The countdown has begun for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and sports fans all over the world are looking forward to one of the biggest sporting and cultural extravaganzas ever seen in Scotland.

As a proud Unicef UK ambassador, there is another reason why I'm so excited about the Games: through the power of sport, we're going to make it an unforgettable moment for millions of children across Scotland and the Commonwealth.

Unicef, the world's leading organisation for children, is working with Glasgow 2014 to make these games a unique opportunity to save and change children's lives.

The Herald and Sunday Herald's series, launched this weekend, on children of the Commonwealth, will be telling stories over the next six months of what life is like for some of the one billion children and young people living in the modern Commonwealth.

While many children in today's Commonwealth have more opportunities than ever before, sadly millions more still miss out every day on basic healthcare, education, nutrition and protection.

That is why we need your help. Unicef works across the Commonwealth to stop children suffering from poverty, disease and exploitation.

Unicef helps governments to build schools, train teachers and provide textbooks so that every child can get an education. It provides life-saving food, water and vaccines for children to grow up healthy and safe. And it gives children the chance to take part in sport, often for the first time.

Over the years, I've been fortunate enough to see some of Unicef's life-saving work around the world. From India and Nepal to South America and Africa, I've been deeply moved by every child I've met and by the passion and selflessness of the people working on the ground to make sure every child has the best possible future. But there is still a lot of work to be done, and Unicef will not rest until they reach every child they can in the world.

As fans, athletes, spectators and families, together we can put children first.

By donating to The Herald and Sunday Herald's Children Of The Commonwealth Appeal, you can help Unicef save and change children's lives.

Unicef UK receives no money from the United Nations budget and has to raise every penny it spends. I can assure you that any donation you give this organisation will make a real difference to a child's life.

This summer's Commonwealth Games will be a spectacular moment for Glasgow and for Scotland - and together we can make it a winning moment for children, too.