Six-year-old girl holds art exhibition to raise amazing funds for the homeless

Saoirse Burgoyne, from Colchester, decided she wanted to raise funds to help the homeless after seeing a person sleeping on the streets.

Her mum Sinéad, a music teacher at St Benedict’s Catholic College, said: “When she saw a homeless person, she started crying and couldn’t understand it. She was very upset.

“She wanted to give them money, but I explained how charities work to give them a hot meal and clothing.

“She couldn’t sleep because it was playing on her mind, and she wanted to help.

“She thought of a cake sale, then she decided to sell her paintings—it was just something she wanted to do.”

Kind - Sinéad says her daughter Saoirse has a very big heart and wanted to help Kind – Sinéad says her daughter Saoirse has a very big heart and wanted to help (Image: Sinéad Burgoyne) Sinéad writes her own music and knew her concert she was holding in Wivenhoe would be a great opportunity for Saoirse to sell her paintings.  

In October, Sinéad bought lots of canvasses in different sizes and throughout the course of a week, Saoirse would do little paintings.

She would come home from school and “take real pride” in doing some painting every day, with bright colours, flowers and insects, and a variety of animals and settings.

“Sometimes she did a spray painting, sometimes she used proper paints,” Sinéad said.

“She took a lyric from one of my songs and took inspiration from that.

“She was loving it, because she loves painting anyway, but she knew it was going to help someone.” 

Music - Sinéad (left) sung with her daughter at her concert in between Saoirse selling her paintings Music – Sinéad (left) sung with her daughter at her concert in between Saoirse selling her paintings (Image: Sinéad Burgoyne) Colourful - Saoirse enjoyed painting for a purpose and sharing her art with the publicColourful – Saoirse enjoyed painting for a purpose and sharing her art with the public (Image: Sinéad Burgoyne) When the concert came, Saoirse was very excited when she sold her paintings and raised an amazing £168.

Sinéad said: “There was such a glow about her, she was so happy and proud of herself that she had made a difference.

“She is really, really kind and has a lovely heart.

“It was a really good opportunity for her to know she’s made a difference.”

The money Saoirse raised has been donated to Musicians Supporting the Homeless, an Essex-based charity which was set up by musician Danny Hiles to raise awareness and funds for the homeless through music.

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