My Annual Chernobyl Vigil will take place as usual in Glasgow City Centre, this is my twenty sixth vigil. The Vigil will be in George Square on Thursday 26th. April 2012 between 08/;00hrs and 20:00 hrs. My book called "To Chernobyl With Love " which I mentioned in previous blogs is now available as an E Book on Amazon.|If you are in Glasgow this Thursday April 26, and are near George Square drop by and say hello. Cheers Jim Gillies.

DATE CORRECTION TO CHERNOBYL VIGIL DAY

CHERNOBYL VIGIL IS THURSDAY 26 APRIL NOT 25.as my last post stated but I will delete my last post to prevent any misunderstanding.

Annual Chernobyl Vigil and information about my book

IMy Annual Chernobyl Vigil will take place as usual in Glasgow City Centre, this is my twenty sixth vigil. The Vigil will be in George Square on Thursday 26th. April 2012 between 08/;00hrs and 20:00 hrs.

My book called "To Chernobyl With Love " which I mentioned in previous blogs is now available as an E Book on Amazon.

I am still waiting to hear if Bohdan Sobolevski the 5 year old Ukrainian boy who was losing his eyesight has had his second operation to replace his cataract. Earlier last year 2011 readers of my local paper The Cumbernauld News raised £500 to pay for the first operation which saved the sight of Bohdans damaged eye. In November last year 2011 I left £1000 to pay for his cataract operation, the extreme bad weather in Eastern Europe meant he could not be taken from Kobyln village Rehabilitation Centre to Kiev for the operation. I am anxiously awaiting news about him, the latest information I got four weeks ago was that nothing had happened yet.!

I do not go back over to Ukraine until November this year and I wonder what lies ahead?

my recent trip to Mallin Hospital in Ukraine

Hi folks,
I have not posted anything for several weeks, so I thought I better do so now. I went of on my annual journey to help the children in Mallin Hospital, also going to help abandoned or abused children in Kobyln village in N.W. of the country. I left money at Kobyln Centre to pay for another additional operation for a little boy almost 5 years old who needs a cataract operation. The first operation was carried out in Kiev at the start of 2011 this operation carried out before the damage to his eye caused by a needle was performed just in time If a few more weeks had gone his damaged eye would have been inoperable.Early next year I hope he will finally get the cataract removed and a new one manufactured in the USA fitted.

My Book Launch

Hi Folks. I am still fund raising for Mallin Hospital Childrens Department, in the Zhitomir Region of Ukraine.
Waterstones Bookshop at 153 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow are holding a book launch for my recently published book, which I mentioned in my last blog.
The launch of my book takes place on Friday 7th. October 2011 from 17:30hrs. untill 19"00hrs. all proceeds from the sale of the book will be taken over to the hospital by me in Nov. this year.
Hope you can come along on the night.
Thank you,
Jim Gillies.

To Chernobyl With Love

I will be holding a book sale Event in St.Enoch shopping Centre, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow. My book sale will take place in the lower Mall area of St. Enoch Centre on Saturday 13 August 2011 between 09:00 hrs. and 17:00 hrs.
All the money raised from my book sale will be used to help the sick and orphaned children in Mallin Hospital. I will be retuning to the hospital in November 2011 taking any money I have raised to help the children.
I will also be visiting a Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Koblyn, near the small town of Ovruch where I went for the first time last year (2010 ) as Bohdan Sobolevski a little boy from Mallin Hospital has been moved to there,along with his sisters.
Details of my book can be seen at www.jimschernobyl.com
I have always paid my own expenses going from Cumbernauld, in Scotland to Ukraine and will continue to do so.
I have added a video taken in Kobyln of the children singing
thank's Jim Gillies.

Photo's

Photographs from Kiev ,Mallin and others

update on my book

Hi Friends, My book about my travels to Ukraine from Scotland to help sick children has been selling slowly but steadily.
However I would ask anyone who would like to help the Mallin Hospital children to consider buying a copy of the book.
It is called "To Chernobyl With Love " costs £7:99 details can be seen on www.jimschernobyl.com or Amazon Books.
I will definitely be returning to Mallin Hospital late Oct. early November 2011 paying all my own expenses as usual.
The more books I can sell between now and mid-October means more money for the hospital in Mallin Ukraine.
Thank You. From the little hospital girl in the photo

my book,about my travels to Ukraine to help children

My book called "TO CHERNOBYL WITH LOVE " has been published by Waverley Publications Glasgow, Scotland,UK.
The ISBN 978-1-84934-188-2. The book can be purchased on either www.jimschernobyl.com or through Amazon Books.
All profits from the my book will be used to help the sick and orphaned children in Mallin Hospital, Ukraine. People who have read the book have told me that it was a good read. I will be returning to Mallin Hospital later this year, 2011 to help the children. I hope to be able to visit a children's rehabilitation centre in Kobyln village, near the small town of Ovruch. I will post another blog nearer the date of my departure to Ukraine. The more books I sell, means more help for the hospital children.
Thank you.

