Selfless young child helps feed Peterborough's homeless - and plans return with birthday cake

Selfless Lincoln Hanley took soup, sandwiches, sweets and drinks to Bridge Street last Friday evening alongside dad Jamie where he made the day for some rough sleepers preparing for a night camped outside.

The youngster from Park Farm decided to take action after being so taken aback by how some of the most vulnerable in society live after he sat through a programme about homeless girls on BBC iPlayer which documented the lives of homeless youths.

Mum Elissa (28) recalled: “He kept saying ‘mummy, where are their houses? Do they sleep on the floor?’

“He was asking what food they have. He said ‘mummy, should we go feed them?’ My husband and I looked at each other and said ‘why not?’

“We took him to the local Tesco and got him some sandwiches, sweets, soups and drinks and made about six packed lunches.”

Lincoln met rough sleepers Henry and Joseph while walking through Bridge Street with his dad, with both men warming to the two-year-old when he introduced himself to them.

Dad Jamie said: “A lot of the homeless people were very nervous, but once you explained to them why we were approaching them they seemed to open up a little bit more.

“They were so grateful.

“We had expected to about half an hour but we were out for an hour and a half.

“I thought it was fantastic. It was just a brilliant experience. It’s had a lot of interest on Facebook and hopefully it will open people’s eyes.”

Elissa added: “Lincoln loved it, he came back in and was like ‘mummy, we need to feed these people’. He kept saying he wanted to buy more sandwiches:

“All weekend he keeps talking about it - he’s been buzzing.

“It’s his birthday in October and he wants to go back out and give out birthday cake.”

Elissa went to Bridge Street on Sunday and spoke to Joseph, who shook her hand and told her: “Thank you so much for the food, you have a really nice, little boy.”

The family are now planning to put together winter hampers including blankets and jumpers for rough sleepers with the weather set to get colder in the coming months.

Elissa said: “We’re so so proud of him. He’s such a lovely little boy and there’s something so innocent and so naive about him that you have to grasp this opportunity with both hands.

“You don’t get many adults like this.”