A TORFAEN schoolgirl is campaigning to collect gifts for the elderly after watching John Lewis’s "Man on the Moon" advert.

Maddy Fitzgerald-Wilkins,12, from Griffithstown, Pontypool was so “traumatised” by the adverts depiction of loneliness that she decided to start a campaign to help elderly people at Christmas.

The advert, viewed over 13 million times on YouTube, shows a young girl firing the gift of a telescope up to a lonely old man on the moon, which he uses to spot her back on earth.

The St Alban's year-eight student has received thanks from the managing director of John Lewis, and has been offered an ambassador role for charity Age Connects Wales.

Her facebook page, launched on Tuesday, November 12, has also attracted over 500 likes.

Mother Leanne Fitzgerald-Wilkins, 42 said that Maddy wanted to copy the US Salvation Army’s idea of a Christmas angel tree but settled on the idea of gift bags and donations.

She said: “I’m really proud of her and what she is doing is fantastic.

“Up to 71 percent of elderly people in Torfaen live alone and we have been working to set up drop off points with people all over South Wales.”

Maddy got in touch with Age Connects Torfaen after watching the advert and will work them to put on a festive event this year.

The gift bags, supplied by John Lewis, will be handed out to elderly people at a Christmas party at the Widdershins Centre, in Sebastopol, Torfaen on Tuesday, December 22.

Maddy added: “I felt really sad after watching the advert and so I decided to help.

“I just want for elderly people to be happy and to talk to them so they’re not lonely.”

For further information visit Maddy’s Facebook page – Christmas gift bag for the elderly.