A 10-year-old boy is using his own money to provide toothbrushes, drinks and snacks for the homeless.

Brendan Maher, who lives in Brookfield, Ashford, has spent months saving up in an effort to help people without a home, spending more than £80 on toiletries and consumables.

The St Simon’s Roman Catholic Primary School pupil has been helping out at his dad’s business - GBM Locks Ltd - for extra pocket money.

“I’m doing it because homeless people are less fortunate and people don’t treat them like they should be treated,” Brendan said.

“Sometimes people walk past them and they don’t even take any notice of them, but they are humans like us so they should be treated with respect.

“In the kits, there are things like lip balm, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste and - in some - gloves and hats.”

Brendan usually spends his time playing sports and practising piano, violin and recorder, but he has also saved up Christmas and birthday money to help those less fortunate than himself, completing 10 kits for men and two kits for women.

His mum Elizabeth said: “We were walking down the street one day when I said that my hands were freezing and he said ‘not as much as a homeless person’s will be’ and he said he wanted to help them and get them warm.

“Not only has he put so much time and effort in, he’s also invested a lot of thought.

“He said he wanted to get them special bags, as holding carrier bags would make their hands cold.

“He even got female products, which is incredibly thoughtful for a 10-year-old boy to include.

“I’m so proud of him, we’ve hardly had to help him at all and it's amazing what he’s doing.”

The youngster - who has ADHD and autism - talked about the charity initiative in a whole-school assembly at St Simon’s.

He is hoping to take the finished kits to the Ashford Gateway Plus building in Church Road soon, where he will distribute them to those in need alongside his parents.

Head teacher Peter McCabe said: “We think Brendan’s done a marvellous thing, with most of it off his own back.

“He’s a real star.”

It was something he came up with, he was telling us about it and we let him talk about it in an assembly.

We got the larger parent body involved, and they’ve been bringing things in to add to the kits.

“We often call out our stars in St Simon’s, and he’s a real star.”

Brendan is hoping to take the finished kits to Ashford Gateway Plus building in Church Road soon, where he will distribute them to those in need alongside his parents.

Dad Karl said: “If a 10-year-old can do this much - with at least 12 items per kit - just imagine if every adult was to do it, even just spending a fiver.

“All those without a home want is to be fed and warm.”