Anfield treat for Chernobyl children
Children from the surrounding areas of Chernobyl were treated to a tour of Anfield and got to see the Reds in action against their local team FC Gomel.
As part of an annual trip organised by the Chernobyl Children's Project, which strives to help youngsters affected by the disaster of April 1986, a group of 12 youngsters travelled to the UK for a month's visit aimed at improving their health.
Nicola Morse, area co-ordinator for the charity, has been part of the project for six years and she explained how four weeks in the UK, lodging with volunteer families, can increase the children's immunity against cancer as well as helping in other ways.
"These children have all grown up under the shadow of Chernobyl and everything that they have eaten, drunk and breathed in since they were born has been contaminated with radiation," said Nicola.
"When these children arrive in the UK, their immune systems are very low. They have got thyroid trouble, they are pale and underweight for their age. All of those children are 14 and yet some of them are only the size of my eight-year-old.
"Four weeks over here, drinking uncontaminated water and eating healthy food, gives them such a kick-start. When they go back they are not off school, they can continue with their studies and their qualifications and it gives them a real boost to start again."
It was Nicola who contacted the club to see if the children could make the journey to Anfield from their base in Leeds. And the travelling party was welcomed with open arms as they were treated to a tour of the club's L4 home.
During their stay in the UK, the children lodge with families who spend all year raising the £5,000 needed for flights and visas to bring the children over for their stay.
"The children stay in pairs with the families," explained Nicola. "And when they are with those families, they adapt to family life and enjoy it. Without the families, we simply cannot do it. It just doesn't work - their dedication is superb."
The children were at Anfield as the Reds took on FC Gomel in their Europa League third round qualifier last Thursday.
"They absolutely loved it," said Nicola. "One thing about these children is that they are so used to not having anything, so when they got their Liverpool scarves, badges and shirts they were shaking with excitement.
"We were sat in the home end and there were 40,000 Reds fans in the stadium. In a quiet part of the match, the 12 kids decided to start screaming for Gomel and the whole stadium turned around to look at us.
"The kids will remember this for the rest of their lives. They arrive with nothing; they are so poor and their mothers send them all the way to England just so they can live a bit longer. And from our point of view, when you look at it that way, you can't not get involved."
To learn more about the Chernobyl Children's Project, click here. Scroll down the page to view more fantastic pictures from their visit.
