Anonymous Gosport girl, 8, buys gifts for homeless people with her pocket money

An eight-year-old, known only as Sophie, saved up her pocket money to donate gift bags to people living in the town's temporary ‘pods’.

The 30 pods were set up at the town's Walpole Park car park by Gosport Borough Council when the coronavirus crisis hit, to house rough sleepers and others in need. Each contains a fridge, microwave, shower and toilet, and came equipped with items the residents might need.

Sophie arrived at the pods with her mum on Tuesday and handed over individual bags containing supplies including toothpaste, a toothbrush, tissues, wipes, shampoo, socks, a snack bar and a bottle of water.

A handwritten note, enclosed with each one, said: ‘Hi, I have saved my money up for a while so I could buy you some essentials. I hope you like them. From Sophie (aged eight).’

Her mum told staff at the site that Sophie had saved her pocket money over the past few months as she wanted to help those less fortunate than herself.

The kind gesture came on the same day that councillors agreed to keep funding the pods until at least January, while it works on a more permanent solution to the residents' housing needs.

The council is planning, with the help of government funding, to meet the national goal of ensuring that people continue to get the specialist support they need after leaving emergency pandemic accommodation, and that as few as possible return to the streets.

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Cllr Graham Burgess, chairman of the council's Housing Board, said: ‘We'd like to say thanks to Sophie and her mum for such a lovely gesture. The residents really appreciated Sophie's kindness, as did we.

‘It's fine if she wants to remain anonymous, but if the family wanted to come forward so we could thank them properly, that would be great.’

Liam, one of the pod residents, wrote a thank-you note, saying: ‘Thank you to Sophie for my donation, it was the cutest thing ever and made my heart melt. If you see this Sophie's mum, please get in touch as I'd like to do something for Sophie in return.’

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