This Fair was started in the year 2000 to raise funds on behalf of the Northallerton branch of 'Friends of Chernobyl's Children" (Reg. Charity No.1069788).  This is the local branch of the national charity, originally founded in Lancashire, by Mrs. Olwyn Keogh.  There are quite a number of similar charities all founded to aid the children, in different ways, living in the very polluted area of Belarus, affected by the Chernobyl fall out.  'Friends of Chernobyl's Children' (F.O.C.C.) select children from the most disadvantaged homes,  who are then brought to this country, to stay with a host family, for a month every year for 3 or 4 years.  Most other charities only bring a child over once. However, Doctors feel they need to get away from the pollution and benefit from fresh air and a good diet for at least a month each year for a few years, to boost their immune systems and hopefully survive to be reasonably healthy adults.  Hence the reason F.O.C.C. select the children and bring them over usually at the age of 8 until they are 10 or 11, so each child spends a month here for 3 or 4 years.  We collect decent second hand clothing for them between visits which they wear during their month here and then take back with them, plus a few items of extra warm clothing to benefit them through their cold, winter months.  They also go back with enough multi-vitamin tablets to provide them AND all other members of their household, with a daily dose for a whole year.

The Northallerton branch usually have 14 host families and bring this number of children over for a month, from mid June until mid July.  They are accompanied by 2 interpreters,  often school teachers from Belarus, who also are accommodated by hosts.  The children are taken out, as a group, every week day, usually in mini-buses, by the branch Co-ordinator, Mrs. Audrey Trewhitt, their interpreters plus one or two volunteers.  This means that hosts who work full time during the week, do not have to take time off.  Further hosts living in Northallerton, Bedale or surrounding villages, are always being sought - anyone wanting more information, please e-mail this web-site.  Most hosts find the children well behaved - they are subjected to far stricter discipline than the average child here!  Careful not to break anything, they live in such poverty that to break anything is indeed a sin!  They are not used to having many toys and have the ability to amuse themselves with the simplest of items.  Like all children, they have a sense of humour, love to play and thoroughly enjoy the activities organised for them and the food available here - fresh fruit is a real luxury to them!

Our local branch chairman, John Rettie, was a B.B.C. Correspondent in Moscow at the time of the Chernobyl blast.  He subsequently visited that area of Belarus and was shocked by the devastation caused and the plight of so many families.  In retirement, he was anxious to do something to help them and hence his involvement with this charity.