Life-changing holidays to Perthshire for thousands of children affected by the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl are under threat.
The decision by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to remove free visa concessions for the children could mean an end to their annual trips to Tayside.
It is feared this could have a devastating impact on the health of young people living in areas of the Ukraine and Belarus which are still suffering the effects of the 1986 explosion at the nuclear plant.
Over the years, dedicated families have hosted hundreds of stricken children for up to a month at a time, giving them a break from an environment contaminated by radiation.
Without the free concession, Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline which has a successful link group in Perth will be taxed an extra £300,000 to continue providing a unique opportunity for more than 3,000 youngsters.
In a bid to save the trips for future generations, Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart is urging people to get behind his efforts to overturn the decision.
He said: “I doubt that there are many people in Perthshire who are unaware of the great work done by the Perth link of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline each year.
“Local folk work hard all year round raising funds to make these trips possible, but unfortunately it is now being undermined by the FCO’s determination to remove a concession which meant that they did not have to pay for the visas for those coming over.”
Fore more on this story see Friday’s Courier.