SWINDON people are now well used to extending hands across the water in an effort to help those less fortunate than themselves.

The town helped its twin in Nicaragua, Ocotal, get back on its feet after it was hit by severe flooding.

And local people have taken food convoys to the Balkans to relieve some of the suffering experienced by years of conflict.

But it is particularly heartwarming to see Swindon extend the hand of friendship to a group of children from Belarus this Christmas.

The future for these youngsters, who live in the shadow of the Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster, is always uncertain and anything that brightens up their lives should be encouraged.

So a pat on the back is due to the local organisers who helped arrange their visit to this country.

And praise should also go to Princess Margaret Hospital for supplying equipment that could save lives in Belarus.

The smiling faces on these pages tell their own story hopefully they will still be smiling when they return to their home country next week.