A SOUTHMOOR girl has raised over £760 for homeless charity Crisis.
Seven-year-old Polly Weaving applied to be a fundraiser with the charity and today she handed over a cheque for £764 at the Crisis centre in Oxford.
Every £28 raises enough money for a Christmas dinner, bed for the night, clean clothes and further help in the future from Crisis, meaning the money raised by Polly will benefit up to 27 homeless people.
Polly said initially she was expecting to raise £70 and 'cried happy tears for the first time' when her family told her how much she had raised.
Polly said: "About a year ago, I was Christmas shopping and saw quite a lot of homeless people.
"I did the same thing last year, I like being kind to people and raising money.
"I went round to my friends' houses and they gave me quite a lot of money."
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Polly would stand at her school gates with her collection tin before and after school.
Today she handed over the cheque to Crisis and she said: "I went to see a girl called Chloe and they were very proud of me.
"They gave me a certificate in a frame, a t-shirt and we took some photos.
"They were amazed at how much I raised."
Her mum Kate Weaving said: "She's been working really hard for the last three weeks and has been fundraising for Crisis off her own back.
"We're so proud of her, she's very selfless.
"She's had lots of help from family, it's been a real team effort.
"A lof of the parents at school have contributed and people have been so generous.
"She did it last year but this year she wanted to go the extra mile.
"She's been out with her bucket and not put it down.
"It's a really big issue for her, she's adamant she's doing it again next year.
"She sees it as such an injustice."
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Polly's grandparents David and Jill Bridgeman helped her with her fundraising efforts.
Mr Bridgeman collected money at the West Berkshire Golf Club in Newbury.
He said: "I mentioned it to the players I play with and got £120.
"I'm absolutely so proud of her, she's such a mature seven-year-old.
"When she went to Crisis, they said she was the talk of the office."
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