The Medjugorje Peace Plan Group, which has been operating in Bermuda for almost eight years, asked schoolchildren in October to fill shoe boxes with school supplies, clothing and gifts for the children of Bosnia and Croatia.

More than 800 shoe boxes, decorated and filled with Christmas gifts by local schoolchildren, were sent to Father Leonard Orec in Croatia who arranged for their distribution amongst the children of Split.

Father Orec said: "In those days when humanitarian aid for Bosnia and Croatia is getting smaller it is a nice feeling that somebody so far away is still remembering through what our people passed and how much they suffer.

"We especially want to thank all children who were involved in this project.''