My Book being Published

Next week on 15 the. April 2011, a book I have written along with a Journalist friend will be published when I have the ISBN Number I will post another Blog with the details.
The Book contains photographs both from the hospital and my bus journeys from Scotland to Ukraine and back.

Bohdan's operation

I am happy to say that the operation on Bohdan's eye has been successfully carried out by Dr. Elena Akimenko at a hospital in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. He is now back with his sisters and other abandoned or abused children in Kobyln Rehabilitation Centre
after several months there he will be moved to an orphanage. A further visit to the hospital will take place in a year when another lens is going to be fitted to his eye. But the important fact is he can now see with both eyes which is fantastic. When I have any more news regarding Bohdan's situation I will put in on a blog.
My annual Chernobyl Vigil is going to be on Tuesday 26 April 2011 in George Square, Glasgow, Scotland. This is going to be my twenty fifth annual Chernobyl which will begin at 08:00 hours finishing at 20:00 hours.
Watching the news coverage of the catastrophic earthquake and Tsunami in Japan with hundreds of thousands of people suffering is terrible. Having the ever present threat of radiation from Fukushima Nuclear Power Station arriving must be impossible to comprehend for all living in Japan.

Bohdan an update.

Bohdan Sobolevski the wee boy I mentioned in my last blog, was recently examined by Doctors in Kiev. One of his eyes has no vision at all, but the good news is that an operation can be carried out which will save his sight. I was happy to hear this news and people on hearing of his plight have kindly donated money to help towards the cost of his operation. Hopefully his operation will take place soon, once I hear that it has taken place successfully I will post a blog about this. His 4th. birthday was earlier this month, despite his problems he runs about just like the other children at the centre where he lives.

recent trip in November 2010

Details of my latest trip,will be posted later.
This is just a short informative note. I visited visit to a different town where Bohdan Sobolevski the little boy I first saw in Malin Hospital is now living in a Childrens Rehabilitation Centre. He has been removed from his home along with his siblings. After a few months here he will be moved to a State Orphanage. He needs a cataract operation, and he is not yet 4 years old,it is so sad.
Jim Gillies.

planning my forthcoming trip.

Around end of October 2010 I will be setting off for Mallin Hospital once more. For most people the terrible events that began on 26th. April 1986 when an explosion and fire at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine sent clouds of radioactive particles into the atmosphere have been forgotten. However the children who inherited this deadly legacy are constantly living or dying from its effects. The poisoned land inside the Exclusion Zone with it abandoned villages and farms is a testimony which will last for hundreds of years. In Ukraine life goes on people struggle to make a living, Politician's as in UK have their own selfish agenda, Chernobyl is remembered in annual parades but the struggle of everyday life for many people must take precedence. My trips to help the sick children in Mallin Hospital are a small gesture in helping, but at least I know that I have tried.

Planning my next visit

I hope to return to Mallin Hospital children's Department late Oct. early Nov.this year 2010.Last year 2009 I was unable to go to the village where Bohdan Sobolevski lives because of the swine flue quarantine restrictions. This time I want to visit other villages as well as his, in the Zheetomir Region. I am going to go by bus which allows me to carry more items compared to flying which is too restrictive.The hospital now has more abandoned children than ever before according to the Doctor in charge . I must continue to do my best to help.
In this country as citizens we are told that an accident at a British Nuclear Power Station of the same magnitude as the 1986 catastrophe at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station is impossible. When you visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone ( which you can do as a tourist ) looking at the effects of the radioactive legacy you sincerly hope they are 100% correct.

Helping Fund Raising Event at Paisley

On Friday 2nd. July and Saturday 3rd. July 2010. I went to help a Ukrainian lady called Nataliia, Christie with two friends, and Neil, to raise funds to help orphans in Ukraine. After weeks of hard work they opened a two day fund raising event in the former Barret's shoe shop on level 3 of Paisley Shopping Centre. From both outside and inside it looked like an upmarket clothing shop, with plenty of high quality ladies clothing displayed on proper display frames. They had even displayed mannequins, courtesy of the Centres Management. There was a nice selection of baby clothes, toys.
There was a colouring in competion for children with junior sized tables and chairs for the young artists.
The event was officially opened by the Scottish Football Team's Manager Craig Levein when he cut the red ribbon at 11:00 hrs. on the Friday morning to loud applause from the crowd. The local press took picturs of him and his fans,and both the newspaper Journalist, and Radio reporter interviewed the new Scotland boss. The money raised by Nataliia's organisation will be used to directly help a woman in Ukraine who has taken 12 orphaned children into her home to care for them. It was a privledge to help her.

