MALVERN volunteers are holding a fundraising evening to give a family from Belarus the holiday of a lifetime.

The former Russian republic was extensively contaminated when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded in 1986.

For several years, Malvern Priory and the local branch of the Mothers' Union have been working with the Chernobyl Children's Life Line to bring families over to England for a healthy break.

Now organisers are staging a Russian evening at the Lyttelton Rooms, Church Street, on Saturday, June 22, at 7.30pm.

The family event will include Russian food, music, games, a quiz, and a bring and buy sale.

But the main attraction of the evening will be a talk about life in Belarus by Malvern's Dorothy Knights.

Mrs Knights has just returned from Belarus, where she spent 11 day travelling and meeting the Kachura, Kaveliova and Bessanov families, who have already enjoyed holidays in the Malvern area.

Two of the families have suffered the trauma of a having child with leukaemia, although both youngsters are now in remission.

Mrs Knights said: "It does the families, particularly the children, a lot of good to get away from the contamination and breathe the healthy air here in Malvern."

Belarus is sunk in poverty because its acres of fertile land - once known as the breadbasket of Russia - have been contaminated by fallout from the nuclear accident.

The next family is due to visit Malvern for a month from July 24.

"We've still got to raise about £1,000 for this year's family. It's an act of faith each year that we'll get enough money but we've managed it so far."

Organisers are also eager to hear from anyone who can help with the visit itself.

Tickets to the Russian evening are £5, available from Mrs Knights on 01684 561358 or the Priory office on 01684 561020.