President Eddie Fenech Adami yesterday said schoolchildren had set an example by putting the value of solidarity into practice. The President was bringing the curtain down on the Bank of Valletta L-Istrina Campaign at a visit to his old school, St Aloysius' College in Birkirkara.

The President was greeted by the children who presented him with piggy banks containing their donations. They were all emptied into a large piggy bank that was transported on an open truck to the college for this occasion.

As part of the BoV L-Istrina Campaign 2005, 5,000 piggy banks were distributed to over 65,000 students in state, Church and independent schools in Malta and Gozo.

The piggy banks were collected from the schools in the past two weeks in a wide-ranging operation that involved more than 100 personalities over 24 routes covered by Paramount Garage and Godwin's Garage-sponsored vehicles within a 90-hour timeframe, and 30 L-Istrina helpers.

The donations were taken to Bank of Valletta branches where staff sorted and counted the coins and notes. The total amount collected will be announced during the live L-Istrina TV broadcast on Boxing Day.