Page 50 - link magazine

Work of Wiltshire-based charity Chernobyl Children
in Need continues in Belarus in 2014
Chernobyl Children in Need found-
ers Theresa and Adrian Walker are
making plans for their first visit of
2014 to Belarus in February.
Theresa said: “We’d been hosting
children from the Ozarichi region
of Belarus since 1997, and when
Adrian visited the area in 1999 he
was appalled that the school had no
toilets. So he told the headteacher
that he would build some – and this
is how we came to set up Chernobyl
Children in Need.”
A long-term relationship with the Gin McGiffin, Swindon contact for CCIN, with visitors from Belarus in July
area developed, with one of the chil- in school toilets to what is now a play galleon in the village. Theresa
dren coming to live with the Walkers significant source of support in the and Adrian are appealing for barrels,
while she studied in England. region, funding school improve- ropes, a scramble net and a plastic
Now Adrian and Theresa make ments, kindergarten provision and lobster or two to decorate the ship,
the trip to Belarus about twice a year, school meals, as well as sponsoring which the children will name.
and have seen the charity grow from 300 children through its members And there are plans for half a dozen
its humble beginnings in plumbing in the UK. children to come to Swindon again
Theresa said: “Over the past five next summer. Theresa said: “The
years our sponsored schools in Ozar- children get to see a different way
ichi have consistently received cer- of life and are able to live in healthy
tificates for most improved school in conditions away from the effects of
Your VHS video, camcorder the region and the whole of Belarus.” the Chernobyl nuclear disaster over
tape or cine film transferred The next project on the horizon 25 years ago.”
to DVD Disc from £15 for CCIN is to provide an enormous www.ccin.co.uk
Tel: 01793 705333
Green fuse rethink funerals

St. John’s Haydon Wick Swindon-based Lewis Watson has just finished his training as a green fuse
celebrant – a 21st Century approach to conducting funerals.
On Thames Avenue Green fuse celebrants operate in funeral of a young friend who had died
next door to the area between the religious funeral, in an accident, and taking responsibil-
Morrisons with its expectations of particular ity for the funeral of a cousin who had
Contact: beliefs, and humanist funerals which led an ‘interesting personal life’ that
Revd Raymond Adams tend to exclude belief altogether. would have been difficult to explain
Tel: 634258 They aim to put together, in col- to a stranger.
laboration with family and friends, He expects to work alongside
Sunday 9am Traditional communion service a ceremony that is dignified but not established funeral directors and is
Services 11am Eventful, contemporary worship necessarily formal, centred on the particularly interested in helping
with children’s groups meeting life and interests of the person who those who want environmentally
www.stjohnshaydonwick.org.uk has died. friendly or green funerals. Lewis
Lewis discovered green fuse cel- can be contacted: lewis@lismore.
Open to all, serving tea, coffee, cakes & light lunches
Fridays and Saturdays: 10am - 2pm ebrants after getting involved in the demon.co.uk

West Swindon & The Lydiards

Church Partnership

Join us in worship on Sunday mornings
Westlea Church, Westlea School: 10.00am
St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze -
the church in the park: 10.00am
All Saints’ Lydiard Millicent -
the church in the village: 10.30am
Holy Trinity, Shaw: 10.30am
Toothill Church: 10.30am
For details of these and our other services
call the Partnership Office on 01793 874221
Email: [email protected] Website: www.wswinlyd.org.uk
Anglican • Baptist • Methodist • United Reformed Church
50 swindonlink.com • October 2013

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