London Greek Radio

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