UPDATE:  we have been able to secure flights at a better price with another airline and into another airport.  Therefore we are just challenged with an extra £1k now instead of the £2.1k we initially thought we would have to find.  THANK YOU to all those who has donated and to anyone else who is able to help.  Please read our story even if you can't afford to donate. Jo 

Hello all,

Most of you know that we bring children from the area affected most by the Chernobyl disaster to the UK for 4 weeks recuperation.  This 4 weeks adds in the region of 2-3 years to their expected life expectancy.  It gives them a break from the extreme poverty which they live in.  The photo on this page show typical homes in this region.  This was taken when visiting a previous child who came to the UK.  Part of this is where she lives.

We submitted a request for children to come back in December as it takes some months to organise.  We have now discovered that the cost of flying these children and their leader (an English teacher from the same town) has more than tripled since last year.  We cannot booked the children's flights until their passports are issued, which will be over the next week or 2!!

These children have already been advised of the trip and have applied for their passports and will soon be heading to the visa office.  We cannot let these children down (2 boys and 1 adult).  So somehow I need to find another £2,100 (minimum) to get these children over for their vital recuperation from the radiation and extreme poverty that haunts their lives.  It may mean we will have to get them to change flights once or twice to get here at that price but we will get them here some how if we raise the extra £2,100.

I considered Mum and I going to Ukraine by car to collect and return them, but with overnight hotels, an extra £900 in visa cost (the 3 of them would need a visa for each of the extra 3 countries) it does not work out any cheaper sadly and made more difficult as we can only drive as far as Poland and would need to get a train into Ukraine.

If you are able to help towards this mammoth target I would be so so grateful as will the children and their families.

Jo, Emma and Tyler x

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