Since the outbreak, it is understood that an estimated 313 Cypriots have died from Coronavirus, amounting to just under 1% of the total 43,550 fatalities in Britain as of Sunday 28th June 2020.
We have seen three recorded deaths for the month of June, as the UK continues to see a reduction of deaths.
Cypriots represent approximately half a percent of the population and whilst the community’s losses are high, they do not seem to be as much as was first thought at the onset of the pandemic.
One explanation for this could be that a majority of the Cypriot community live in London and the capital was hit earlier.
The weekly Cypriot newspaper ‘Parikiaki’ compiled the numbers, however it is not known whether the deceased died directly from Coronavirus or whether they had tested positive for the virus, but died of other causes.
The newspaper contacted hospitals, churches, funeral directors, Turkish Cypriot media and community members to ascertain numbers. This also included requests for their weekly death publications.
The ‘Eleftheria’ newspaper had estimated 109 deaths in May, based on information from Greek Orthodox Church funeral arrangements.
Some of those who sadly passed away to the virus include:
A Turkish-Cypriot father and son who died just days apart, Ahmet Kamil, 63, died on 1st April, followed by his father, Kamil Ahmet, 87, who passed away a week later. Kamil Ahmet co-founded the ‘Hackney Cypriot Association’ about 40 years ago to promote Cypriot cohesion within the London borough. The decades-run family business was a cobblers shoe repair store in Newington Green.
London-Cypriot brothers Andy and Lonny Leonida aged 57 and 55 respectively lost their battle on 18th and 22nd April, after being admitted to Middlesex Hospital the week before.
Husband and wife, Pavlos Faccas, 77, of Ayios Dometios, Nicosia, and Anita, 81 from East London died within three days of each other on 3rd April at Great Yarmouth Hospital.
George Nicholas Georgiou, 62, the co-owner of ‘Toffs Fish and Chips’ in Muswell Hill, passed away on 21st April. In November 1999, George and his brother Costas bought the well-established ‘Toffs of Muswell Hill’. Tributes after his death included a Tweet from local MP Christina West, which read: “Muswell Hill will never be the same”.
Petros Michael, 72, born in the village of Ayios Amvrosios, Kyrenia, died on 31st March. He was a pillar of UK-Cypriot football, a founder of the KOPA League and published the community’s football magazine. Petros was also known to broadcast on LGR for several years.
Theo Papapavlou, 72, born in Panayia, Paphos passed away on 3rd April. He was a treasurer of ‘EDEK UK’ and a member of the Secretariat of the ‘National Federation of Cypriots in the UK’. He was also President of the “UK Association of Resistance Fighters”.
Yiannis Pareas, 70, an architect, also succumbed to the virus. He was the Chair of Governors for “St Andrew The Apostle Greek Orthodox Secondary School” in Barnet. He co-founded the school ten years ago. The father-of-three died at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Holborn, on 20th April.
Zacharias Akis Kadis, 56, a London-Cypriot, who worked and owned ‘Cobblers Corner’ in Palmers Green for 22 years, and for the last three years volunteered and worked at Cancer Research UK, also died from Coronavirus.
London Greek Radio (LGR) expresses our sincere condolences to all families and friends of all those who have sadly died during the pandemic. We will continue to work with various organisations to help and support our communities at this challenging time.
[Information credited and attributed to Parikiaki newspaper.]
Article written by London Greek Radio
Police are appealing for the public’s help after a Greek man went missing from Ilford.
Article written by London Greek Radio
Police in Redbridge are appealing for help to find a man of Greek descent, who has been missing from the Ilford area and not seen since 18th February 2020.
Ioannis Oikonomopoulos is now 34 years old and originally from Patras in Western Greece. He was aged 33 at the time of his disappearance earlier this year.
Ioannis (John), a former beach lifeguard in Greece, has been living in London since last year and on Tuesday 18th February, his partner returned home from work and found the door to their apartment open with Ioannis missing.
They lived together at Eastern Avenue East, on the A12 at the junction with Silverdale Avenue.
Ioannis is about 5′ 9″ tall and at the time of his disappearance, he was wearing black sweatpants, a single white trainer on his right foot, a black jacket and a blue hat.
