MOST children would choose to spend their pocket money on toys or sweets.

But they are not the priority for eight-year-old Vahri Watson, who prefers to donate the cash she receives from her mum and dad to charity.

The kind-hearted schoolgirl from Haxby researches a new charity each month and chooses to hand over her money to help those in need.

Mum Anna Watson has now nominated Vahri for a Community Pride award in the Fundraiser of the Year category to recognise her daughter’s selflessness.

She said: “Charities that have benefited from her kindness so far include NSPCC, Children In Need, Help The Heroes, Water Aid, the Being A Girl campaign and Women’s Aid.

“In January, she purchased a chicken to help provide an income and improve the life of a person living with HIV/AIDs via Christian Aid’s Present Aid site.

“In February, Vahri focused on animal charities and adopted an animal through the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

“Her giving doesn’t end there, though. At the shops during the weekend when I asked if she wanted some sweets her reply was ‘No Mummy, please put a pound in the Macmillan charity box from me’.”

The youngster recently raised £45 for Comic Relief by completing a sponsored bike ride while wearing a ginger wig, and is urging other members of her family to donate their old clothes and shoes to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s drop-in shop in Haxby.

Mrs Watson added: “Other charities she has an interest in include Marie Curie Cancer Care, The British Heart Foundation, Save The Children and No Child Born To Die.

“Vahri has inspired others to give including her aunt, who matched her donation of a chicken through Present Aid.

“I am very proud of my daughter and her desire to actively go out of her way to help others.”

Finalists in last year’s Community Pride award for CharityFundraiser of the Year included Phil Wiggins, who marked his 40th birthday by raising thousands of pounds in memory of a close friend lost to Alzheimers. Another finalist was the Smiley Riley Fund, set up in memory of Riley Plant who died aged just 21 months old.

The Community Pride Awards are sponsored by Benenden and jointly run by The Press and City of York Council.

All nominees must live in, or contribute to life in, the City of York Council area. Around three finalists from each category will be invited to the awards ceremony at York Racecourse in October, when the winners will be revealed.

You can make a nomination at yorkpress.co.uk/pride

Entries can be submitted until Friday, July 17, when a judging panel will then pick a winner in each category.