LOTTERY funding worth £377,545 has been awarded to a Bradford-based project helping vulnerable people back on the road to recovery.

Gary Staniforth who is Chief Executive of The Hidden Homeless says the money means it can continue and expand an existing project providing life coaching, drug and alcohol recovery sessions and skill building courses to people at risk of abuse, violence, homelessness, addictions and mental health issues.

The money means it can turn its current half-day sessions in to full days at Horton House Training Centre, the Reach Beyond Community Centre and a third venue to be finalised in the city.

Mornings will be devoted to life coaching, self-management recovery and drug and alcohol sessions followed by a cook and eat session focusing on nutrition and then art and craft activities in the afternoons.

Mr Staniforth said: “This is what our clients have been asking us for. It gives us two more years and by then we will have five years of evidence proving our work works which will hopefully lead us on to new contracts with other agencies to continue what we are achieving already.”

In 2014 Hidden Homeless got £220,000 of Lottery cash to help it transform lives.

The £377,545 is in addition to a further £102,454 being shared out by Lottery fund givers between 12 other groups in the district.

Harden Primary School got £8,370 for out-of-school and holiday activities, Harden Parish Council got £1,669 for a defibrillator.

Rockwell Young Leaders Forum at Thorpe Edge received £9,750 to set up a teamwork group, Bradford Gateway got £10 to deliver obesity-busting health sessions.

Lower Fields Primary School off Wakefield Road got £10,000 for after-school sport sessions, Hill Top Primary School at Wyke got £5,675 for portable staging. NEESIE Achieving Community Excellence in the city centre received £9,730 for single mum confidence sessions and tutoring for their children.

Bradford Deaf Centre Playgroup in Hallfield Road, Manningham, got £7,710, Bradford PHAB Club in West Bowling got £9,550 for sports and recreational activities and £10,000 each went to Salem Athletic Club in Heaton, Augustinians Cricket Club in Brighouse and Gomeral St Mary’s Primary School to help with its plans to extend its site.