A FORMER Wiltshire Gazette & Herald reporter is heading to Brazil next month to support children from around the world taking part in the first-ever Street Child Games.

On Saturday, Anne Saunders, 27, who worked for the Gazette under her maiden name of Moore, held a fundraising cake sale attended by more than 60 people at Corsham Baptist Church in Priory Road and will also be travelling out to Brazil to volunteer at the games in March as part of the charity’s communications team.

She said: “I am really excited to be travelling out to Rio de Janeiro and using what I do in my day job as a PR officer to help out at the Street Child Games.

“This is going to be a huge event for the volunteers and for the children taking part, with some children needing to register for birth certificates and passports in order to attend.

“That is a fact that struck me when I was researching the work Street Child United parties.

“Without a birth certificate, children living on the street are almost invisible and may not be able to access basic education, health and social services.

“The Street Child Games will give them an opportunity to show their talents, as well as speak out and share their stories.

“Aside from my own travel costs, I have been asked to raise £500 to help with the cost of sending a former street child to the games and the cost of the event.

“I am hoping that some of this money can be collected through the fundraiser at Corsham Baptist Church.

“I now work at Bath College as the college’s PR officer and before that I was a reporter for three years."

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/AnneSaunders. For more information about Street Child United visit www.streetchildunited.org