Shrewsbury boy spends Christmas Eve buying sleeping bags for homeless people

The money raised by nine-year-old Riley will go on sleeping bags and other essentials for homeless people in Shrewsbury

A nine-year-old boy will buy sleeping bags and other essentials for homeless people on Christmas Eve after beating his fundraising target.

Riley, from Whitchurch, Shropshire, told his mum he wanted to help those in need and set up a fundraising page to raise £200.

Dozens of donations pushed his total past £1,200 and the money will be spent on Friday.

"I am immensely proud of him", mum Felicity said.

"He makes me so proud, the fundraising has been overwhelming, it has been quite mind-blowing."

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She thinks he got the idea from her visits to Manchester and homeless people she knows in the city.

"He just woke up one morning and said he wanted to do something on Christmas Eve, said he wanted to feed the homeless, do something for them," Felicity said.

They set up the fundraising page in early December and Riley told friends, fellow pupils and school teachers as well as complete strangers about it.

"He talks to everybody, in the barbers or going on train rides to Manchester. He talked to people on the train about what he is doing and some asked for his fundraising link," Felicity said.

Riley and his mum will spend £500 of the total at an outdoors centre on sleeping bags, waterproofs and coats before taking them to the Shrewsbury Ark homeless service.

The rest of the money will be given directly to the service for them to use for other provisions.

Shrewsbury Ark posted their thanks on Facebook to Riley.

"I do not believe this will be the end, Riley is keen to do other things going forward," Felicity said.