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In August 1996 Jerome embarked on a demanding, whirlwind visit to Bosnai to help the Red Cross in it's global to raise awareness of the effects of anti-personnel mines. Although the war in Bosnia is now over, it's deadly legacy remains with an estimated 3 million landmines still in the country, many of them hard to detect.
Jerome was greeted like an old friend by the British troops in Sarajevo, where he witnessed a mine clearing exercise. All of them asked for his autograph and had photos taken with him.
These men are incredibly brave and dedicated in their efforts to clear mines - it is a little known fact that it costs as little as £1 to buy a mine but £500 to remove it, and for every landmine cleared another 20 are planted.
The world is now littered with around 110 million mines. The majority of those killed or injured by them are just ordinary people, working in mine infested fields, trying to collect water or just wanting to play like children in the world over.
Jerome was deeply moved by the plight of two mine victims who, more than anything, summed up the tragic human cost of mines. He first visited 12-year-old Damir Palavra and his parents, who live in the Dobrinja suburb of Sarajevo. Damir lost his leg just below the knee when he went back to visit his ruined home; a booby-trap mine had been left across the threshold. Damire had wanted to be a footballer but now, when football is mentioned, the pain of what is no longer possible is too much to bear and he turns away.
Adis Mehmedika, another 12-year-old, also hoped to be a professional sportsman, a wrestler. Jerome admitted that when he met him he had to use all his strength not to break down in tears, as the boy recounted how he had been chased by older boys and, in trying to escape, had found himself in the middle of a minefield. Adis had lost part of his foot and leg and is still undergoing treatment. He had to crawl on his stomach inch by inch to get out of the minefields while the adults were powerless to help, fearing they too might step on a mine.
Such bravery is a humbling experience and brings home the reality of life in Bosnia, where playing football and running in the fields - things we take for granted in the U.K. - are filled with with deadly perils for these youngsters already scarred by war.
The Red Cross has been using mass media including radio, posters, T-shirts and leaflets to bring home the message about mines to the people of former Yugoslavia. Soon advertising will begin on television, followed by mines awareness activities in schools to remind the people here of the continuing dangers of mines.
Jerome was deeply touched by the Red Cross visit. Away from the make-believe fighting of "Soldier, Soldier", he said "Here you see what war is really like and the effect is has on children. I never thought I would be so moved".
From the humanitarian point of view the Red Cross beleives that a worldwide ban on anti-personnel mines is the only totally effective solution.