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100 lonely OAPs were sent boxes of tea and cake by generous nine-year-old girl

Nine-year-old Lily White used money intended for her birthday party to send 100 lonely OAPs boxes of tea and coffee, and cakes and biscuits. (SWNS)
Nine-year-old Lily White used money intended for her birthday party to send 100 lonely OAPs boxes of tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits. (SWNS)

A kind-hearted nine-year-old has used money intended for her birthday party to send 100 lonely OAPs boxes of tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits.

When her birthday party was cancelled, Lily White, from Angus, Scotland, decided to use the £100 she was given by her parents, to fill boxes with teabags, coffee sachets, milk, packets of biscuits and cakes, to be distributed to the elderly members of the family’s church congregation.

The schoolgirl came up with the idea of creating 100 ‘Cup of Friendship’ boxes for people who live alone to show them that they are important and cared for.

She even designed the front of the boxes with a colourful picture of a teacup, and helped create beautiful prayer cards.

“Everyone should know that they are not alone,” Lily wrote in the packages. “I hope that this box makes someone smile and they can enjoy a cuppy and a biscuit.”

Read more: Woman who lived through two pandemics beats COVID in time to celebrate 106th birthday

Commenting on her decision to use her birthday party money to create the packages Lily explains: “God tells us to share with others, to care for one another, be kind and use our gifts and talents to do ‘His’ work.

“We have all taken things for granted and lockdown has made us all think about what is important.

“I worry about people who are on their own, they must feel lonely and isolated and I want these ‘Cup of Friendship’ boxes to make people smile and to show that someone is thinking about them.”

Lily also created beautiful prayer cards. (SWNS)
Lily also created beautiful prayer cards. (SWNS)

Lily attends Arbroath West Kirk church in Arbroath in Angus and worked on the project with her minister, Rev Chris Hay.

“We have a large percentage of older members, many of whom live alone and are not experts in the use of the internet and social media,” Hay says.

“Lily's initiative, her thought for others at a time when activities were cancelled for her, coupled with her commitment to filling and completing each box is humbling.”

Watch: Dolly Parton urges fans to celebrate her birthday by spreading kindness.

Commenting on her daughter’s kindness, proud mum Vicki, 37, said: “Lily came up with this idea and my husband [Steve, 39] and I gave her £100 which was set aside for her birthday party which was unable to happen.

“She planned, drew, coloured and bought all the items herself.

“Chris helped by providing prayer cards and working out how these boxes could be sent out into the community.”

Read more: 'She will never be forgotten': Britain’s oldest person dies aged 111

The schoolgirl came up with the idea and designed the front of the boxes with a colourful picture of a teacup.(SWNS)
The schoolgirl came up with the idea and designed the front of the boxes with a colourful picture of a teacup.(SWNS)

Lily isn’t the only youngster turning to kindness during the coronavirus pandemic.

Carmela Chillery-Watson who has muscular dystrophy took up the challenge of walking 300km in 30 days as part of a 2,000km challenge for charity.

The six-year-old came up with the Wonder Woman-inspired challenge of walking the equivalent of the 2,000km distance from her home near Devizes in Wiltshire to Ravello, Italy, which is the filming location of the film Wonder Woman 1984.

Working as a team of walkers, dressed in super-hero costumes, the family more than doubled Carmela’s fundraising target of £6,000 by raising almost £14,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

During the first national lockdown Jess Nolan, eight, dedicated her time to putting a smile on the faces of the residents and staff at her local care home.

Every day for five months last year, the school girl visited Anchor Hanover’s Oakwood Grange care home in Barnsley, delivering parcels of lovingly handmade friendship bracelets, puzzles, letters, flowers and dream catchers.

Read more: Moments of hope amidst the loneliness of lockdown captured in moving photographs

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old, dubbed the “mini Monet”, who made £50,000 from selling her floral landscape paintings, donated the entire sum to charity.

Daisy Watt only started painting four years ago when two of her grandparents were diagnosed with cancer and she painted them a picture to cheer them up.

Since then she’s gone on to auction around 25 pictures for charity giving all the money she makes to charity.

Additional reporting SWNS.

Watch: Family builds snowman to cheer up residents of senior living facility.

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