CHILDREN suffering from the ongoing effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster have visited a Blackheath opticians as part of a recent trip to the town.

During a visit to the High Street branch of Specsavers, a group of youngsters from deprived areas of Belarus received free eye examinations from store director Iram Noreen and free glasses if needed.

During their visit, staff members arranged activities for the children, including memory games, puzzles and interactive lessons about eye heath, as well as serving up lunch and snacks.

At the end of the day, each of the children were given a personalised goodie bag, which included stationary, sweets and toys.

Imran said: “We had a fantastic day with the children. The team had come up with some creative games all about eyes and the children absolutely loved them.

“There was so much energy throughout the day, and we really felt like we were making a difference, however small, to improve the health of these youngsters who are experiencing the lingering effects of the tragic Chernobyl disaster.

“In their home country, these children often don’t have access to any kind of eye care, so these trips are really valuable for them. We often take our health services for granted, but without proper eye care, these children may be seriously disadvantaged in the future.”

Aimed at improving the health of youngsters who have been affected by the lingering effects of the 1986 disaster, the visit – organised by Friends of Chernobyl’s Children (FOCC) – was part of a series of annual trips to the UK which ensure the children get access to vital healthcare.

The children come for one month every year for five consecutive years, which has been shown to have a significant effect up on their overall quality of life, their happiness, health and well-being.