Youngster lends a hand to homeless in Shrewsbury

Harrison Knight is appealing for backpacks, blankets, scarves, gloves and more to hand out to homeless people in Shrewsbury and Telford.

Last weekend the 11-year-old from Ightfield, near Whitchurch, filled up a bag with supplies from home and asked his father, Tony, to drive him to Shrewsbury.

He said: "When I gave the homeless person that stuff it made him so happy and it made me happy too, so I decided I want to help more people and make them happy.

"When I have got lots of things, I might get a group of friends and family together to help hand out the backpacks full of stuff to homeless people.

"I've also been collecting money so I can buy some things for them. I've already got £22."

Since then Harrison, who helps deliver the Shropshire Star with his brother Morgan, has been busy collecting money to buy items and designing a poster outlining his plans in the hope that people will donate items.

His father Tony said his son is an "extraordinary" young boy.

"He is so caring and just wants to help everyone," he said. "Over Christmas he came home and told me about something that happened on a school trip.

"He said he was on the way back to the bus and saw a homeless man. Harrison wanted to give him his spare apple but wasn't allowed to and ever since then it has played on his mind.

"Then last Sunday he all of a sudden he asked me to drive him to Shrewsbury with a rucksack full of things from Christmas like chocolates, crisps and orange juice. He made me drive around town twice looking for people. He gave it to a man and he was absolutely buzzing when I explained to him what Harrison was doing."

Anyone with items they would like to donate, such as hot water bottles, hats, gloves and jumpers, can contact Tony on 07809569200.