Maidenhead & Windsor

It will certainly be a birthday to remember for one young girl from Belarus as she and seven young friends celebrate with a unique three-dimensional view of Windsor – from bus, boat and ferris wheel!

Svetta and her travelling companions will celebrate her 14th birthday on Sunday August 5 with an action packed day in Windsor – courtesy of the Royal Collection, the Windsor Wheel, City Sightseeing Tours and French Brothers Boats.

The group of teenagers from Belarus are taking in the sights of Windsor as part of their month-long trip to England organised by the charity Chernobyl Children Lifeline which runs recuperative breaks in the UK for child victims of the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.

The charity focuses on the children of Belarus, which received nearly three-quarters of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear explosion – with thousands of children subsequently developing leukaemia, bone cancer and thyroid cancer.

The youngsters’ packed itinerary for the day trip to Windsor starts at 11am with a visit to Windsor Castle. This will be followed at 12.45pm by a City Sightseeing Bus Tour taking in sights such as the Long Walk and Eton College, and a trip down the river on a French Brothers boat at 3pm.

Then it’s time to take a look at the town and surrounding area from a totally different perspective – from a pod on the Windsor Wheel in Alexandra Gardens at 4pm– followed by a birthday tea party at Bella Pasta in Thames Street.

Cllr Elisabeth Barton, chairman of the Visitor Management Forum, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be involved in hosting this very special day out for such deserving children. Businesses here in Windsor have responded magnificently to the invitation to rally round and provide these youngsters with a really memorable day.

“We have been told by the charity that a month spent in this country enjoying our clean air and food gives the children a huge boost – and is estimated to add two years to their life expectancy. That alone makes it all worthwhile – and we will pull out all the stops to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible on the day.”

Michelle Garner, chairperson of the Chernobyl Children Lifeline, said: “I would like to thank everyone who is organising this day out in Windsor for the girls. I am completely overwhelmed by the kindness shown by everyone involved, and I’m sure the girls will enjoy soaking up the English culture and remember this day for many years to come.”

For further information about the charity visit www.chernobylchildlifeline.org.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead