Teaming up with children of Chernobyl for enjoyable summer break
FAMILIES from both sides of the border joined forces to provide an excellent summer break for children from Belarus.
Ten children came for a month long recuperative holiday this summer thanks to the hard work of the volunteers at the West Pennine branch of the Chernobyl Children's Project, who fundraise all year to pay for the children's trip.
"We've had a great time despite the awful weather. The children have enjoyed it and so have we," said trip organiser, Lynne Hutton.
"We took them ice-skating and they had a super time. In fact we had to nearly drag them off the ice.
"The day we had at Brooklyn art studio was fantastic. The people there were great and donated their time and all the materials."
The children arrived in July from the Eastern European country affected by the nuclear fallout after the disaster at the Chernobyl power station in April 1986. The land in Belarus is so contaminated that all the children have had cancer as a result of the accident nearly 25 years ago, although they are themselves aged between ten and 16 years-old.
However a month in Britain away from the contaminated soil, air and food can give the children's immune systems a boost. And while they are here they, and their host families, have a great time.
The children travel with an interpreter, Helena Bondarchik, and a doctor, Alex Tchitcho.
This trip was the second to the UK for Helena, who visited Southampton with a group last year, but it's her first time in Yorkshire.
This year the highlight of the visit has been ice skating in Bradford, but they have also enjoyed swimming at Todmorden pool; played games in Townley Park, Burnley; had a day of arts and crafts at Brooklyn Studio in Hebden Bridge; and a movie day at the home of Fran and Lynette Orford, who also hosted two boys.
Each host family has two children, either two boys or two girls, to stay for a fortnight. Activity days are organised for all the group and host families can also take their young guests for days out in smaller groups.
The Chernobyl Children's Project would like to hear from anyone who would like to get involved with the project, from fundraising to hosting children next summer. For more information contact Lynne on 01706 522559.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
