A CHARITY which helps helping disabled people get into sport has been given £10,000 towards its "great" work across the district.

Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure raises £300,000 a year to run its clubs, projects and activities and said the donation by Sovereign Health Care was a major boost, which would buoy fundraisers who pulled in £200,000 of the annual amount.

The charity's funding officer Barry Thorne said: "The great thing, which is always difficult to get, is this will be core funding. The £10,000 will be used to support the organisation.

"If we want to do a major project vis-a-vis the special olympics next year, this will enable us to do that."

The charity, which works with around 400 people aged eight upwards - including four 80-year-olds, arranges activities including snooker, cheerleading and swimming, as well as disabled transport.

It also runs academies at Bradford College and University Academy Keighley, supported by a Big Lottery Grant.

Sovereign Health Care’s chief executive, Russ Piper, yesterday celebrated the latest grant to the charity, which it has backed since 1998,by joining a Bradford All Stars Basketball Club session at Manningham Sports Centre.

He said: "We are delighted to once again support Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure.

"They do a great job in ensuring that right across Bradford District, people with a disability can take part - and compete if they want to - in a wide range of sport and recreational activities. Whoever you are, improving health and fitness and enjoying the social side of sport can make a real difference to happiness and wellbeing."

Mr Thorne said: "The grant makes a huge difference. Our members and volunteers raise an awful lot of money and we try to get all the members to socialise a lot, which is really important so they feel supported, and this will help boost them too."

On Sunday charity volunteers and users will meet cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy when he officially opens the cycling hub, which specialises in disability cycling, at Lister Park.

The Olympian will be in Bradford for the annual Sky Ride which, runs from 11amuntil 3pm, and includes a route from City park to Lister Park and activities such as a Tricks and Tunes area where you can ride a ramp to land on a giant airbag and watch stunt cyclists.

Roads will be closed for the free cycling event, which aims to get more people on their bikes.