Friends of Chernobyl's Children

26th April 1986, saw the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in Northern Ukraine explode & subsequently blanket Belarus with radioactive contamination. FOCC South Cambridge is a registered charity in England providing respite care for disadvantaged children from Belarus following this nuclear catastrophe.

Our Group covers Cambridge and the surrounding villages. We are lucky to have the support of many local businesses. If anybody in the area wishes to help in any way, please contact the Group Co-ordinator using the options shown.

Friends of Chernobyl’s Children (South Cambridgeshire) works with the children and families who live in the Mogilev region, all living in desperately sad circumstances. I have got to know this area and the families well, having visited Belarus several times. Belarusian people are friendly and welcoming and very appreciative of the care and support they receive from FOCC.

In March 2011 I visited Belarus to select new children that we could offer a programme of care to. A difficult thing to do because every family you visit has a desperate story and all are in need of our help. I came back from the visit feeling invigorated to find new host families and to seek support from local businesses and individuals to help us make a new programme possible.

In September 2011 we brought 12 children from Belarus to Cambridge for their first ever UK visit. They all had the visit of a lifetime which included amazing days out to Linton Zoo, Shepreth Wildlife Park, A Tour of Cambridge, days at the Beach and learning to swim. It felt like we sent home a group of different children – each had a healthy look to their faces and bags full to bursting of new clothing and shoes.

Each child has kept in close contact with their wonderful host families and I am looking forward to going back to see them all this March. I will take out with me financial support, gifts and letters from their families.

We are now busy trying raise funds for their summer visit this year, which we hope will be 24^th June – 22^nd July. We have some new host families and it would be lovely to invite some new children for their very first visit if we can raise the necessary funds. Anybody who feels they can support us in any way can contact me – we would love to hear from you.

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