Violinist joins poverty campaign

Nicola Benedetti said she was looking forward to her Unicef role

Award-winning teenage violinist Nicola Benedetti is to work with Unicef to publicise Aids and child poverty.

The 17-year-old Scot, who signed a six-album record deal in January, said she was looking forward to her work.

Ms Benedetti, from Ayrshire, became the first Scot to win the BBC Young Musician of the Year prize in 2004.

England captain David Beckham, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and actor Sir Roger Moore have also supported Unicef in the past.

Ms Benedetti told the Sunday Times she wanted to help the charity in any way she could.

I will look to Unicef to tell me how best I can help them but I hope to be doing a lot with them in the future Nicola Benedetti

"When I met the people from Unicef and heard about their projects I really wanted to get involved and I felt that I really understood what the charity was about," she said.

"Their work is so important. I will look to Unicef to tell me how best I can help them but I hope to be doing a lot with them in the future."

The musician will travel to South America and Africa to promote Unicef and raise the profile of the fight against Aids and highlight the impact the disease is having on children.

Since winning the Young Musician of the Year, Ms Benedetti has signed a £1m recording deal with Universal Music's Deutsche Grammophon label.