Local hosts wanted for visiting children from Chernobyl

Children born in the aftermath of the worst nuclear accident the world has ever seen are still feeling the effects over 20 years after it happened and future generations will not be able to escape its legacy.

Youngsters in Belarus breathe in infected air and eat infected food every day of their lives, but just one month away from their country could add two years to their lives and people in Bristol could help them to do this.

The Bath link of the national charity Chernobyl Children’s Life Line is looking for people who are willing to open their homes to children from Belarus for either two, or four weeks this summer.

The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 saw a reactor explode at the plant in the Ukraine, sending radioactive fallout over a huge area of eastern Europe the radiation cloud was carried north over Belarus, where 70% of the nuclear fallout landed. The ground was heavily contaminated – and will continue to be for thousands of years.

The people of Belarus live with radiation all around them. They drink contaminated water, wash with it and often eat food grown in the affected earth because that is all they can afford.

The children stay with host families in the UK for a month and are given health treatment and foods to build up their systems as well as being taken on trips and excursions that they would never be able to experience at home.

All we ask is that you can give food, love and a secure environment during their stay in our area. We raise the money for the air fares and give complete back up.

Don’t worry if you can’t speak Russian, there will be interpreters travelling with the children, and they are always available to help. Families that host children have such a wonderful time that they often remain with the group for many years..

Doctors in Minsk (the nation’s capital) say that the four weeks respite break can add up to two years to the children’s life expectancy. We are holding presentation evenings at: Claverton Down (11th March) and Keynsham (19th March).

Anyone who can help can email Andy March: bath(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)ccll.org.uk, or visit our web site: www.ccll.org.uk/bath to find out more.

(Contributed by: Andy March)