TEENAGER David Catto is one of the lucky few to have already got his hands on the Commonwealth Games baton but he's earned his good fortune.

The 17-year-old from Galashiels was picked to carry the baton through Melrose when the relay visited the Scottish Borders last week in recognition of his work to help children around the Commonwealth through fundraising for Unicef, the United Nations charity dedicated to helping the world's children.

It is only thanks to the unstinting efforts of volunteers and supporters like David that Unicef is able to continue its vital work to change and save millions of children's lives in Scotland and throughout the world.

David said: "It's an over-used phrase but carrying the baton is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a huge honour, a day I'll never forget and something I'll be able to tell people about for years to come."

The teenager is quite new to Unicef but he has been an active member of his local fundraising committee over the past few months, organising a local golf tournament and travelling to Edinburgh to raise money to support the charity's life-saving work.

David said: "It's been a really good volunteering experience for me, before I head off to university. I really enjoy fundraising and meeting and working with new people in the community who share my passion for helping children.

"It's a great feeling you get inside that you're helping children who, without that support, may have no way of escaping poverty."

As for his part in the run up to Glasgow 2014 and his support for Unicef, he added: "It's hard to comprehend being part of something on such a scale, thinking about how much we can achieve, through sport, for disadvantaged children."