A CHARITY that brings children affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to Malvern for “health-giving” holidays is looking for local families to open their doors and ensure its efforts can continue.

For the last 10 years Chernobyl Children’s Life Line Malvern and District Link has been bringing youngsters to Malvern from the town of David-Gorodock in Belarus.

Next year is set to be no different, with 10 children aged 10 and 11 set to visit for four weeks from June 12 until July 10.

But, as ever, organisers Dorothy and Jim Knights, of Brook Farm Drive, Malvern, will be relying on the support of local people to make that possible.

They are appealing for people to volunteer as host families, drivers or to organise activities for the children.

It costs at least £5,500 every year to run the project so donations of money or items such as cinema tickets would also be gratefully welcomed.

Children stay with host families in pairs, either for two weeks or the entire fourweek holiday.

Activities are organised for them between three-five days each week.

Mrs Knights believes the holidays are extremely important for the children from Belarus, as their homeland is still suffering the effects of contamination more than 25 years after the Chernobyl disaster. She has seen first hand the effect a month “eating nourishing food and breathing clean air” can have on their health.

“Over the last 10 years, 100 children have benefited from this opportunity and it has also proved to be a worthwhile experience for many families in the Malvern area who have been their hosts,”

she said.

Anyone who would like to help the charity out this year can get in touch by calling Mrs Knights on 01684 561358, or by e-mailing her at dorothyknights@waitrose.com