A BRADFORD charity is still hoping someone can come forward and provide them with a minibus after a recent appeal failed to raise any response.

However, volunteers have been buoyed by news they are to receive lottery funding to stage their annual summer camp.

Bradford PHAB is a registered charity and is run by volunteers. The club meets each Wednesday and alternates weekly between Fairfax Swimming Pool and Mappa Building Community Centre, in Coates Street.

Recently the club made an appeal to ask schools and other community clubs to help it seek a minibus.

The club had been gifted an old minibus by a PHAB club in Kent, but it was 20 years old and has been costing the Bradford club substantially in repair bills.

The club made an appeal for a newer model with 15 to 17 seats and had between £3,000 and £4,000 to put towards it.

"Unfortunately we didn't have a single offer," said Mr Khan.

The club uses the minibus to transport its members to events and trips out during the year.

One of those events is an annual summer camp and this year the club has been awarded lottery funding of £9,500 towards staging the week-long activities at East Bierley Cricket Club, in Southview Road.

In previous years the event has taken place over a week in August in Roberts Park, Saltaire.

"We are moving to East Bierley this year to give people a chance to visit us from that side of the district. Sometimes they cannot get to Saltaire," said Akbar Khan, chairman of Bradford PHAB Club.

Events will include cricket, archery, arts and crafts workshops, kickboxing and other sports and activities including a fashion show event.

Mr Khan added: "We want to say a special thanks to National Lottery for making our Sports and Arts & Crafts project possible.

"We’re making a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of young people with special needs thanks to National Lottery funding.

"We also want to remind schools and other community groups that we desperately need another minibus so if they are looking at trading theirs in for a new one, to think about letting us buy their old one."

Mr Khan said he has already spoken to Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport. He was told the school’s old minibuses are sold off at auction when they get new ones and WYPT said there were restrictions on selling their old vehicles to the public.

On Saturday, April 7, the club is staging a PHAB and Youthtrain event with international cooking, food tasting, arts and crafts, henna and dance at Little Lane Church, Little lane, Bradford. The activities take place between 1pm and 4pm. For more information contact 07850 964864.

Anyone who can help source a minibus can get in touch with the club through their website: bradfordphabclub.org.uk