Jimmy  Darts

SB Mowing

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Kalina Silverman / @makebigtalk on Instagram

Samuel Weidenhofer

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Ben Saunders - Flawless Cleaning

The Dogist

Peter Bond

Amy Jandrisevits

Ask Uncle Jack

That Good News Girl

Tess Bohne

FowlMouthFarmer

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

Flavor Flav

John Wolfe

Khloe

<div>Dear friends, neighbours, and supporters,
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On behalf of Ahmet and Sahin Gok, <a href="https://www.thebigretort.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Big Retort</a> would like to highlight their story.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ahmet and Sahin Gok are brothers, restaurateurs, and proud members of the Lewisham community. For more than 20 years, they have run Meze Mangal, their family restaurant at 245 Lewisham Way. Many people have dined with them, celebrated with them, and shared memories under their roof. Meze Mangal has always been more than a restaurant – it is a home for their family and a hub for the community.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Today, however, they face the fight of their lives.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What Happened
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>It all began with a complaint from a neighbour about cooking odours and noise from the kitchen. As anyone who knows the Gok brothers will tell you, they take their responsibility to their neighbours very seriously. The last thing they ever wanted was to cause disturbance to the community they love and serve.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>So, they did what they thought was right: they invested heavily to fix the problem. In fact, they spent just under £50,000 on a new extraction system – a huge amount for a family-run restaurant like theirs. The system worked. It alleviated the complaints and solved the issue.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>But because the restaurant is in a conservation area, installing such equipment required additional planning permissions. They applied, but their application was refused.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>At that point, they made what they thought was the right choice: they left the extractor in place. They believed it was more important to keep peace with their neighbours and maintain the restaurant’s reputation than to follow what felt like an unreasonable decision. They never imagined this would become the biggest mistake of their lives.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Instead of working with them, Lewisham Council escalated matters in the most extreme way possible. What should have been a simple planning issue has now been turned into a criminal prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) – a law created to target serious organised crime.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The irony is not lost on them: many Lewisham councillors, staff, and even the Mayor herself have regularly eaten, drunk, and held events at Meze Mangal. The restaurant has been a gathering place for the very same council that is now trying to destroy it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Now, that same council is demanding an unbelievable £2.5 million confiscation order in so-called “criminal profits.” For an extractor fan. For a restaurant that has served this community for over two decades.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>What This Means for Them </strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ahmet and Sahin are both over 50, approaching 60 years old, and instead of looking to the future with their families, they are facing ruin.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>During the drawn-out court process, their mother and father – both in their early 80s – sadly passed away. Due to the council’s prosecutor, the judge was led to believe that they were flight risks, resulting in the seizure of their passports.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Their business bank account has been frozen, choking their ability to operate and putting their staff’s jobs at risk.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>After surviving the pandemic, navigating Brexit, and coping with skyrocketing costs, this case is now pushing them to the brink of shutting down permanently.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Why They Need Help</strong>
</div>
<div>•	They are not asking for charity.
</div>
<div>•	They are asking for fairness and the means to fight an absurd case in court.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The hospitality industry has been struggling since COVID. Running a restaurant has never been harder, with rising costs and falling margins. Now, on top of everything, they are being dragged through a legal nightmare that could destroy them completely.
</div>
<div>Without help, they cannot afford to keep fighting. Without fighting, they cannot survive.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This fundraiser is simply to give them the chance to:
</div>
<div>Cover urgent legal expenses to challenge the POCA claim.
</div>
<div>Keep Meze Mangal alive and protect their staff’s jobs.
</div>
<div>Defend their right, as British citizens and immigrants, to live and work with dignity, without being treated like criminals.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>But more than money, what Ahmet and Sahin truly need is a community that will stand up and pressure Lewisham Council to drop its POCA claim. Public awareness, collective outrage, and united voices can make a real difference.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>They need the people who have supported Meze Mangal for decades to help ensure justice is done — by speaking out, contacting local representatives, and demanding fairness.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>A recent example proves that community power works: K J Building Supplies faced similar treatment when the Council took them to court over a simple shipping container and tried to pursue POCA charges. But once the public got involved and pressure mounted, the Council dropped the case. <a href="https://www.thebigretort.com/2023/10/the-ongoing-battle-of-kj-building.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Your could read more here</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The same can happen here — if the community stands together, the Council can be persuaded to withdraw this unjust POCA claim against Meze Mangal.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>How You Can Help</strong>
</div>
<div>•	Donate what you can – every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.
</div>
<div>•	Share this page with your networks, friends, and on social media.
</div>
<div>•	Contact your local councillors and MP. Urge them to intervene and to call for the Council to drop the POCA claim.
</div>
<div>•	Stand with Ahmet and Sahin against the unfair and disproportionate use of the law.
</div>
<div>•	To everyone who has spoken out, written letters, shared posts, attended meetings, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ahmet and Sahin — thank you. Your support has shown what true community looks like: people coming together to defend fairness, dignity, and common sense.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What began as two brothers fighting a quiet, lonely battle has now become a united movement for justice. Every voice raised, every show of solidarity, and every act of compassion adds pressure on Lewisham Council to do what is right. This has never been about sympathy — it’s about standing up for principle, for community, and for the values we all share.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Because of you, Ahmet and Sahin now know they are not alone. The tide is turning, and together, we are showing that when a community stands as one, it cannot be ignored.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With heartfelt thanks and solidarity,
</div>
<div>— <a href="https://www.thebigretort.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Big Retort</a>, on behalf of Ahmet and Sahin Gok.
</div>

2 brothers 1 restaurant and a 2.5 million fight for survival

Hello everyone.<br /><br />I am a registered Paramedic. Due to the disaster in Nepal, I have decided to pay for flights and equipment for me to go to Nepal and provide emergency rescue and body recovery tasks. This has cost me in the region of £1,000.<br /><br />As part of the venture I would like to purchase medical equipment to take with me to help the response.<br /><br />If people are able to contribute towards this, it would be hugely appreciated! <br /><br />Thanks guys

Help Me Send Medical Aid to Nepal

THE BIG RETORT

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

adyen_v6_suspend_unsuspend_TEST01

adyen_v6_suspend_unsuspend_PROD

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

externalAccountHolderAccountCode

Adyen Account Holders with a large number of accounts

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

fund country is US and user language is English (amp15)

Gift cards donation status audience

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

Finland (FI) users

France (FR) users

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Luxembourg (LU) users

Sitewide Banner: CA + en_CA

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD) (amp17)

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Austria (AT) users

US Related Communities

DAF Internal

Netherlands (NL) users

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Posters INTL

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

email

Scheduler payment tester gorup

Ireland (IE) users

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

United Kingdom (GB) users

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

 Custom users

Sweden (SE) users

userEmail

public_profiles_redesign_prod_test_audience

ach frontend audience

Norway (NO) users

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

Excluded funds - Video Sharing (amp15)

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

isMobile

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

checkout headers audience

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

NPO email opt-in candidates

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link (amp15)

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

THE BIG RETORT

THE BIG RETORT

What THE cares about

THE’s featured causes

2 brothers 1 restaurant and a 2.5 million fight for survival

Help Me Send Medical Aid to Nepal