Couple to remember disaster victims

John and Rosie Sandall, who have visited the Chernobyl area forty times to help those afflicted by the disaster, will be lighting candles in memory of the thousands of people whose lives were changed forever on April 26, 1986.

Rosie (65) said: “Sadly disasters soon go out of the news but the people affected by the Chernobyl disaster live with the results of it every day. Children are still being born disabled as a result of radiation and recent reports have revealed that the ground around Chernobyl will be contaminated for 24,000 years.

“People are still eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated milk.”

John and Rosie, who were awarded the Freedom of the City of Peterborough in 2007 for their humanitarian work, will be continuing with their fund-raising in preparation for their 41st visit in August.

The couple support many families with severely disabled children as well as a sanatorium and an Age UK centre in the city of Chernigov which is just a few miles from Chernobyl. They will hold one of their popular charity sales on Saturday.

Rosie said: “People are always so generous in what they donate for our sales and this time we have more goods than ever to sell. We have household items, curtains, baby goods, books, toys, garden equipment, pictures, jewellery and collectables. There are some amazing bargains and many items are £1 or less.

“We really hope people will turn out to support us on Saturday. It may seem a long time since the disaster but the people we support need as much help as ever.”

The couple are hoping for extra support at their charity sale from 10am to noon at All Saints’ Church Hall, Park Road.