BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
20/03/2008
Aid convoy sets off for Belarus
By Steve Mather
AN aid convoy has left for Belarus to improve the lives of hundreds of children and families affected by nuclear fallout.
The Evesham charity Chernobyl 2000 set off for Eastern Europe on Thursday (20) with computers, medical supplies, toiletries and educational equipment for those still feeling the effects of the infamous Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Charity founder Mike Worton, said: "This year will be the tenth year we have been running aid trips to Belarus and the fifteenth time that I have been on the convoy. We will be bringing around 50 tonnes of aid in various forms."
The trip has a particular significance for one member of Mike's family, as he explained: "My son and daughter-in-law are coming on the trip this year. She is from Belarus and they met when we were in the country on one of our visits.
"She will be visiting her parents in her home village and it will be the first she has seen them properly for two years."
Joining the charity workers on the visit are two members of staff and six pupils from Bredon Hill Middle School.
Headteacher, Steve Charlton is on the aid convoy himself. He said: "From an educational and humanitarian point of view, the experience is going to be amazing. The children going from our school have been carefully selected and understand the significance and importance of the visit.
"Whilst the charity we are travelling with distribute aid to orphanages in Uzda, we will be in a place called Dzjerjinsk visiting a school.
"It will be my first time on this particular convoy but Kate Fardon who is coming with us has been before which will obviously help."
Source:
Archive