Ukrainian Social Visit

I recently returned from the Ukrainian town of Ivano-Frankivski where I was attending a friends birthday celebrations along with some of his Scottish friends. The town and the surrounding area is well worth visiting as it is very picturesque and interesting.
As it was a last minute decision of mine to go I could not travel with the rest of the party and had to use a differant route. My travel from Scotland to Ukraine by car, plane,two trains and three buses,was challenging due to linguistic isolation but very worthwhile. I would like to return to Ivano-Frankivski for a holiday in the future as I met a lot of nice people there.

Chernobyl Vigil

This years annual CHermobyl Vigil went well, the weather was kind to me.I met a few interesting people. However one stupid, ignorant man passed by in the morning shouting abuse, " I work for the Council take that banner down "
Later in the day he returned, shouting aggressively,take that banner down, or I will! He then started shouting at a crowd of young people nearby, this man's a tramp, begging for money,don't give him any, pointing at my pocket containing sandwiches and a bottle of water, look at his pocket full of money! Obviously he was losing the plot, big time. Reaching inside his jacket for what I suspected was a knife he the walked of still holding his metal walking cane. I then watched him, believe it or not, flag down a large Police van, a few minutes later a young Police Officer came up to me smiled and shook my hand. How are you? fine thanks I replied, I showed him my letter of permission from Glasgow City Council to hold my vigil. I told him that in my opinion the man with the cane who stopped them was a aggressive madman possibly carrying a knife. The Police Officer said goodbye and returned to the police van, because it was a large van I could not see if "I work for the Council " was there. I hope that Glasgow City Council does not employ such creatures.The Deputy Lord Provost of Glasgow, Allan Stewart came over to see me and offer his best wishes, presenting me with a Glasgow Tarten Scarf.

Annual Chernobyl Vigil

Hi all,Just to remind you about my annual Chernobyl Vigil,I mentioned in my previous blog. I had thought that due to the restrictions on air travel caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland I would have been delayed abroad, but the restrictions were lifted in time.So I will be in Glasgow's George Square on Monday 26 April 2010 from 08:00 hrs. till 20:00 hrs as planned.If you are in the city and have time, please drop past to say hello,and get an update about Chernobyl.
Cheers Jim Gillies.

Annual Vigil.

I will be holding my 24 th. annual Chernobyl Vigil in George Square,in Glasgow city centre on Monday 26 April 2010 from 08:00hrs. until 20:00 hrs. If anyone would like to come along on the day to say hello that would be great.

For the last 23 years I have held a Vigil to remind people of the terrible events that began during the night of 26 April 1986. Thousands of people living and working in villages and towns in the area's around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station suddenly had their lives turned upside down. The seemingly benign Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station became a malignant beast. Today its deadly legacy lives on, there are International Scientific teams operating in this real life radioactive laboratory they take samples, write up extensive reports, hold conferences no doubt carrying on a lot of good work.
The relatives of the people who have died,become ill,been evacuated from their homes, the self settlers who live inside the Exclusion Zone the thousands of children affected and their parents are not interested in scientific reports. I have held my Vigil's to remind people in this country of the suffering that Chernobyl has caused in the past, continues to cause at the present time,and will continue to cause in the future.

Edinburgh award

I would like to tell a story of a very helpfull Ukrainian woman whom I met in a Kiev Metro Station a few years ago. Looking around the Metro exits trying to figure out which one to choose, when I heard a frienly voice say in English,can I help you. I turned round to see a lovely Ukrainian woman, I asked her how she knew I spoke English and she said it was my lost look! that gave her a clue,and me thinking I was a cool character. Her name was ..... she was the wife of a diplomat a really nice lady, she took me on a tour around the city centre including the underground church, a fascinating place. We then went for a drink, then she made sure I got to the correct Metro station for home and said goodbye. This is another example of the helpfull people
I have met on my travels.
On 29 January 2010 I was presented with a medal, and an Honour Diploma scroll by the Ukrainian Government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for helping the children in Malin Hospital in the Zheetomir Region of Ukraine. The award was presented to me by Consul Vadym Vakhrushkin, from the Ukrainian Consulate,in Edinburgh. I wore a highland outfit for the occasion, which went down well with the guests.