Chernobyl disaster is replaced by fun for youngsters
Children from the 1986 nuclear disaster area of Chernobyl were treated to a day of fun and games at Braehead.
The Chernobyl children, who are still affected by the fallout of radiation, are spending almost a month living with Scots families – thanks to the Forth Valley Branch of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline charity.
This is the fifth year the charity has been welcomed to the shopping centre and Soar at intu Braehead.
The aim is to give the youngsters some relief from the radiationcontaminated atmosphere and the poverty they experience in Ukraine.
They were given a day- long visit to intu Braehead and the activities included sushi-making classes, laser games, a trampoline session, a make-up session for the girls and a visit to the Apple store for the boys. The children also visited the centre’s McDonald’s for lunch.
The children’s teacher, Nina Kachalenko, revealed she and some of the children visiting Scotland had seen the recent Chernobyl TV drama back home.
Nina said: “It was horrible to watch, but it’s important that the world knows the truth of what happened at Chernobyl and the risks involved with nuclear power plants.
“The film told us things we didn’t know.”
Gail Macdonald, chairperson of Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, Forth Valley Branch, said she was transfixed when she saw the drama.
“There was so much about the disaster that I had been told about being played out in front of my own eyes,” she said.
“For years I had been going round groups and organisation giving talks and trying to get support for the charity.
“It was probably hard for people to actually understand the horrors of the Chernobyl nuclear explosion were still being felt today with just my words trying to describe what is going on.
“But the TV show really brought home to people what had happened.
“It has had a huge impact on the support we are getting to bring the children to Scotland.
“Since the series was broadcast on TV we’ve had a lot more donations and offers of help. It’s done a huge amount for the charity.”
Community development manager for intu Braehead Lydia Brown was sure the Chernobyl drama on TV brought home to everyone just how horrific the nuclear disaster was and still is to the people – especially children – in Ukraine.
“The charity does great work in helping the children overcome any health problems they may have,” she said.
“It’s the least we can do to invite them to intu Braehead and give them some fun and hopefully some great memories they can take home with them.”