Chernobyl Children's Lifeline was founded to help the children of Belarus, where 70% of the fall-out fell, and we operate as follows.

The entire organisation is voluntary and there are few overheads, except for postage, stationery, and phone bills. There are no salaries; all donations go straight to the cause.

There are well over a hundred "Links" across the country. Each Link has its own committee whose objective is to increase funds, find and vet host families and to bring children to their catchment area. These Links are in Scotland, England, Wales, and the Channel Islands.

The children visit the UK in groups of ten,with an English-speaking adult, preferably all living in the same catchment area. It is not our policy to spread out a group over a great distance and this is why the Links have been formed. All Links operate under one administration and Trusteeship.

When the children return to Belarus they like to receive letters and we have a system where each returning group takes parcels with them. This gives them all hope and above all the feeling that this is not just a one-off, but that we do really care about them, their future and their well being.