THE fight to stop children being preyed on by paedophiles in Keighley has received a lottery grant of £500,000.

The cash, part of a nationwide lottery investment of £48.5 million announced today, will fund a four-year project to be led by the Keighley Association for Women and Children's Centre. (KAWACC)

The scheme will be delivered by Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action, Joint Activities and Motor Education Service, Intercultural Communication and Leadership School and Hand in Hand.

A KAWACC spokesman said: "We are delighted to have secured this four year funding for a much-needed area of work in Keighley.

"This will help us and our partners focus on preventative work and awareness raising in our communities and prioritising the needs of women and girls in Keighley.

"Our ambition for the project is to empower young women and girls with intensive support to help reduce Child Sexual Exploitation in Keighley.

"We want to equip young women with the tools to be resilient, build confidence and self esteem through group work, training, and to support families to exist together in an environment that is loving and built on respect, not violence.

"Through our work we will ensure that the right kind of services are in place to support young women and that continued support is available."

The project has been named "E5 Keighley", with E5 representing the words "Engage, Enable, Encourage, Educate and Empower", which are the initiative's key steps.

Naz Kazmi, the centre manager at KAWACC, which is based in Marlborough Street, said: "'All the partners involved bring a wealth of experience. We are all very excited by the potential E5 Keighley has to make a real difference to the lives of women and girls living in Keighley."

By the end of the four-year scheme KAWACC wants to see improved specialist support helping more girls and women at risk of being sexually exploited.

It also wants to see an increased role and voice for women and girls in influencing support services and how they are provided.

Geeta Gopalan, Big Lottery Fund England committee vice-chairman and chairman of the funding panel for women and girls, said: “Strong evidence from women and girls organisations told us of the increased demand for support.

"So we’ve been working closely with them over the past year to identify ways that women of all ages can get the right help, information and a listening ear to take control of their lives.

“I'm delighted that we can use money raised through National Lottery players to go back into the community and help young girls and women most in need.”