A little girl who looked more like a child.

I found Alice's room and knocked on the door. A voice called out from inside - she sounded scared. “It's Rory." I answered. The door opened and I did a double take – I couldn't see anyone. Then I looked down and saw a little girl who looked more like a child than the 16 year old I was expecting to meet.

My breath froze in the air as I walked into her room. There was frost on the windows. She smiled when she saw me shiver. “Don't feel the cold," she said, “there was never any heating in my house."

I suggested we got out of the gloom and went to the park to talk. She came in what she was wearing. “Don't you have a coat?" I asked. She just shrugged and walked on.

She had a chirpy personality – even though she seemed to have had more misfortunes dumped on her than most of us would see in a lifetime. She told me about her home life – dad was a drug dealer, mum had become an alcoholic. As she talked about her little brothers and sisters who had got taken into care I saw tears in her eyes. She blinked them back, determined not cry in front of a stranger.

The thing that worried her was that I, and the world in general, would expect her to turn out like her family. That wasn't going to happen, she said with such force that I believed her.

I explained that Centrepoint could help and that she could leave the B&B and come and live with us if she wanted. She was silent for a moment – I think she may have been wondering where the catch was – then she said: “Yes please."

A proper Christmas and new life.

That year Alice came to Centrepoint and we gave her a proper Christmas, with a hot dinner and all the trimmings and even a little present. I don't think she could quite believe it was hers to keep.

Since that time she's never looked back. She been as good as her word and distanced herself from her chaotic parents. She's gone back to school and overcome dyslexia to complete her exams. Recently she's started working at her old school as a teaching assistant.

She's really grown as a person and, even though I know it can't be true, to me she seems to be, literally, inches taller.

If ever you're wondering about the good that a donation will do at Centrepoint – just think of Alice. She's taken every opportunity on offer.

There are hundreds more homeless young people like her who, given half chance, will make something of themselves and their lives. We need every penny (this year more than ever) so, if you can, please make a donation. Have a very happy Christmas – Alice will, we'll make sure.