A GENEROUS do-gooder is hoping to bring some festive cheer to some of Uganda's most deprived children.
Kind-hearted Maureen Mwagale, 40, of Ely Close, Tilgate is on a one woman charity mission to give street children of Kampala a Christmas day they won't forget.
She's collecting clothes and shoes to dish out as presents and wants to give the childr
en a slap-up Christmas dinner as well as organising to have doctors on the scene for check ups for the youngsters.
Mum-of-two Maureen said: "I am determined to make a difference for those kids. In this day and age we just shouldn't be seeing children as young as two years old living on the street.
"It is big but I thought I'd start with just trying to change one day, somebody's got to start somewhere.
"People over here have been so helpful, it's really, really amazing, they've given lots of clothes.
"I've got dozens of bags of clothes and if people over here who haven't even seen the kids can be so generous then what about the people who are living in the country – I've been talking to people out there and the main thing is to work out what the problems are and then we can look at how to tackle them."
Maureen wants to make sure that the youngsters have more than just a square meal on the day.
She added: "They will have Christmas lunch and we will give them the clothes and shoes and food but I'm also trying to organise to have a doctor there and maybe a barber.
"Nobody cares about them, nobody, so I thought I will do something for Christmas day this year and then we will see how it goes to see if it's something we could do again."
And the action is a personal one for Maureen who has family out in Uganda, including her mother who is helping her with the organisation on the ground before she flies out herself.
She added: "In Uganda it is very, very much appreciated, but also, for many of the people out there it's such a common sight, they see them every day and these children are just part of the furniture so the other thing for me is to highlight the issue."
If you are able to help Maureen in her appeal please contact her on: 07778 532 675 before November 30 and she will arrange a collection.
She is particularly looking to collect boys clothes.
Do you have a Tilgate story? Contact Hannah on: (01293) 845 059 or email her