A CHARITY that has helped hundreds of children affected by the Chernobyl disaster is to close.
Chernobyl Children’s Trust in Huddersfield has spent more than 15 years sending aid to poverty-stricken families who are still living with the after-effects of the 1986 nuclear explosion.
But age and ill-health is now taking its toll on the band of trustees who originally formed the charity and they have made the sad decision to end it.
Chairman of the trustees David Heaton said: “Many people in Huddersfield have generously given support to us over the years and we thank them for it.
“But we’re only a small group and as most of us are now aged 70 or over we’re finding it increasingly difficult to cope with all the work running the charity involves.
“Like so many charitable organisations we have not been able to find new people willing to take on the work and run the trust. It’s been a difficult decision and the sadness is that the need of these children continues to exist.”
The charity, based at New North Road Baptist Church, was founded by Mr Heaton after he watched a documentary about the plight of the children living in Belarus where 60% of the radioactive fallout landed.
He said: “It featured a little boy who had been born with various deformities who was coming over here and getting help.
“But the documentary also showed the conditions in the hospital where aspirin was the best thing they could give and this really got to me.
“I decided to try and help the other children who were not getting the advantages of this boy.
“At the time there were no groups helping children in Chernobyl this side of the Pennines so I made an appeal at church and a number of people came forward to help form this group.”
The group of eight trustees organised fundraisers throughout the year to raise cash for the families affected by the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history.
Over the years they raised more than £60,000 to provide much-needed humanitarian aid as well as holidays to more than 900 children.
These two-week breaks at a children’s camp near Odessa are run by the International Aid Trust and provide a much-needed break away from the contamination.
Mr Heaton said: “These children are living in extreme poverty in radioactive fallout areas and many are suffering from cancers and genetic defects.
“These breaks are so important to improving their quality of life because they help flush the radioactivity out of their bodies.”
“They give these children extra life, but when our group closes money will have to be found elsewhere.”
The charity has raised funds for one last holiday for 70 children this summer and will close shortly after.
Mr Heaton said: “It’s sad for us because the charity has been a part of our lives for so long.
“If some people did come along and could keep the charity going that would be fantastic. We would support them in any way we could”.
