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 In the summer of 1997, Kids4Kidz was
contacted by the charity Highway Ministries in the north
of England to ask if they could help with hosting a visit
of teenagers from the city of Brest (on the Polish
border), Belarus. The group, based in Brest Youth Centre
and under the direction of Elena Dmitrieva were brought
together to perform the musical 'For Whom the Chernobyl
Bell Tolls', the story of the Chernobyl nuclear
disaster.
The visit of Peace Child took place for two weeks in
November and the young people gave their first
performance of the musical in north Wales in St.Mary's
Church, Chirk. The performance was in the presence of two
staff members of the Embassy of Belarus in Great Britain.
Dr.Olga Galubovich and Mr.Borisevich and the community of
Chirk.
In 1998 Peace Child returned to the UK to perform 'For
Whom the Chernobyl Bell Tolls' on the anniversary of the
Chernobyl tragedy. With support from the Belarusian
Embassy in London, the charity Chernobyl Children's
Project (UK) and Kids4Kidz the visit was a success and
was the start of the youth exchange project between
Kids4Kidz and Peace Child.
Peace
Child Wales
In late 1998 Peace Child Wales was formed as a project of
Kids4Kidz. With their own committee, made up of host
families, Peace Child Wales successfully developed the
youth exchange link between the two groups.
April 1999 saw the first visit of young people and
leaders from Peace Child Wales to Peace Child in Brest.
The visit was a great success and many firm friendships
were made. As a result of this visit, two members of the
group, Emma Nurse and Robert Greasley returned to Brest
to help at a summer camp for disabled young people at The
White Lake. Accompanying Emma and Robert on this visit
were two staff members, Anna Thomas and Gill Cripps of
the Derwen College for Handicapped young people in
Gobowen, Shropshire. They were able to give practical
help to the Young Invalids Recovery programme and also
arranged for two representatives and two interpreters
from the recovery programme to visit the Derwen College
in October 1999 to learn new skills. Anna and Gill funded
this visit through their own fundraising programme.
During this visit discussions took place between Peace
Child Wales, Kids4Kidz and Bridges4Belarus as to how they
could help the young disabled in Brest.
 The youth exchange visit was supported by
a grant from the Youth Exchange Committee for Wales a
regional committee of Connect Youth International in
London (a department of The British Council) and
fundraising by the young people and leaders.
The second leg of the exchange was in August 1999 when
Peace Child in Brest visited the Chirk area for a 16 day
stay with host families. The programme included official
presentations, visits to places of interest, several
concerts and a stay at a local youth hostel with a
programme of mountain biking, canoeing, raft building
etc.
In April 2000 Christine Ashford (Kids4Kidz). Derek Hughes
(Peace Child Wales) and Rhiannon Collinge and Annie Jones
(Bridges4Belarus) visited Brest for a week to make
arrangements for the humanitarian aid project with the
Young Invalids Recovery programme and the Rehabilitation
Centre for young children in Brest. The visit also
included meetings at Brest Youth Centre, Regional State
Committee for Youth in Brest and the Minister of Youth in
Minsk. Mr.Alexander Pozniak.
Bridges4Belarus is a small committee formed by Rhiannon
Collinge and Annie Jones after the April 1999 youth
exchange visit to Brest. Several fundraising events were
organised by the young people including two very
successful variety shows, which raised funds for their
support of the youth programme and the rehabilitation
centre for young children in Brest.
Annie is now studying politics in Cardiff and Rhiannon
media studies in Manchester. The committee is alive and
now supported by the next generation of
Bridges4Belarus.
 In March 2000 a cabaret evening
was held at the Hand Hotel, Chirk starring Claire Sweeney
(alias Lindsey Corkhill Brookside and of course now
famous for Comic Relief 'Big Brother'. The cabaret also
included many other talented young people some of them
part of Bridges4Belarus. This cabaret raised £1600 for
the humanitarian aid project.
Finally in July after many months of fundraising the
humanitarian aid was transported to Brest and safely
delivered.
Again with the support of the Youth Exchange
Committee for Wales a further out visit took place of
young people, leaders and some host family members to
Peace Child Brest. As the humanitarian aid project had
developed as a result of the first out visit to Brest.
the group were invited to the Young Invalids Recovery
programme at The White Lake and also to the
Rehabilitation Centre for young children in Brest. The
wooden chalet sent from Wales and now named 'Little
Wales' had been erected and was being used to serve
refreshments at the camp. Peace Child Wales duly tried
out the patio furniture also sent with the aid. It is
hoped that the chalet will become a focal point in the
rehabilitation of the young people with disabilities.
They will use it to serve refreshments and sell craft
items to those visiting The White Lake. An idea they got
from visiting the Derwen College, Gobowen!
On returning from their visit to Brest in October 2000,
Peace Child Wales then set about fundraising for the in
visit of young people from Peace Child Brest to Wales in
August 2001.
An application again to the Youth Exchange Committee for
Wales resulted in a grant towards the in visit, which
took place from 5th - 15th August. Raffles, car boot
sales, coffee mornings helped to raise the necessary
funds for the visit.
From a small beginning in November 1997 has developed a
very unique partnership between young people in north
Wales and young people in Belarus. Not only young people
but host families too in both countries. It's been a
magic 3 years and its not over yet! The story continues
........
For further
information on the work of Peace Child Wales please visit
our Website:-
http://www.peacechildwales.org.uk
or
contact Derek Hughes the chairman of Peace Child Wales on
01691 776900 or
Email info@peacechildwales.org.uk
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