Schoolchildren asked to help in TV charity marathon

Bank of Valletta has distributed piggy banks to schoolchildren as part of its Istrina campaign 2004.

The campaign forms part of the annual TV charity marathon at Christmas time which raises funds in support of organisations caring for the needy members of society. Last year over Lm1 million were collected.

Speaking about this first phase of the campaign, organiser Peppi Azzopardi said that 8,000 piggy banks had been distributed. A letter was also sent to each of the 65,000 students in the 2,800 classes in all schools in Malta and Gozo.

This operation involved over 30 volunteers who worked in six teams to distribute piggy banks in all primary and secondary schools in Malta and Gozo in just three days.

BOV has not only donated 10,000 piggy banks towards Istrina 2004 but was also helping out directly in the logistics involved in this operation.

During the coming days, parents and teachers are being encouraged to discuss with children the significance of being generous with others who are most in need.

The main aim of the campaign is to promote the value of solidarity among schoolchildren.

The piggy banks will be collected from the schools between December 14 - 16 when three open trucks with a big piggy bank on each will go round the schools.

Two representatives from each class will empty the donations contained in the small piggy banks into the big piggy bank on the truck.