Belarus prison tripFifteen Irish volunteers will become the first Western charity to visit juvenile prisons in Belarus next week, writes Hélène Hofman.
Ten members of the group yesterday completed a 10,000ft skydive in Clonbullogue, Co Offaly, to raise money for the trip organised by the Zest4Kids charity.
The volunteers will travel to Belarus on Friday to complete a "Second Chance" programme in a girls prison at the weekend and then at a boys prison. The offenders are aged between 10 and 24.
"Whatever we say, nothing here will ever compare to the prisons they live in," said volunteer Sharon Hutchinson from Balbriggan, Co Dublin. "It's going to shock and appal us all. It's not a normal children's home like you would see in Ireland. The way it's been described to us is as the closest thing we'll ever see to a concentration camp."
Most volunteers will work on an interactive soccer project with the prisoners, while coaching on dealing with prisoners humanely will be given to the guards by trained professionals and psychotherapists. So far the group has raised €23,000 of the €30,000 needed to fund their trip. For more information and donations: www.zestlife.ie. info@zestlife.ie
Transport centenaries
Two 100th anniversary celebrations were held at Rosslare and Campile, Co Wexford, on Saturday to mark both sea and rail services linking the southeast of Ireland and Britain, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The first ceremony was held at Rosslare Eurport to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the Rosslare to Fishguard route, and the second of the day's official centenary activities took place at Campile, the nearest railway station to the Barrow bridge on the Rosslare to Waterford line, to mark the 100th anniversary of the bridge over the River Barrow.