Museum visit for children from Chernobyl

THE children from Chernobyl have been keeping busy in the two weeks since their return to the UK. Staying with host families in the Royston and Melbourn area, the children are on a month-long recuperative visit from their homes in Belarus, and charity Fri

THE children from Chernobyl have been keeping busy in the two weeks since their return to the UK.

Staying with host families in the Royston and Melbourn area, the children are on a month-long recuperative visit from their homes in Belarus, and charity Friends of Chernobyl's Children (FOCC) have organised a full progamme of activities around the area.

As well as a barbeque and visit to Linton Zoo, the children have been getting health and dental check ups.

Nicola Dunklin, FOCC co-ordinator for the area, said: "John Shenton, our super dentist in Buntingford, has noticed a dramatic improvement in the oral hygiene of the children since their last visit, and this leads me to thank everyone who donated toothpaste.

"It's easy to see just how important this programme is to the lives of the children and their families," she said.

The children also got a taste of age of steam when they visited Rutland Railway museum and were given a tour by John Drayton from the Cemex Barrington Quarry. They also planted trees in the museums newly acquired events and car parking field.

John Mace, Trustee of the Rutland Railway Museum said: "The Museum was delighted to support the fantastic work being undertaken by Friends of Chernobyl Children Charity in bringing the children to the UK for a break, and to John Drayton and Cemex for sponsoring the children's day out at the Museum and Rutland Water.

"We hope that they will return in future years to see how the trees they have planted today will have grown and to have further rides on the steam railway," he said.