THE UNITED Church in Bere Alston was the venue for an interesting talk last week from two people who survived an horrific kidnapping in Chechnya in 1997.

Camilla Carr and Jonathan James, who were volunteers at a rehabilitation centre for traumatised children in Grozny, were kidnapped at gunpoint two months into their work and incarcerated for more than 14 months.

They experienced appalling degradation, mental torture and the threat of execution. At first their hostage takers thought they were worth 500,000 dollars plus guns, tanks, a hospital and school and later two million dollars were mentioned.

Their stories were both devastating and moving and the couple, who have since married, said how positive thinking and visualisation journeys had helped them deal with the trauma.

Camila Carr now gives talks and workshops debating the nature of conflict and forgiveness.

The couple's book 'The Sky is Always There' was available to purchase at the event and donations were given in aid of the 'Forgiveness Project' which they both support.