Council dig deep for kind Chernobyl girls
Big- hearted staff dug deep recently to provide essential items for 12 young girls visiting South Ayrshire from Chernobyl.
South Ayrshire Council staff handed over money and essential items to the group, who arrived as part of an annual trip organised by the Ayrshire Link of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.
The charity formed in 1992 following the Chernobyl nuclear power station accident of 1986 left millions of children at high risk of developing lifethreatening illnesses including cancer and leukaemia.
And every year, children from this area visit the UK for some time away from the effects of radioactive contamination.
South Ayrshire Depute Provost, Mary Kilpatrick, welcomed the group of girls aged between nine and 13 at Ayr County Buildings alongside Councillor Rita Miller and Councillor Nan McFarlane.
And as part of the programme, the girls arrived with almost an empty luggage case with the aim of heading home with a case full of donations including pyjamas, underwear, toothbrushes, hairbrushes and note books amongst many other essential items.
Depute Provost, Mary Kilpatrick told the Post:“We welcomed the girls to South Ayrshire with open arms, and the group were clearly enjoying a trip of a lifetime.
“People in South Ayrshire have traditionally stepped up to support the charity, and I’m glad to say that they didn’t disappoint this year. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to get involved this year.
“The girls are very fashion conscious and have had great fun trying on and wearing their new outfits.”
“It’s through small gestures that we can make a real difference to peoples lives, and the items donated will provide the girls with clothes and luxuries that they might otherwise have been unable to afford.”