Adi Roche, Founder & Executive Director of the charity welcomed over 100 children into Shannon Airport just before Christmas. These children travelled over 3,000 miles from the Chernobyl-affected regions into Shannon as part of the Chernobyl Children's Project International Christmas Long-term Care Programme.

Under the charity's Long-term Care Programme, children in need of medical check-ups and much-needed Rest & Recuperation are hosted by Irish families throughout Ireland to help them recover their health, both physical and emotional. Many of the children making Christmas visits to Ireland suffer a variety of Chernobyl-related illnesses an come from very impoverished backgrounds in Belarus. Several of the children come from orphanages and institutions where Christmas would normally be a bleak time.

Adi Roche stated: 'these beautiful children will give so much joy and happiness to their host families. Their stay in Ireland bears testament to the generosity of the Irish people and truly the spirit of Christmas will come alive for our families and volunteers who year after year host these children. We thank them for their generosity and for embracing the children into their hearts, into their homes and into their lives at this very special time of year'.