A LUXURY ride in a limousine was laid on for a group of Belarusian children visiting Guernsey. Rodney Brehaut – chairman of the Chernobyl Children Lifeline Guernsey Link – said the 10- and 11-year-olds were delighted with the surprise.

‘You should have seen their faces.’

He was pleased with the month-long visit because it gave the children, all of whom were born and live in the contaminated area to the north of the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the chance to spend time building up their immune system with healthy food and sea air.

‘It’s been brilliant. You can see they look healthier and livelier. On the educational side, they have been to schools and they know a lot more about the West. Today, they are seeing how we grow tomatoes commercially. We try to build their health up but we also try to educate them. They’re bright kids.’

He said that their visit included a trip to Jersey Zoo courtesy of the Lions’ Club of Jersey.

‘We couldn’t do it without the generosity of local businesses. Year in, year out, they help us.’

The programme has been going since 1993 after Mr Brehaut was inspired by a similar project in the UK. The lifeline organises fund-raising events to pay for the visit and accommodate children with host families during the stay. Mr Brehaut thanked Specsavers as well as the Dental Association for providing treatment for the children during their stay. He said that medical assistance was important because the children got so little at home.

Tania Vaskouskaya, who lives in Belarus and has acted as an interpreter for the project since it began, said coming here allowed the children relief from pressures at home.

‘At home, they work hard. They must help their parents on the farms, so for them it’s a real holiday.

‘They see another culture. They learn to be polite and for their upbringing, it’s important. I think it will influence their future.’

She said their parents at home were good but were unable to spend quality time with their youngsters.

‘The children are amazed that adults can play games and be as children with them.’

They were fascinated by swimming, museums, horse-riding and tidal changes. They had never been to the sea before.

Mr Brehaut said the charity was dependent on the generosity of donors and host families.

He asked anybody who felt they could help future visits to contact him on 255220. There is also a website at www.chernobyl-children.com