A Bradford charity that started out just 13 years ago has been short-listed as one of the country's charities of the year.

And to top QED's remarkable success, chief executive Mohammed Ali is also up for a lifetime achievement award.

The agency was founded 11 years ago by Dr Ali, with funding from local businesses, to support the needs of the South Asian community.

It now works with thousands of people across the country mentoring young businesses, teaching the unemployed work skills and training businesses in ethnic diversity issues.

QED is the only charity from the north of England to make it through to the final of the UK Charity Awards.

And Dr Ali said the calibre of the other three charities - the Terrence Higgins Trust, Fair Trade and Water Aid - showed the level of the charity's success.

He said he decided to nominate the charity for the award after attending last year's prizegiving in London.

"There were about 700 people there and I thought QED should be nominated for this."

His inspiration paid off and the charity is set to find out if it will scoop the top title at the prize-giving ceremony in September.

Dr Ali said he felt the charity had done especially well in stressing the importance of education to ethnic minority communities.

"I think we've raised the profile of how important education is to the community. There are a lot of activities that we have developed in that area."

Dr Ali received an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list in 2001. And he said he was thrilled to be nominated for the lifetime achievement award.

"I like developing new ideas. All my jobs since leaving university have been jobs where I have taken on a new challenge. That's what has kept me and QED going."

Dr Ali paid tribute to his staff and supporters. And he said the award nominations were testament to the positive ideas coming out of the city.