Actress Mehwish Hayat is to be appointed ambassador for a UK based charity.

Mehwish is in the UK to announce her appointment as an ambassador for Penny Appeal and will also run the London Marathon next year to raise funds for the charity.

She is due to attend an inspirational all women cricket tournament today and this will be followed by a fundraising dinner in Bradford.

Tomorrow she will join Bradford West MP Naz Shah at the Womenzone family centre to meet mothers and children.

The monies raised by Mehwish’s London Marathon run, will go towards Penny Appeal’s education campaign, in order to fund the construction of five schools in Pakistan, followed by similar projects in Africa.

Mehwish said “I am thrilled to become Penny Appeal’s newest ambassador, it gives me the opportunity to help vulnerable children around the world reach their full potential through education.

"I encourage everybody to donate to my London Marathon Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mehwishhayat .

"I hope the schools will empower thousands of children to learn and give Pakistan an even brighter future.”

Aamer Naeem, Penny Appeal CEO said, “As a British Muslim-led charity, we are delighted to welcome award-winning actress Mehwish Hayat as Penny Appeal’s newest ambassador. Having Mehwish join the Penny Appeal family will undoubtedly help to improve the lives of thousands of children in Pakistan and around the world.”