A kind-hearted girl who has always tried to help those less fortunate has been nominated for the Recorder/Redbridge Rotary Young Citizen Award.

Madiha Liaquat, 13, of The Drive, Ilford, has been challenging herself with more and more events over the past few years to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Most recently she led a group of girls from several schools, including her own Ursuline Academy, in the annual Bake it Better campaign.

The cake sale was to raise money for the children’s hospital and Madiha made more than £300 in two hours.

She said: “I chose this charity because some children are so ill that they need specialist help to get better. Also for the children that live near London who go there to get better if their local hospital doesn’t have the expertise for that disease or illness.”

Madiha has also taken part in a 5km run with her mother, Tasleem Ahmed, which inspired her to do more for charity. “When I hear about hospitals closing or some services being taken away it makes me feel sad,” she said.

Madiha has recently become an ambassador for autism with the Sycamore Trust, a learning disability charity in Dagenham. In this role she travels around the community trying to raise awareness of the disorder.

Her mum said: “I remember her at the age of five telling me she wanted to go without electricity for one whole day so that she could raise money for children in need.

“What amazed me was she decided this all on her own after watching an advert on the television.”

Madiha was commended for her cake sale and received a thank you card from Martin Harris, the senior fundraising executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Her family are “so chuffed” that Madiha has been nominated for the Young Citizen Award, which is sponsored by the Ilford Exchange shopping centre, and Tasleem added: “She is such a kind-hearted girl and so many people have congratulated her already.”

She will now be entered into the November competition which will be decided at the end of the month.

The 12 top Young Citizens will then be invited to the Mayor’s Community Awards next year where an overall winner is announced.