A MENTAL health charity has launched an appeal following a blaze at its premises.

'Operation Phoenix' was launched by The Cellar Trust which supports people across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

The charity is currently operating at alternative venues across the city following the temporary closure of its main building in Farfield Road, Shipley, following the fire.

The T&A previously reported that a spokesman for the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire, in a void above the ceiling on the ground floor, was caused by an electrical fault.

Kim Shutler-Jones, CEO at The Cellar Trust, said: "We’re doing everything we can to make sure those who need our help are not affected by the damage to our building following the fire, but we urgently need donations to keep vital services running. Those services have had to be relocated, which is a big upheaval, and so we're trying to raise £1,000 to make sure we can cover any additional costs, for example travel costs for people in crisis who need to access our Haven service. We're asking people to give us a helping hand through donations and by spreading the word about our appeal, Operation Phoenix.

"We would like to say thank you to all of our wonderful friends, including Mind in Bradford and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, who have helped us out in our time of need. The local community has been so generous with their support, which has enabled us to keep all our client facing services, such as Haven, operational.

"We'd also like to say a huge thank you to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for their outstanding service too."

To support the appeal, or to get involved, visit thecellartrust.org/support-us/make-a-donation/ or call the Trust on 01274 586474

01274 586474.