Page 14 - link magazine

14 swindonlink.com • June 2011
Chernobyl 25 years later

How nuclear disaster brought families
from Belarus and Swindon together
Becky’s Gin McGiffi n, who lives in Oakhurst, has written articles for The Link for
the last six years after she fi rst started hosting children from Belarus.
Splat Cooking (Swindon) Mobile She later became the coordinator of Chernobyl Children in Need. Here
she assesses the impact of its work
Cookery workshops for
children and adults On 26 April 1986 one of the reactors improvements to schools as well
Cooking parties Hairdressing (SRSH) in the Chernobyl Power Plant, lo- as arranging sponsorship of the
Saturday Morning Club cated in the small Ukrainian town poorest children to ensure that they
And much, much more... Over 10 year’s salon experience of Pripyatz, was destroyed by two receive a good meal every day and
For further information contact Cuts, colours, perms, updos powerful thermal explosions. support at home.
Steph on 01793 771922 or 25% off for seniors Radioactive material was carried Most recently CCIN launched
e: [email protected] by strong winds over neighbouring a sustainable cow and chicken
www.swindon.splatcooking.net
Call 0778 5318003 Belarus and Eastern Russia, Europe, project where we quite simply give
including much of Britain, and par- families a helping hand to support
ticles were detected as far away as themselves.
Japan and the USA. As a family we originally got
Splat Link Ad-V2 45x65mm.indd 1 1/2/11 17:19:28
Some 72 per cent of the radioac- involved in CCIN to provide respite
tive substances from Chernobyl care to children from the contami-
fell on Belarusian territory. Almost nated area for a month at a time, so
a quarter of the land and one fi fth that they had the chance to breathe
Improving Outcomes for Disabled Children of its population of 10 million was clean air and eat uncontaminated
affected by this disaster. A 193km food, returning them with a boosted
barbed wire fence was erected to immune system.
separate the most severely con-
taminated area from the outside
Home & Away is our family-based scheme world, enclosing 2,500 square
designed to support parents of children kilometers of once cultivated
with disabilities by providing children land which is now dominated
with the opportunity to enjoy different by wild animals.
experiences and develop new friendships. Almost 135,000 Belarusians
For more information please contact Swindon’s Family became forced refugees whilst
Placement Team on 01793 465700 or visit the website almost 2 million people, in-
at: www.swindon.gov.uk/homeandaway cluding half a million children,
continue to reside in areas of low
contamination.
In the wake of Chernobyl,
thousands of families were grief-
stricken as the disaster affected
human health resulting in a sharp
increase of congenital, pulmo-
nary, gastro-enteric and other
• The Ultimate diseases. Specifi cally, the child- Swindon supporters of Chernobyl Children In
Children’s hood mortality rate increased Need marked the 25th Anniversary with a fund
raising event at San Marco Italian Restaurant
Party Venue. due to 38 illnesses. The number followed by a sky lantern release in Faringdon
of children and teenagers with Road Park opposite. Gin receives a cheque for
• A Double thyroid cancer increased a £220 from owner Sanjay Madhani
hundred-fold. In the two decades
Decker bus after Chernobyl, breast cancer The past six years have had a
filled with reports have been on a constant rise. huge impact on my family and
soft play fun. Parental love may overcome many others who have hosted children
barriers, but sometimes hopes and from Belarus as one of their own.
• We can drive prayers are not enough to combat We have dedicated ourselves to
to you OR you can visit us at The Brewers cancer. helping the children not only when
The response of the international they come to Swindon, but when
Arms Wanborough where the bus sits in it’s community to the largest human- volunteers go to Belarus to work
own jungle garden and has a Giraffe bouncy made disaster in the history of on projects to improve the quality
castle and tented area. mankind deserves special mention of people’s lives.
and the highest praise. People from My heartfelt thanks go to every-
• Available for Children’s Parties/Christenings many countries gave of themselves one who has helped me and CCIN
and more. generously, providing medicine, over the years to achieve what we
up-to-date medical equipment for have. I’m looking forward to con-
hospitals, new homes for migrants, tinuing this work for many years
To see our Gallery or for as well as care for affected children to come.
If you would like further informa-
information please visit: and the elderly. tion on CCIN, sponsoring a child
Hundreds of thousands of chil-
www.jungleboogiepartybus.co.uk dren from Belarus were welcomed in Belarus, or purchasing a cow or
chickens for a family, please contact
by families abroad through organi-
or contact Amy on sations like Chernobyl Children In me at [email protected] or call
07747 614811 Need during their holidays. CCIN 07753662891.
www.ccin.co.uk
has a particularly close link with
the area around Ozarichi village Read Gin’s full article with more im-
and has assisted with physical ages at: http://bit.ly/swindonCCIN25

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