IT was absolutely heartwarming to witness the support this event received on Saturday, June 23.

Christ Church was packed with visitors, buying books, socialising, partaking of coffees and homemade cakes and enjoying meeting new friends.

Dorothy Knights who has been organising the Chernobyl Children’s Life Line visits to Malvern for the past 10 years brought along a display of photos showing the children.

Their leader Olga also came. She was very touched by our support and also to learn that the shoe boxes we do and collect at Christ Church each year for Operation Christmas Child have been going to children in Belarus for many years now.

Hundreds of boxes have been sent with love from our church.

The area is still suffering from the legacy of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, the land still contaminated and will take up to 400 years to rid the land of contamination.

Their visit to Malvern gives the children a much needed respite.

They have a trip of a life time staying with a family, eating nourishing food and breathing clean air which improves their health and boosts their immune system.

The charity has to cover the cost of the visits and it costs at least £400 to bring a child to the UK and a visa of £86 in addition to the air fare.

We were delighted to be able to hand over £200 from the morning book sales and wish the children a lovely stay here in Malvern.

We look forward now to our Civic Week programme,.

From July 13, we are open daily 10am to 4pm for refreshments, homemade cakes, book and card sales and exhibitions, including the Malvern Terrace Artists, Malvern Spa, Baden Powell Guild and Malvern Civic Society.

Saturday, July 13 at 7.30pm we host A Gala Concert, The Dream of Chopin, a unique format, with renowned American virtuoso pianist, Daniel Blumenthal , Worcestershire’s mezzo soprano, Jennifer Simpson and Cecilia Jorgensen.

Tickets £15/£12, including refreshments, from Malvern Theatres 01684 892277.

ANGELA GREEN