Funky Monkeys welcome children from Chernobyl disaster
The children from Belarus who enjoyed a special private party at Funky Monkeys in Dungannon, courtesy of the softplay centre.
AROUND 20 children from Belarus who have been affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl disaster recently enjoyed a special private party at Funky Monkeys in Dungannon, courtesy of the local softplay centre.
The children are on a recuperative holiday in Northern Ireland which has been organised by the Cookstown branch of the charity, Chernobyl Children Appeal NI, as they hope the experience will help to improve their quality of life. The trip allows the children to enjoy a three week break away from the stress and hardship of living in an area still contaminated and affected by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster back in 1986.
“This is the 18th annual holiday programme organised by the charity,” explains Marie McGeown, group leader of the Cookstown branch of the Chernobyl Children Appeal. “During that time we have provided a respite holiday for more than 3000 children from Belarus and Ukraine which we know they can benefit greatly from. Even just a few weeks of fresh air, clean food and fun activities can provide a tremendous boost to both their health and mental well-being and has been shown to actually add to a child’s life expectancy.
“Activities such as the party and private use of the softplay facilities which were kindly provided by Funky Monkeys in Dungannon, are an important part of this recuperation for the children. For many of them, this is a unique experience as due to the poverty at home in Belarus they don’t have the opportunities which our children can take advantage of on a daily basis. It was great to see the children relax and I know they had a fantastic time.
“On behalf of the Chernobyl Children Appeal in Cookstown I would like to thank Funky Monkeys for their generosity and empathy. Without the support of local businesses, members of the community and indeed our local host families, this lifeline for the children would not be possible and it helps us to continue our important work year on year.”
Alistair McVeigh, owner of Funky Monkeys in Dungannon said, “We were delighted to host this special evening in support of this local charity which works tirelessly to help improve the lives of children affected by the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster. It was a joy to see the children have such a great time using our facilities and we organised a special party for them with games and party food. This was something many of the children had never experienced before and it was humbling to see the excitement and appreciation they had for something that most of us take for granted.
“The Belarusian children were joined at the party by the local kids from their host families and it was amazing to see that even though there was a language barrier, they were all able to interact, play and have great fun together and we were delighted to be able to facilitate this experience for them.”
Funky Monkeys also has softplay cafés in Antrim Junction One, Newtownabbey, the Kennedy Centre, Cityside (Yorkgate), Larne, Lurgan and Downpatrick. It is specifically tailored for children aged eight and under and a height restriction of 4ft 3inches applies when open to the public.
For more information on the Chernobyl Children Appeal, please visit www.ccanireland.com or contact the main office on 028 2563 2767.
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Weather for Dungannon
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
