A family centre which transforms the lives of deaf children and their parents has won through to the national final of awards recognising community endeavour.

Among the youngsters helped by the Elizabeth Foundation's centre in Smith Lane, near Bradford Royal Infirmary, is little Mohammed Awais.

The two-year-old has more reason to smile than most tots his age when the ice cream van comes round.

Until two months ago the familiar jingle that whips most children into a frenzy went unheard by the toddler who was born profoundly deaf.

But after a successful hearing implant earlier this year, he can now pick up on sounds and is learning to speak for the first time.

Awais, who lives with his family in Westfield Road, Heaton, is just one of 33 pre-school children being helped at the centre, which gives hope and support to families of deaf children.

The family centre, which opened in 2000, is part of national charity The Elizabeth Foundation and relies totally on grants and donations to keep it running.

The help it gives does not come cheap, says centre manager Margaret Southern, who estimates it costs around £8,000 to support just one child for one year.

Trained specialist and staff run sessions at the centre using a multi-sensory method to heighten children's awareness.

"We don't just open a bag of crisps here. We shake it first, then we open it and smell it before we even start to eat them," said Margaret.

Parents are shown activities and exercises to keep up at home and are given advice and support on how to cope with their child's disability.

Awais's mum, Mrs Zatoon Bi was devastated when doctors confirmed he had no hearing in both ears and said she would have struggled to cope without The Elizabeth Foundation.

"The news shattered me. It put up a barrier between me and him. I didn't know how to communicate with him until the people here showed me how.

"They supported me through his cochlea implant, and if it hadn't been for them he wouldn't be the child he is now."

The centre's achievements are being recognised today at an awards ceremony where it was being named as a regional winner in the Nationwide Building Society Awards for Voluntary Endeavour in the Community.

It now goes through to the national finals in October with a chance of winning £2,500 to support its work.

A delighted Mrs Southern said: "It's the parents who nominated us for this and that's what counts because it's them who know just how much we have helped."