Reformed drug dealer Arfan Naseer has plans to make a UK-wide charity of his hard-hitting intervention programme that has been saving young Bradford people from a life of crime.

Next week, the city’s Magic project that targets 13 to 16-year-olds will celebrate its successes so far at a graduation ceremony at the Midland Hotel.

Guests will hear from four of the young people who, thanks to the project, are now looking forward to brighter futures.

Since April last year, 48 young people have benefited from the project and have been inspired by role models from the worlds of business and sport.

It has already been rolled out across six Bradford Council wards, backed by West Yorkshire Police, the Council and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

To get the message across, young people on the project are shown the consequences of drugs, illegal driving and prank calls to emergency services.

The programme involves nine weeks of workshops looking at both sides of crime and how choices effect consequences.

It is run by the Consequences group – originally known as Manningham And Girlington Influencing Change when it was set up by Mr Naseer who, after serving a nine-year jail sentence, wanted to stop other young people from making the same mistakes.

Magic has now gone on to win a national award for best social enterprise from the Institute of Financial Accountants.

  • Read the full story in Thursday's T&A