Couple who saved up for New Year celebrations cancel plans and use money to help homeless instead
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A kind-hearted couple who had saved up some money to go out on the town on New Year's Eve cancelled their plans after deciding their cash would be better spent helping the homeless instead.
Stacey Fordham and Paul Gray, from Cardiff, had booked a table at a restaurant to celebrate the end of 2016 with a nice meal when they began reflecting on their lovely Christmas.
The couple had originally planned to see in the new year with a meal on Friday night to escape the mayhem of New Year's Eve, Wales Online reports .
But Stacey said their decision was "simple" once they started thinking about how much they had eaten, the lovely presents they had bought and their exciting plans for 2017.
Cancelling their reservation, they chose to spend the money they would have used on dinner and drinks to help the homeless people in Cardiff.
The generous pair bought waterproof jackets, waterproof trousers, hoodies, bobble hats, gloves, socks, water, deodorant and chocolate treats for those less fortunate.
Stacey told Wales Online: "We headed back into the city centre as soon as it got dark, carrying three bags and we started our search - which didn’t take long.
(Photo: Wales Online)
"Tucked in doorways and laying across freezing cold wet floors were men, women and even teenagers.
"We stopped and took the time to have conversations as well as giving them what we had to keep them warm. All were beyond appreciative. But instead of the warm fuzzy feel-good feeling we had expected we felt worse. We wished we could have given more.
"When driving home we both realised that you don’t have to have a huge bank balance to be able to help others. You have to make a simple sacrifice, which let’s be honest isn’t a sacrifice at all!
"Instead of having your grande decaf latte from Starbucks or Chinese takeaway - use the money to buy something that will really make a difference. Something that is so much more heartfelt that just a donation via a website.
"If everyone in Cardiff made one simple sacrifice we could change the lives of so many people who live on the streets of our city."
(Photo: Wales Online)
The couple have decided to do something nice for the homeless at least once a month and are urging other people in the city to make donations.
"Whether it’s warm clothing or a hot meal, if you’d like to help us with our next delivery please email thatcardiffgirl@outlook.com."
Last week a homeless man, named as 'Gary', went viral after finding a stranger's bags of shopping, worth £200, and returning them to the store in a bid to find the owner.
The man who had lost his shopping was so touched by the gesture, he started an online appeal to help Gary find a job.
After a fundraising page was set up for Gary, support has gone "through the roof" for the rough sleeper with people desperate to donate.
Darren Galvin created the GoFundMe page , which has raised over a thousand pounds, after seeing Lewis's heartwarming Facebook post.
Darren said: "I set up the GoFundMe page to get a bit of help for Gary, a deposit on a flat, clothes etc, but I've been inundated with offers from the whole of Liverpool to help him get on his feet.
"I've been wanting to help the homeless and this story was so incredible it spurred me on to actually do something.
"I didn't realise it would get so big. At first people were sceptical about whether the story was real or fake but Greenwoods confirmed it happened."