Northsiders urged to help Chernobyl kids

THE
Chernobyl North Dublin Outreach Group has called on the public to help raise
funds for children affected by radiation.

Vanessa
Kennerney, secretary of the project and seed analyst at the Department of
Agriculture, raised

?¬4,000 to allow some of the affected children stay in
Ireland during the summer months.

She
said examinations had shown that the children’s health improved after they
spent time away from areas marred by radiation.

“The
children come and stay with me during the summer for four weeks,

? she
explained.

“I’ve managed to gather enough supporters to raise funding but the
public is more than welcome to contribute through the Crann Daire go Deo
website. It’s a great project and it allows people to give something back to society.

?

Alongside
other bodies such as the Office of Public Works, Europa Facilities Management
and Coillte, Ms Kennerney is hoping to raise more funding to allow the children
to spend a number of months in Ireland through the project.

To
mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster, 25 oak trees, donated by
Coillte, will be planted at a ceremony on November 30 at the Backweston Campus,
Celbridge, Co Kildare.

Adi
Roche, founder and CEO of the Chernobyl Children’s project, will be present on
the day.

The
event will also feature staff at the Backweston Laboratory Campus who have
sponsored each of the trees in an attempt to raise vital funding.

The
trees will be numbered and a certificate will be presented to each sponsor in
recognition of their contribution towards the Chernobyl Children’s Fund.

“The
event will be very emotional and happy at the same time,

? Ms Kennerney said.

“We’re expecting a big outcome and it’s going to a worthy cause.

?

In
the 20 years since the establishment of the Adi Roche’s Chernobyl International
Aid, 21,000 children have been provided with recuperative aid.

Over

?¬90 million has also been delivered to areas stricken by radiation such as
Belarus, Western Russia and the Ukraine.

The
charity comprises 6,000 volunteers and provides vital life-saving machinery to
children in need.