A NEW business centre is set to be opened in Bradford by a local children’s charity.

The 12,000 sq ft building, in Coop Place, off Rooley Lane, Newhall, will provide space for new and existing businesses in the city, while also benefiting charity.

The offices have been bought by Bradford-based TLG - The Children’s Charity, which also currently operates Hope Park Business Centre in Trevor Foster Way, West Bowling.

TLG works with children in difficult circumstances such as bereavement, family breakdown, poverty or being in the care system, and aims to provide them with an education, care, and hope for the future.

Funding for the charity’s work is raised through its business centres, with all income generated by the centres going directly to TLG to help it carry on its work with young people.

Joanna Pease, commercial manager at TLG, said she was aware of only one other charity in the country that used this model.

She said: “I know the Salvation Army have a building near St Paul’s Cathedral in London, but I can’t think of any others.

“It’s two completely different lines of work, but it means there are no fat cats getting all the profits as all the money goes straight to TLG.

“The idea came from our chief executive, Tim Morfin, and it has massively helped the charity.

“We have gone from having one education centre to 13 around the country, we have expanded into early intervention in primary schools, and we are always increasing the number of coaches we have.

“We currently generate £1 million every three years at Hope Park for TLG, and our new building – which is set to be open for the start of September – is already two-thirds full. Being on the edge of Bradford and right next to the motorway is very convenient and it is an exciting time for business in Bradford.”

TLG’s office building at Hope Bark Business Centre was set up in 2008 after it secured grant funding to develop a purpose-built national support centre with additional space to host a small number of other businesses as tenants.

In 2011, Hope Park was expanded to create further office space, and has an occupancy rate of more than 95 per cent.