SIR,

Many of your readers will be aware of the work of Friends of Chernobyl's Children (FOCC) which brings children from the area most affected by the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster to Monmouthshire each year for recuperative visits.

The aim of the visits is to improve the immune systems and general well-being of these children. With the travel costs - flights, minibus hire, fuel - and other expenses involved in the visit our charity needs to raise money constantly and this is understandably difficult these days.

However, we now face a new expense as the Government is to introduce visa charges for these children from March 2013. This will add £86 per child onto our annual costs and so locally we will have to find an extra £860 next year or bring fewer children.

The UK will become the only EU country to charge for visas for Chernobyl children. I therefore ask all your readers to sign the e-petition which is asking the Government to review this policy by visiting http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/37945">http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/37945

Jane Hines

(Llangwm)