BUSINESS and charity leaders came together yesterday to mark the first meeting of a new fundraising club aiming to support charities in Bradford.

The Bradford 100 Club, set up by Give Bradford, is designed to bring businesses together to give back to the charitable sector to support charities working to improve people’s lives.

At the event, held in the 1911 Suite at Bradford City’s Northern Commercials Stadium, business leaders already signed up to the 100 Club could meet with each other and some of the charities that have already benefitted from Give Bradford grants.

Representatives from Bradford Nightstop, Bradford Disability Football Club, Shine (West Bowling) and Impact Gamers CIC were all at the event speaking about the impact the funding has had.

Laura Mason, from Leeds Community Foundation, which has set up Give Bradford, said: “This is a chance for businesses in Bradford to give back to the community while at the same time giving themselves networking opportunities.

“We have had 25 businesses sign up already. We had a really good model in Leeds and we wanted to try and bring this over to Bradford.”

Give Bradford was started in November 2017, and this event was one of four to be held this year.

Adam Syrop, from Impact Gamers CIC, which helps develop young people’s computer skills, especially children with behavioural problems, said the funding has massively benefitted the group.

He said: “The funding has helped us to expand from a one day a week class.

“We were able to get laptops to go into schools so we have better availability and ability to work with the community.

“It is amazing to see people’s passion for changing the community. Coming here and having businesspeople say ‘contact me’ is massive for us.”

Matthew Roberts, from Give Bradford, said so far £500,000 of funding has been raised, and shows businesses “remain committed to the public and the third sector”.

He added: “The funding allows us to address the issues important to us, and there are always new things coming to the fore.”

The Give Bradford scheme has allowed Bradford Council to provide funding to 34 different groups using £174,000 worth of grants and donations that weren’t being used, according to strategic director for place Steve Hartley.

He also said using Give Bradford to allow charities to spend grants is a better model, as they “can invest money in ways we cannot, and have different ideas we wouldn’t think of”.

James Mason, chief operating officer at Bradford City, added: “It’s been a brilliant event with a fantastic organisation and some major power-brokers of Bradford.

“It’s been eye-opening to hear about the projects and quite emotional, and I think Bradford City need to lead from the front and should be a part of as well.”

Annual membership of the 100 Club costs a business £1,000, and to sign up, visit givebradford.org.uk/100-club.