A charity that helps children with Down’s Syndrome and their families is preparing for a New Year’s move to Bingley that will allow it to offer a much-improved service.

And the community is already rallying behind it with one prominent local organisation naming it as its charity of the year.

Down Syndrome Training and Support Service is currently based in Thackley but is all set to sign the lease for the former Support Our Soldiers office building on Whitley Street, Bingley.

Dr Wendy Uttley, the group’s founder, said being based in the town centre would allow families who travel up to two hours to attend their sessions to make more of a day of it, increasing visitors to Bingley at the same time.

While the limited office space in Thackley means all activities, and office work, have to take place in the same room, the Bingley office is three times the size. This will allow multiple groups to use the building at the same time. A Big Lottery grant has helped facilitate the move and will allow the group to hire more staff.

The second floor will be converted from offices into a room for group activities.

The charity supports about 270 families from miles around and provides training for almost 200 organisations.

Dr Uttley, whose son Sam has Down’s Syndrome, started the group in 2000 to give more support to parents in a similar situation and to provide training for people who work or volunteer with people who have the condition.

She added: “We will have a lot more room in the new office, in our current place we are very cramped so having all this new space is fantastic. It will really increase our capacity.

“We hope to get in there ASAP. We want things happening in early January. Our lottery funding last for another four years, that covers salaries but we still have to raise money.”

The charity is now looking to other funding sources, including Comic Relief. Bingley St Ives golf club has named them their chosen charity of 2013 and all the money raised through the club’s numerous charity events will go to the group.

Dr Uttley hopes to arrange an open day once the new premises is open.