We thought we'd mark the 38th Anniversary of the Chernobyl accident by sending out an update on ATOMIK. It was at 01.23 in the morning of 26 April when the then Soviet reactor exploded, changing the lives of millions of people in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. It is a day our friend and co-Director, Dr. Gennady Laptev remembers very well. He was then a young scientist at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute and was soon in a helicopter working to help develop the first maps of gamma radiation in the Exclusion Zone. Four years later, as a PhD student, I began work on Chernobyl with Gennady and our other Ukrainian colleagues. We're happy to be still working together not only on ATOMIK, but on our long research on the Cooling Pond and on a new project to support restoration of wetland ecosystems in the Exclusion Zone.
ATOMIK is all about looking forward and helping improve the lives of people still affected by the social and economic impacts of Chernobyl. Below are some photos showing the use we've made of our profits to support the High School in Narodychi, the area where many of our apples are harvested. As a drinks company, we make donations to the school anonymously.
Due to the war, Christmas had been cancelled at the Narodychi High School, but we brought it back with a donation for entertainment, food and decorations!
We bought lots of new furniture to brighten up the Soviet-era school.
