Charity helping kids in Belarus (From Barry And District News)

Charity helping kids in Belarus

BARRY student nurse Richard Hellyar is jetting off to give his services to an orphanage in Belarus.

The 24 year-old is going with 10 other student health professionals this Sunday as part of the Belarus Aid for Children charity.

He will spend two weeks in an orphanage for children with learning difficulties in Novinki, near Minsk, the capital of the ex-Soviet state.

Richard, of Tydfil Street, Barry, says the help they can provide is vital as carers in the orphanage often have very little time to deal with the children individually.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said.

"It will be a memorable trip, but I'm still a little apprehensive.

"The culture there is very different and there is a lot of poverty."

The University of Wales has been sending undergraduates to the Novinki Orphanage since 1999.

Richard says he first learned about the project during a talk given by the charity in Cardiff.

"It was an emotional presentation," he said.

"Britain spends about £1 billion pounds a day on its health service.

"Belarus spends about £10,000."

"Some of the kids have never been out of bed because of the staff shortage," he continued.

"Hopefully we can take some of the skills we have learned over here and be of some use.

"Aside from helping with feeding and washing the children, at the very least we can take some time to play with them and give them some attention.

"Most of the time they are just left to their own devices."

The Holton Road Branch of Specsavers Opticians donated £100 towards the £325 needed for Richard's trip.

He raised the remainder through family and friends.

"I'm really grateful for all the people who have sponsored me," he said.

"Without them, I wouldn't have been able to do it."