Rotarians organise trip to Marwell Zoo (From This is Hampshire)

Rotarians organise trip to Marwell Zoo

10:55am Friday 1st August 2008 in News

BISHOP'S Waltham Rotarians once again treated a group of children from Belarus to a day out at Marwell Zoo.

Activities and treats included train rides, ice creams and a free buying spell in the gift shop.

The children came from a village about 150km from Minsk which, like many other parts of Belarus is still affected by the nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl catastrophe two decades ago.

The children stayed as guests of the local link of the charity Chernobyl Children Lifeline, whose chairperson, John Stream, accompanied the youngsters on their complementary visit to the zoo.

Rotarian Terry Hotchkiss said: "When one little boy named Pavel - who only speaks a smattering of English - was asked what he would like to do, he immediately replied go to the seaside' - because he has never seen the sea or sand."

Mr Stream said that another boy's family was working with 12 other families on a collective farm, which provided the only work in their village.

As they have no bathroom between them, the collective is working hard to buy and install one.

Since the Chernobyl accident large tracts of Belarus have remained contaminated by radiation fallout. Water and food in the area is polluted and children are still susceptible to radiation-induced illnesses, including cancers and deformities.