A FORMER Worcester Sixth Form College student has supported under-privileged children in China to smile for the first time this Christmas.

WaiLo Li, 30, a communications manager, has helped raise £2,250 for Operation Smile, an international children’s medical charity.

The money has enabled voluntary medical teams to perform reconstructive surgery on children with facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate in the Yunnan province.

Miss Li, who was supported by volunteers from Project TOM, the non-profit group she set up to encourage young people to support charity, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Operation Smile with their Yunnan programme, as part of our annual festive charity event in the lead-up to Christmas.

“We're pleased to have been able to help, even in such a small way - a big thank you to everyone who has donated and helped to change a child's life forever with a simple 45-minute surgery.

“We would also like to give thanks to our corporate donors including Birmingham's Chung Ying Restaurant Group (£800), Cafe Soya Restaurant Group (£300), Wing Wah Group (£50) and Manchester's Sweet Mandarin Restaurant (£600).

“We're incredibly grateful for their long-term support with our charity events and worthy causes around the world.”

Project TOM, which has celebrated its sixth anniversary in 2014, has raised more than £42,265 for charities and helped support 58,541 beneficiaries.

For more details visit project-tom.org.uk