'Amazing' eight-year-old Layla donates Easter gifts to homeless charity

Everyone at our Robroyston store is so impressed by the amazing kindness of eight-year-old Layla Davidson who raised £150 by selling bags of sweets and then spent all the money on Easter eggs for homeless people in Glasgow and Easter treats for the little ones at her sister's nursery.

Layla's mum Charlene Durham, who's a regular customer at the store, says Layla wanted to support Help The Homeless Glasgow's Easter egg appeal after learning about homelessness.

She also donated chocolates to Auchinairn Early Years Centre, where her four-year-old sister Liliana goes, to make sure all the children there had a nice treat.

Charlene, who's part of the early years team at East Dunbartonshire Council, says Layla's act of kindness was inspired by a conversation they had about homelessness.

She said: "It came around at Christmas because Layla was horrified when I was telling her that some people are living on the streets. She just couldn't understand how it was possible that some people sleep on concrete, and has wanted to help ever since.

"Layla turned eight in January and was wanting to spend her birthday money to help the homeless but then when she saw me making bags of sweets for Valentine's Day that she wanted to make them for Mother's Day and sell them for charity.

"I posted about it on Facebook and more and more people wanted to buy them, and we ended up raising £150.

"I'm totally overwhelmed. She's so kind-hearted and I'm the proudest person alive at this moment.

"It was all her idea. I supported her, but this is all down to her. I hope she keeps that kindness going because I think the world needs more of that. We don't know what's around the corner and if the pandemic has taught us anything it's that things can be taken away from you very quickly."

The store's community champion Grace McIntyre teamed up with Charlene to put aside the Easter treats for Layla to pass on.

She said: "It's such a lovely gesture from someone so young. I've been telling everyone about her, because it's so kind of her. She's such an amazing young girl. Well done Layla!"

Charlene says the plan is for the 100 Easter eggs to be distributed to homeless people who come to George Square in Glasgow city centre to get a hot meal from the homeless charity.