Welcome to Bonsall and Derbyshire Dales Link of the Chernobyl Children's Life Line charity

DON'T MISS! We've added a Q&A section for prospective host families. If you are considering hosting children, but are still unsure, this page is for you!

We are now looking for host families for summer 2018

(click here for details)

Every summer members of our Link welcome a group of Ukrainian and Belarusian children affected by the Chernobyl disaster in the beautiful, healthy and peaceful setting of Derbyshire countryside.

During their four week holiday the children enjoy living in a peaceful, clean and healthy environment, breathing clean air and eating uncontaminated healthy food – something they can’t easily obtain where they live. Most families have to grow their own ‘fruit and veg’ in their kitchen gardens which are all too often contaminated with harmful radionuclides such as Caesium 137 and Strontium 90.

"There are many thousands of children who would benefit greatly from a health recuperation holiday in the Derbyshire Dales, living in our clean environment, eating healthy uncontaminated food and enjoying themselves participating in activities they would never get the chance to experience in their own country. These holidays make such a difference to the children's lives and they are really appreciated by both the children and their parents. We must continue to help make a difference to the lives of the children of Belarus and Ukraine for at least two or three generations."

- Chris Broome, Link Chairman

Our work in Bonsall & Derbyshire Dales Link is focused on three core activities:

Raising the funds to bring over 10-20 children here each year for four weeks.

Hosting a group of children for their recuperation holiday, providing them fresh air, uncontaminated food, fun, love and attention, as well as dental and eye check ups.

Providing financial help (as there is no or little state support) so that needy families back in Ukraine and Belarus can buy food, clothing and medicines for their children.

"Knowing that you are going to live the rest of your life in a radioactive polluted environment. There is no escape. Money cannot buy protection. Eating food that may harm you, but what else can you do? These are the questions these children and their parents have no answers for."

- Janice Broome, Fundraising Co-ordinator

Bonsall and Derbyshire Dales Link is a friendly community of supporters with its heart based in the picturesque village of Bonsall, but actually stretching from Ashbourne in the south up to Hathersage in the north of the county. We all share excitement about our chance to make our small contribution to the quality of lives of those affected by undoubtedly the worst environmental disaster in modern era.

If you want to know more about the charity, or would like to offer your helping hand to us, please contact Chris Broome, the Link Chairman, on 01629 824512 or chair.bonsall@ccll.org.uk.

Important dates

14 July 2018

A group of children from Belarus arrives

Past events

22 April 2017

Pig race at Bonsall village hall

13 August 2016

Waving good-byes to all the brilliant this year's children - we will miss you all!

24 September 2016

'The Wam Bam Band' night at the Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath.

28 October 2016

Derbyshire Constabulary Male Voice Choir night at St. Mary's Church in Cromford.