CHILDREN who grew up in the shadow of a nuclear disaster zone could miss out on trips to Mole Valley after an increase in visa fees.
In 1986, a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl suffered a catastrophic failure, contaminating the area with radioactivity.
Since 2002, the Mid Surrey Link (branch) of the charity Chernobyl Children's Life Line has been bringing poverty-stricken children from Belarus to stay in the district and its surrounding villages.
Families welcome Belarusian children into their homes for a month of respite each summer for 11 years to help improve their health and their English. But the cost of bringing a child over from Eastern Europe is rising from around £500 to £586 – an increase of 17 per cent – due to an exemption that allows child visa fees to be waived expiring in March.
Maurice Jones, chairman of the Ashtead-based branch, said the rise would put future visits in jeopardy.
He said: "We will be OK for this year but next year could be a struggle and we are simply going to have to raise more money.
"A rise of £86 for 15 children is obviously substantial.
"It is quite daunting and something that we are definitely going to have to be proactive about.
"Either we are going to have to find extra money or we are going to have to cut some of the activities we organise for them while they are here, which the children love.
"We raise the funds for the trip a year in advance, so future trips could be in jeopardy."
As well as a respite from the contamination, the charity also arranges visits to dentists, opticians and doctors for the children, who are also treated to visits to Chessington and the seaside.
Each trip involves 12 children aged 9 to 11 staying with families from Leatherhead, Ashtead, Dorking and Newdigate for two weeks, before moving to a new host family for another fortnight.
Though Chernobyl is in Ukraine, Belarus was worst hit by the nuclear power station meltdown, with 70 per cent of the fallout landing on its territory.
More than two million people in Belarus still live in contaminated areas and have no access to uncontaminated food and water.
Mr Jones added: "What people do not realise is that this happened in 1986 but the effects are still being felt, meaning that trips such as this are going to be needed for years to come.
"It is a fantastic charity and we love having them over.
"You spend the whole year setting up dominoes in terms of getting things ready for them and then they come and go in a month."
For more information, call 01428 642523 or visit www.midsurreylink.org
