Friends of Chernobyl’s children......A heartwarming charity

This year marked the 25^th anniversary of Chernobyl and for many people all over England their hearts still go out to the victims, especially the children who are still living with the aftermath of that terrible day.

Every year a charity called Friends of Chernobyl’s children (FOCC) arrange for children from Belarus to come over and stay somewhere in England for 4 weeks and I’m glad to report that Morecambe is one of these places. Every year 18 children that originally come from orphanages and disadvantaged homes in Belarus get to live with a host family in Lancashire and experience a different way of life.

The cost of an annual visit per child is around £500 which is raised by people of the community by fundraising and one of the people involved is Gary Eckford, the landlord of the New Inn in Morecambe. On Saturday the 18^th of June he will be hosting a race night to raise money for the charity where everyone is invited to enjoy a fun day of betting on horses, karaoke and a raffle. The person who bets on the winning horse will also receive a cash prize and the rest of the money will go towards FOCC, so if you fancy a fun filled evening whilst at the same time helping children then get down to the New Inn at 8pm.

Another dedicated local man who is set on raising money for FOCC is Gary Whitfield who on the Saturday morning before the race night is doing a skydive which Whitewalls catering have paid for in Cockerham. He will be jumping 14,000 feet out of plane and even some of the charity committee will be coming down to watch him.

Chernobyl was a power station in Ukraine that in 1986 had an explosion resulting in highly radioactive smoke being released into the atmosphere over the Western USSR and most of Europe. Belarus was one of the most effected areas and it said that it received 60% of the fall out. In 1995 The World Health Organisation finally recognised the link to the high percentages of Thyroid cancer and Chernobyl. Unfortunately it is believed that 1 third of the children that were aged from 0-4, in the area, at the time of the disaster will get thyroid cancer in their life times. There has also been a 50% increase in leukaemia cases, as well as a recognised increase in breast cancer. This was an incident that will go on affecting people’s lives for a very long time.

Throughout the year FOCC are glad to receive all sorts of donations including clothes as some of the children don’t come over with many. If you are unable to attend the fundraiser but still feel as though you would like to donate something towards it then please make sure it is well sealed and send it to Gary Eckford at The New Inn Morecambe with FOCC wrote on it. Any help is greatly appreciated.