Chernobyl charity crusader Adi Roche tipped for Freedom of Cork honour

Chernobyl charity crusader and outspoken humanitarian Adi Roche is being tipped for the Freedom of Cork.

Lord Mayor Chris O’Leary confirmed last night that she is being considered for the honour which has also been conferred on leading figures such as John F Kennedy, Roy Keane, Sonia O’Sullivan, and Michael Flatley. But he stressed that he has not yet made a decision and that no proposal has been brought before council for discussion or vote yet.

However, it is understood Mr O’Leary is anxious that her humanitarian work in Belarus since the Chernobyl disaster in northern Ukraine almost 30 years ago is recognised and honoured.

Mr O’Leary accompanied Ms Roche on an historic civic delegation to Belarus and to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant early last month to see the work her charity, Chernobyl Childrens’ International, has been doing in the region.

CCI has raised more than €100m to help those most affected by the world’s worst nuclear accident. The charity has transformed the lives of thousands of vulnerable children who were abandoned in state-run orphanages and institutions. It has renovated the facilities and over-hauled their models of care to ensure their children have a better standard of life.

It is also building community care centres in rural regions. It places children in need with foster families who then move into the homes. The charity enters into a legal agreement with the families and after 15 years, it gifts the properties to them in recognition of their contribution to caring for the children.

The programme has placed some 300 children in foster homes — the equivalent of closing two state-run orphanages.

City Hall is expected to honour the CCI and its volunteers with a ceremony in City Hall around the time of the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident next month.