Bradford's new Lord Mayor has chosen the district's Special Burns Research Unit and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance as her appeal charities this year.

Councillor Valerie Binney (Con, Thornton and Allerton) was being installed as the Lord Mayor at a special ceremony in City Hall this morning. She said: "These two charities help so many people in the Bradford district and I hope to both raise awareness of the charities and raise funds for them during my appeal."

Last year's chosen charities, Manorlands Hospice at Oxenhope and the Arthritis Research Campaign, can expect to see shares of a collection which has so far topped £50,000.

But the sum is just half of the previous year's total, a fact blamed on outside events such as the Asian tsunami disaster.

Coun Binney said both this year's charities were close to her heart. She said: "The Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which flies from Leeds Bradford Airport, has been saving lives throughout the district since it began flying five years ago and Bradford has become its second busiest destination.

"It is a vital service which reduces the time it takes for patients to reach accident and emergency departments and can save lives."

The burns unit, headed by Professor David Sharpe, was set up in 1985 from funds raised during the fire disaster appeal, and is based at the University of Bradford and Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Earlier this month, a charity dinner raised thousands of pounds for its work and Bradford City fans continue to hold events to support it.

Coun Binnie said: "The unit not only saves lives but can change lives by minimising scarring and deformities and in some cases removing them. Twenty years on public donations continue to play a very important part in the funding."

Richard Karoo, specialist registrar in plastic surgery at the unit, said: "To be chosen as one of the charities is absolutely fantastic. With this invaluable support from the new Lord Mayor we will be able to continue the quality research at Bradford."

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance area manager Paul Gowland said: "We are privileged to have been selected as one of the charities in the Lord Mayor's Appeal."

Coun Binney added: "I hope during my year of office we can work together to help save and change many more lives."