SOLDIERS from Warminster Garrison were among helpers packing a container with supplied to help children in Belarus.

Organised by charity Chernobyl Children In Need, which supports children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, four soldiers from the garrison chipped in to help fill the 40-foot container on Friday, July 1, in Warminster.

Making the trip across the North Sea to the Kalinkovichi district of southern Belarus, the container contains tiles, paint, rolls of lino, bicycles, clothes, duvets and gifts for the children.

Trustee of the charity, Adrian Walker, said: “It was a great day filling the container and we are thankful to the soldiers for their help.

“My wife and I started the charity up in 1999 after two girls from Belarus came to stay at our house. We were part of an organisation to help affected children and we were then inspired to start up our own initiative.

“As well as sending two or three containters off every year, we also sponsor around 200 children which includes paying for their school food and raising money to enable them to go to respite care camps in their native country.”

The charity, run by Westbury couple Mr Walker and his wife, Theresa, supports a secondary school, kindergarten, hospital and an old people’s home in the town of Ozarichi and an orphanage in Kalinkovichi.

Each container’s contents is worth around £40,000 with all items donated by local and national companies.

Mr Walker added: “We are very grateful to all the donors including Center Parcs, Churchill China, Brooks Tiles and of course all of our helpers on the day, especially the Army and Gibbs Transport who allowed us to store items.”