A FLINTSHIRE girl has raised thousands of pounds for charity after being left shocked by the extent of homelessness.
Emma Roberts, from Carmel, near Holywell, has taken it upon herself to raise money for the SHARE charity in Chester.
The eight-year-old has so far raised over £3,000 through organising a charity quiz night and raffle at the Stamford Gate pub, and this weekend is walking 10 miles around Llyn Brenig reservoir.
Emma said: "Last year, I went to London with my family to visit my uncle as a Christmas present. London was so fun but something made me very sad - I saw many homeless people.
"It made me feel upset and confused because I did not know why people were on the floor with no place to sleep or eat. I burst into tears when my mum told me what a homeless person is and why. I felt hopeless. I want to make a difference to these people, and I need you to help me achieving it."
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She added: "A fun fact about me is that walking isn’t my favourite thing in the world, let’s say. This is why, I’m walking with my mum and my auntie Coco around Llyn Bregin lake, which is about 10 miles.
"I’m partnering with Share, a charity that supports homeless people and refugees in Chester. They told me that £30 can support one person with accommodation and hot food per day in their daycare centre, and I have a very ambitious target.
"Thank you to the people who helped so far I just want people to care and to make a difference."
Emma has a GoFundMe page which can be donated to via https://bit.ly/3PsC74B. You can also follow Emma's journey on Instagram - fundraising_with_emma.
Emma's mum, Faye, said: "I genuinely thought the experience in London would be forgotten on our return but it wasn’t and the desire to do something and empathy has grown and grown.
"The events are all her doing and her idea. We are so proud of her and her determination to make it happen."
Over 100 people attended the quiz night at the Stamford Gate, which also included a performance from Emma's choir - the PhilsHarmonics Youth Choir.
Faye added: "The people of Holywell have been absolutely amazing in their generosity. The amount of businesses that donated prizes was just fantastic. It just goes to show what a fantastic community it is."
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