Six-year-old Rylee Lightbourne turned her front yard bakery to fundraising so that she could help brighten Christmas for another child.

On a Saturday earlier this month, Rylee’s snack shop at her Devonshire home held a special sale to family and friends so that she could put a present under the Angel Tree at the Rosa’s Cantina restaurant.

Each angel on the tree represents a child in need of a Christmas present, either through the Foster Parents’ Association or Big Brothers Big Sisters Bermuda. Rylee and her 12-year-old brother Amias helped their mother, Kendra Lightbourne, to bake the goodies.

“Rylee was just happy that she could help somebody else and make their Christmas special,” Mrs Lightbourne told The Royal Gazette. The family tries to give to the community every Christmas as a way to “help the kids understand there are others who don’t have the things that they have”, she said.

Part of Rylee’s idea came from hearing about the actress Audrey Hepburn’s dedication to the children’s agency Unicef.

Inspired to help other children, Rylee sent a birthday present to a child in Haiti with the same birthday as her.

Rylee then decided to contribute to the Angel Tree, and raised $370, which the family used to buy a doll, clothes and books for a Christmas present.

There was $170 left over, which Rylee gave to the Foster Parents’ Association to help others.

Lindsay Simmons, president of the association, said the charity was especially gratified when youngsters pitched in.

She added: “It’s really nice that even children as young as Rylee want to give back and make sure that other children have something wonderful for Christmas — it’s touching.”