A GROUP of young people holding a crowdfunding campaign for a Bradford community centre have just four days to reach their fundraising target of £1,500.

The group of youngsters are hoping to create a story room at the Springfield Youth and Community Centre in Thorpe Edge.

They are aiming to raise money to buy a range of new books to help stock the room with a variety of reading material for all ages and interests.

The group of volunteers, aged 14 and above, help members of the junior youth club at the centre with their reading.

They are hoping to raise £1,500 for new books, and have so far raised almost three-quarters of the total, but have until the end of Monday to hit their target.

They have also received a funding boost from local businessman Mark Drummond, who runs the award-winning Towngate Fisheries in Idle.

Mr Drummond donated £620 to the campaign, which he said he was “happy to support”.

He said: “This is a great local project which I am happy to support. These young people are working hard to help other children learn to read and enjoy books. I’m delighted to help and hope that other people and local businesses join in by donating online.”

Helena Rhodes, Springfield young children and young people’s development worker, added: “Our young people don’t generally use the public libraries because their parents fear the books will be lost and they will be fined.

“We run libraries in three youth centres and reward children with stickers for both reading and returning books.

“When they have collected a number of reward stickers they get a small prize and we’ve not lost a book yet! This idea for a separate story room means that we can have storytime running alongside our normal junior youth club.”

The room will offer a quieter, more reading-focused space in the centre to help young children develop their reading skills, aided by older mentors.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley), a trustee at the Springfield Centre, thanked Mr Drummond for his support. She said: “It’s great to see a local business supporting young people and their learning.

“All my thanks go to Mark for backing this project, not only are his fish and chips award-winning, but by supporting these young people he is helping to make his local community a success.”

Alongside the book club, the centre also runs a range of different activities and classes for people of all ages in the local community.

To support the campaign, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/springwood-story-room.