Northallerton Woman Honoured for Charitable Work with Children
Alison Shepherd receives recognition for her dedication to helping children affected by crises in Belarus and Ukraine
Alison Shepherd, Northallerton, Chernobyl, Ukraine, Charity
Northallerton: Alison Shepherd has been celebrated by the Rotary Club of Northallerton for her amazing work with kids and families impacted by the Chernobyl disaster and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
For years, Alison has organized month-long trips to the UK for children from Belarus who were affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. During their stay, these kids were welcomed by British families, received medical check-ups, and enjoyed educational outings.
Unfortunately, with the current issues in Ukraine and Belarus, those visits have had to be put on hold. But Alison didn’t stop there. She shifted her focus to helping Ukrainian families looking for refuge in the area, providing them with support and care.
At a Christmas lunch, she was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship, which is Rotary International’s top honor, by David Ison, the president of the Rotary Club of Northallerton. What a moment!
Alison expressed her gratitude, saying, “I was truly humbled to receive the award, which came as a shock and surprise. It’s been a joy to help so many children from Belarus, and supporting Ukrainians fleeing the terrible war in their homeland felt like the right thing to do.”
She added, “I feel very blessed to have all of these wonderful people in my life.”