His girlfriend, along with his parents who live in Greece’s Achaia area are hoping that people living in London will be able to help locate Ioannou. It is believed that he may have some health problems.
Police have managed to trace some CCTV footage of Ioannis when he is seen on Tuesday 18th February 2020 just after 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
When he went missing, he only had his house keys and a bank card with him. The bank card has not been used and there is no other trace of him after this day.
In the CCTV clip Ioannis is seen without a shoe on his left foot. It is unknown why this is the case.
PC Mark Denham from the Missing Person’s Unit in East London, told LGR, “It seems very out-of-character for Ioannis to go missing like this, and for such a long period of time.
“If anyone recalls seeing a man matching Ioannis’ description with only one trainer on, or perhaps you saw a single white trainer lying around somewhere, please contact us straight away.
PC Denham added, “On the day that he went missing, we can see on the CCTV that Ioannis is walking east towards King George’s Hospital but have not had any trace of him at all since then.”
Anyone who has any information at all, however small, is asked to call officers on 101 or you can call and text free anytime to the UK’s ‘Missing People’ charity in confidence via 116 000.
Article written by London Greek Radio
Top 20 LGR Chart Hits.
Tune in to LGR 103.3 FM and lgr.co.uk to hear the best new music, and lots of your top-rated favourite songs this month.
London Greek Radio play-lists are constantly adding even more exclusives, promos and new releases.
7th June 2020.
Listen to snippets from our chart: lgr.co.uk/chart/
1. Nikos Vertis feat. Amir – I Leksi S’Agapo/Si On N’aime Qu’une Fois
2. Melisses – Misi Kardia
3. Giorgos Sabanis – Allakse Ta Ola
4. Giorgos Mazonakis – Dianyktereuo
5. Dionisis Sxoinas – Allazo
6. Dimitris Basis feat. Christos Mastoras – Ena Lepto
7. Elena Paparizou feat. Sakis Rouvas – Etsi Einai I Fasi
8. Nikos Oikonomopoulos – Kathimerina
9. Natasa Theodoridou – Hartopolemos
10. Konstantinos Argiros – Ta Matia Sou Eroteutika
11. Petros Iakovidis – S’agapo Sou Fonaksa
12. Constantinos Christoforou feat. One – Billy Bam Bam
13. Nikiforos – Ta Leme To Vrady
14. Antonis Remos – Ola Ta Dakrya
15. Michalis Xatzigiannis – Vale Ena Kafe
16. Kaiti Garbi – Kormia Xamena
17. Ilias Vrettos – Ora Monaksias
18. Lena Zeugara – Oneira
19. Tamta – S’agapo
20. Thodoris Ferris – Ta Amartola Sou Matia
“Celebrating Greek music and creativity on the air-waves”
Article written by London Greek Radio
English-Greek actor Michael Angelis died on Saturday, 30th May in Berkshire. He was 76 years old.
Michael was the narrator of the classic children’s series, ‘Thomas The Tank Engine’ from 1991 to 2012 and had a lengthy television career, which included the powerful 1980s drama ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’.
The actor was born Nicolas Michael Angelis on 29th April 1944 in London to Margaret (née McCulla), and Greek father, Evangelos Angelis. He was raised in Dingle, Liverpool.
He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, where he played roles in several pieces of work, including Brendan Behan’s ‘The Hostage’ and ‘The Zykovs’ by Maxim Gorky.
Angelis also appeared in comedies such as ‘The Liver Birds’ between 1975 and 1978 and Luv 1993–94, as well as films such as ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ (1979) and ‘No Surrender’ (1985).
In 1983, he appeared at the Royal Exchange in Manchester in Harold Pinter’s ‘The Caretaker’ and played a villain in the revived television series ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Pet’ in 2002.
The much-loved actor narrated John Peel’s autobiography, ‘Margrave of the Marshes’ and in 2006 he starred in the film ‘Fated’.
Angelis also appeared in episodes of ‘Midsomer Murders’ and ‘The Bill’.
He was married to Coronation Street actress Helen Worth in 1991 and after their divorce in 2001, he married Welsh model Jennifer Khalastchi, in 2003.
He was the younger brother of fellow actor Paul Angelis who died in 2009.
LGR express their condolences to Michael’s family and friends.
Article written by London Greek Radio
