BRS Chairman, and Jennifer Johnston. A short speech was given at the beginning of the event by Danny Dugan, the current BRS Treasurer. He wished several absent Life members a speedy recovery and hoped they would be back at next year’s event.
This was an excellent venue and The Rocks staff made everyone very welcome. You could tell how much fun people were having as the level of noise was so great. It’s great to see old friends reunited and new friends made.
The guests could choose from the menu anything they wished. Meals for the life members and honorary members were free, and drinks were free for all guests.
Having had the misfortune in the past to be hospitalized and need blood transfusions and also have the task of collecting supplies from the Lefkosa Blood Bank for a loved one, I am acutely aware of the knife-edge situation here in the TRNC when blood is needed for a patient’s treatment.
Therefore it was with pleasure that we gave our support this week to publicising the British Residents Society Blood Donation Day event on 15th October at the Girne State Hospital.
The British Residents Society will hold further blood donor days in 2017 and you have to ask yourself where further donations will come from to support the Lefkosa Blood Bank before the next blood donor day.
The biggest difficulty we face in a multi language community is the sharing of news to reach everyone which in the main in the media is either in Turkish or English and one excellent initiative to communicate emergency requirements for blood donation was the setting up of the Save a Life, Give Blood scheme by Steve Collard and a number of friends with the approval of the TRNC Ministry of Health. Click here to read more.
I have just received the following message requesting help from Steve Collard and clearly many more potential donors need to register on the emergency telephone alert system so messages can be sent to individuals when special blood types are required.
Appeal for help!
Hello Chris.
As you may be aware we have taken over the emergency blood requests from the British Residents Society and many existing blood donors are coming up to an age or taking medications that do not allow them to donate anymore.
Our Save a Life – Give Blood (0542 880 0112) system was set up for emergencies only but over the past month private hospitals have contacted us for bloods for preparing planned operations. Getting blood for these operations has left our donors thin on the ground and when the same blood group was needed the following week for emergency cases, no donors were found.
We have also had problems at the Girne State Hospital where no nurse has been available to take blood so the only option is for donors to go to the Lefkoşa State Hospital. This in itself has been a problem because some people will not travel that far.
We will now only deal with the main blood bank and there is a BRS guide click here that is for donors about ages and medications. The private hospitals have sent away donors because they have their own agenda.
Last week we were asked for bloods for an operation today (3rd October) and no one came forward despite. 163 members with that blood group being sent SMS messages and we also followed this up with an appeal on BRTK Radio and through the Cyprus Today newspaper.
There is a vast number of potential younger donors at the various universities which we will be approaching to introduce our Emergency Blood Donor scheme which has the approval of the TRNC Ministry of Health.
The British Residents Society have just emailed their members with the all important news of the next Blood Donation Day on 15th October which we are sharing for our local readers and hope that some of you may take the opportunity to go along to the Girne State Hospital and make a donation of life saving blood.
Thank you.
The BRS will be holding their next Blood Donor Day on Saturday 15th October 2016 at the Girne State Hospital. Timings will be 10.00am until 1.00pm. We hope to see as many of you as possible on the day.
Blood Donor Dates for 2017 will be arranged with Lefkosa Blood Bank in the new year.
The Blood Bank is always very low on blood, and it only takes half an hour to donate and it literally could save a life. Please pass this message on to family and friends and encourage them to donate. New donors are always welcome.
I apologise to those who have donated within the past 4 months, and have received this email, it is a general email going to all blood donors and BRS members.
The maximum age limit for donors is 68. First time donors the maximum age is 67.
Blood donations can count towards your residency blood test. As it stands currently, you need to give three times within the 12 months before your residency is due, with the last donation no more than one month before your residency expiry date.
The British Residents’ Society’s annual summer dinner dance was for the third year running held outside at the beautiful Merit Royal Premium hotel in Alsancak.
The event was open to all members and their guests but numbers were limited to 180 people. The tickets this year went on sale in May and were completely sold out within two weeks for this very popular event. Free buses were available for those wishing not to drive.
The welcome music was provided by a piano at the entrance of the event which was kindly provided by the Merit hotel itself. The guests were welcomed by the BRS Chairman David Brown and his wife Liz.
The food was a delicious four course meal with all drinks included. The staff of the Merit Hotel were as usual wonderfully attentive and nothing was too much trouble.
The meal was accompanied by some relaxing tunes played by the Diamond Duo. Finally the ever popular Tuxedo Junction got things really going with some lively numbers which saw the dance floor packed with guests enjoying their evening. The BRS chairman thanked all the musicians and Creditwest Bank who most kindly sponsored all the music. Tuxedo Junction very kindly as ever, donated all their money for the event to Children in Need Foundation charity.
This was another wonderful evening with warm weather, excellent food, drink, service and music, and above all good company. I’m looking forward to next year already.
Pictures courtesy of the British Residents Society
at the Girne State Hospital.
4 months, and have received this email, it is a general email going to all blood donors and BRS members. 
