CENTRAL TELECOM STAFF GIVE CHERNOBYL CHILDREN EXTRA LIFE
A child from Chernobyl is being given a well-deserved break in the UK, thanks to the generosity of management and staff at Burton-on-Trent-based telecommunications specialists Central Telecom.
The company, whose headquarters is The Maltings, Wetmore Road, is footing the costs for an 11-year-old child from Chernobyl to travel to England for a month-long stay with Central Telecom Project Manager Ivan Sherlock and his wife, Elaine at their home in Quenborough near Leicester.
Central Telecom's Managing Director Andrew McDougall kick-started the Sherlock's fundraising with a donation of £350 and the rest of the staff have also supported the Sherlock's, raising £250 through a quiz and collecting clothes for the Belarussian child to take back home.
Ivan and Elaine are members of the Leicestershire branch of UK charity Friends of Chernobyl's Children, which has arranged for 20 children to travel from Belarus to England in September.
The couple have only been involved with the charity for a year and this will be the first time that they have hosted a foreign child. Although a translator will accompany their visitor, Ivan and Elaine have been taking basic Russian lessons to help them communicate directly with the child.
The hosts will provide the children with care and nourishing food and Friends of Chernobyl's Children will organise daily activities, medical checks and plenty of fresh air and fun while they are in the UK.
The charity continues to care for the children when they return to Belarus, providing them with a 12-month supply of vitamins and any essential medicines, clothes and food.
Ivan commented:
"We were both really moved by the stories we read in the newspapers about the Chernobyl disaster and agreed that we should do something to help them. Our two children are both grown up and have moved out, so we have plenty of space in our house to look after a child.
"We are really grateful to my colleagues at Central Telecom for supporting us by fundraising and collecting clothes for our guests. It shows that although the disaster happened 17 years ago, the horror and sadness of it is still in people's minds."
"Central Telecom is committed to giving something back to the community - whether it is local, national or international," said Marketing Manager Julie White.
"Following the donation from Andrew McDougall, a further £200 has been raised from quizzes and donations, which will be used to pay for the costs of a child to travel to England and stay here for a month.
"It is heart-warming to see so many of our staff help Ivan and his wife make a real difference to these children," added Julie.
