SEEING a homeless woman in Woking town centre has prompted a nine-year-old to sell her paintings to raise money for the York Road Project.

Fleur Cobbett, who lives in Maybury, asked her mum, Anna Griffiths, if they could invite the woman to their home.

“I said ‘That’s absolutely lovely but our house simply isn’t big enough to take in all the homeless people’,” Anna said.

After a meeting with staff at the Woking homelessness charity, Fleur decided to sell her paintings online. 

Anna set up a GoFundMe page which has a soundtrack and is called “Fleur’s Soothing Music to Paintings”.

“She likes painting, especially sunsets and trees,” Anna said. 

Some people download the images for a donation and others have bought the original painting, so far raising about £70.

The York Road Project gave Fleur a certificate acknowledging her efforts and she showed it to her fellow pupils and teachers at Pyrford C of E Primary School.

“She was thrilled to bits to get the certificate and we’ve shared what she’s doing in the school newsletter, so it’s raised a bit more awareness of the York Road Project,” Anna said.

Stephen Ireland, the charity’s community fundraiser, said: “We are very grateful for Fleur’s fundraising efforts. 

“It was a delight for staff to meet her and her mum and hear her story about why she wanted to help us defeat homelessness together. 

“Young fundraisers typically approach homelessness with no judgement and it’s refreshing because part of a fundraiser’s job is effectively communicating that homelessness can happen to anyone and we can start to break down the stigmas that are typically attached to those who are rough sleeping.” 

As well as donating via Fleur’s GoFundMe page, anyone wanting to help support the York Road Project can buy gifts from its Christmas wish-list via Amazon. 

“These gifts will be given out on Christmas morning to our clients,” Stephen said.

“They range from much-needed items such as underwear, slippers and long-shelf-life food, vouchers and wash sets.” 

There is also a “sponsor a bed” campaign, in which donors can pay for accommodation for rough sleepers at the York Road Project’s facilities.

“Alternatively, a monetary donation will help us as we continue to support our clients 365 days a year, 24 hours a day through our direct access accommodation and our resource and prevention centre here in Woking,” Stephen said.

Visit www.yorkroadproject.org.uk for more information about the charity.