Mum in a million

And on Mother's Day this 52-year-old mum will no doubt be pampered and spoiled by them all.

Meanwhile 1,000 miles away in the former USSR state of Belarus an 11-year-old boy will be thinking of her - and counting the days until Sunday, June 13.

That's when Sasha, a child of Chernobyl, will arrive at Rosalind's house for a month of plentiful, healthy food, fresh air, new clothes and visits to the Reebok Stadium and his beloved Wanderers. Rosalind first met Sasha last June when he came to stay with her and her husband Tom as part of the Blackrod Friends of Chernobyl's Children scheme. A month away from their home can add an extra two yaers to a child's life.

"Each year a group of children come over, between the ages of seven and 12, and stay with local families," explains Rosalind - a chatty woman who fits more into a day than is humanly possible.

"I really wanted to do my bit and put my name forward. After our references had been checked Tom and I were told we'd be getting a young boy called Sasha."

Every child that comes over has to be a "special case" - in Sasha's case it was heartbreaking. His father had been murdered leaving his mother with three children to clothe and feed.

"She works all night in a petrol refinery," says Rosalind, shaking her head sadly, "just to make end meet. But since the fall-out the people there have nothing left - everything is contaminated, it's terrible. And they really struggle for money.

"But that didn't stop his mother sending presents for us all when he came over. When I saw his small back crammed with gifts for us and just a few badly fitting clothes for him, I could have wept." She adds: "This is why I was determined to make his stay here a happy one."

And Sasha, who's quite small for his age, quickly settled in with his new family.

Rosalind has asked her grandson, Lewis - who's just a year older then Sasha - to come over and help him settle in.

"They became inseparable," she smiles, "in fact, Lewis stayed here for the whole month."

But of course some things were difficult for the young lad to get used to.

Soap for instance.

"He was as clean as a whistle," says Rosalind, "and on his first night I ran him a big bubble bath - they don't have anything like that in Belarus.

"After a while I went up to check if he was okay. He was, but hadn't even touched the soap at the side of the bed - he didn't know what it was, I had to explain.

"After that he became a little obsessed with it - he even bought a big block of Camay for his mum. He's so thoughtful, all his pocket money went on candles, string, Sellotape, toothpaste and soap for his family."

And Sasha developed a liking for chicken and, above all, milk. "He couldn't get enough of the stuff," laughs Rosalind. "Morning, noon and night he'd want milk - that's one word he learned to say very quickly - milk."

Sasha's stay in England introduced the inquisitive boy to many new experiences - but one household item that really caught his attention was the washing machine. "He'd sit and watch the washing go round and round," says Rosalind.

When it was time for Sasha to return to Belarus it was a case of tears all round in Rosalind's beautiful Aspull home.

"I didn't want him to go," she says, filling up, "I'd become so attached to him and so had my husband, Tom. He's become a father figure to Sasha. And it's hard to accept that he may not have a future - who knows what the fall-out has done to him. Only time will tell."

Now Rosalind is busy fundraising for the children's next visit and Sasha is due to arrive in June. "His bedroom's all ready for him and there are new clothes in the draws," says Rosalind, visibly excited at the prospect of seeing him again.

"People ask me why I do it. Well, I've got five healthy grandchildren, if I can improve one child's life, then it's worth it."

Rosalind Ainsworth is a modest woman. She dismisses her life-long chest condition, preferring to chat about her mum, who's in hospital, her children and grandchildren. It's obvious she's adored by them all.

Especially one little boy a thousand miles away.

Further details of fundraising and sponsoring a child are available from Joyce Beech 01204 695895.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.