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Sharlie Sleney from Gillingham creates boxes of presents for homeless people for Christmas

For homeless people, Christmas can be the hardest time of year, but one teenage girl is hoping to make it a little bit special.

Sharlie Sleney has been creating boxes of presents to give to people who live on the streets.

She teamed up with homeless charity The Street Angels and went to their soup kitchen in High Street, Gillingham, on Friday, December 7.

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Sharlie Sheney, 17, of May Road, Gillingham, has been delivering presents to the homeless. Picture: Chris Davey
Sharlie Sheney, 17, of May Road, Gillingham, has been delivering presents to the homeless. Picture: Chris Davey

The Mid Kent College student said: "I thought, because Christmas is coming up, I wanted to make them feel a little bit special.

"I know they have nobody to go to on Christmas Day, and it's supposed to be the time where family spend time together.

"I just thought, 'I want to help them' and then the idea of Christmas gave me the idea to make little gift bags for them.

"My mum and my stepdad helped me organise this, all we got came out of our own pockets.

"They helped get the bits from shops and I put all of what we got in little gift bags.

"I wrote a card for each one too."

"I know they have nobody to go to on Christmas Day, and it's supposed to be the time where family spend time together..." - Sharlie Sleney

Her mother Sherry Wibley, said: "She's always been upset that people are homeless, even when she was five years old, she would cry when she walked past homeless people.

"The boxes were really well received, everyone was laughing and joking."

Sharlie added: "I was nervous when I left to go and hand the boxes out as I really didn't know what to expect.

"I thought I'd be stood there crying because I thought it was going to be really sad and in some aspects it was, but these people were just smiling and they were having a laugh.

Sharlie appears on KMTV

"That has really opened my eyes not to take life for granted because if they can smile and laugh in a situation like that, why should I complain about myself when I have a roof over my head and a hot meal every night.

"They were just so full of life and it was so amazing to see, honestly.

"I want to try and do a fundraising event, maybe within the college or the community."

Sharlie posted a video of her handing out the presents online and donations have been flooding in.

She plans to go back out tomorrow and again on Christmas day to give out more presents.

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