LAST CHRISTMAS the Gazette published many pictures and stories about shoe-box appeals where schools and businesses had collected gifts for less fortunate children in Eastern Europe.

Operation Christmas Child has been running for over 10 years and over 1.1 million shoe-boxes were collected nationwide and distributed over Christmas and New Year.

The boxes were gratefully received by the charity and until now it was probably the last the gift collectors heard about them.

But one of the charity workers who delivered the gifts to Russia may well be known to people in this area.

He is Dursley-born and bred Nick Pengelly, who recently moved to Wrexham.

He said: "My parents who still live Dursley said there saw a lot of pictures in the Gazette of the shoe-box appeals. It was nice to know so much support came from my own home town."

Nick visited Russia to deliver the gifts with Operation Christmas child founder Dave Cooke.

Mr Cooke, from Wrexham, started the work in 1990 when he saw pictures of children living in Romanian orphanages.

Nick said: "It just proves that the efforts of one man can make a significant difference. In those first few weeks up to Christmas with his family and friends Dave collected over £600,000 of aid that was delivered out to Romania."

Nick has just returned from an overseas shoe-box distribution trip with Mr Cooke and a team of ten volunteers to the Moscow region.

He said: "It was a roller-coaster ride of emotions and experiences. One moment we would find ourselves as guests of honour at places like the Moscow State Circus with 2,500 underprivileged children and the next minute sitting among children that had suffered the most horrific abuse and trouble."

One afternoon Nick visited children living underground in the city of Tula where the children slept on the hot water pipes of the town's communal heating system.

Nick explained: "They said they barbecued on one side and froze on the other and with a six-foot drop below them they held each other on the pipes as they slept."

Each of the boys received not only a shoe-box but a new pair of boots and a bag of food.

Nick said: "These gifts seem very small compared to the need but their faces told the story - there was even a small smile."

Nick also visited orphanages where children had been taken off the streets.

"Like children everywhere they longed for affection and hugs. It was amazing to watch their faces as they received and opened their shoeboxes," he said.

Many of the shoe-boxes contained things people here take for granted such as toothpaste and soap but to the children Nick visited there were prized possessions.

He said: "I watched one little girl hold a photo of the donor to her heart and smile. The children were quickly running around the room, trying their new pencils and stuffing sweets in their mouths.

"It was an experience of a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who has given a shoe-box. I am in no doubt as to the effect of these gifts. They are often the only presents they get. They call it love in a box - I think that expresses everything."

Pictured: Former Birmingham City footballer Paul Brady, a street lad and Nick Pengelly.