THE new Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Doreen Lee is set to officially launch this year’s Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

The Lord Mayor will be at The Broadway at 11.30am on Thursday with her charities and mascot Bradford Bear.

Two initiatives have been chosen for the 2019/20 Appeal which every year raises money for charities which help the people of Bradford district and beyond.

The first is Child Bereavement UK (CBUK), which supports families and educates professionals both when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and when a child is facing bereavement.

The organisation offers a range of support services free of charge to bereaved children, young people, parents and carers, and families at locations across the UK.

New Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Doreen Lee speaks of excitement over coming year in office

Every year they train more than 10,000 professionals, helping them to better understand and meet the needs of grieving families.

The other half of the charity Appeal is the ‘Pot of Gold’. This is a fund which will provide grants for small groups, organisations and projects locally across Bradford District.

There are some fantastic initiatives going on throughout Bradford organised by the community and voluntary sector, however it can often be difficult for these groups and organisations to find funding for their projects, events and activities.

The Appeal would like to be able to offer these smaller pots of funding to enable these groups to fulfil their dreams and enhance their projects further without having to spend extra time raising money.

Cllr Lee said: “We have chosen two really worthy appeal charities this year. Child Bereavement UK provides vital support to families who will be going through one of the most traumatic events a family can experience.

“Meanwhile, the Pot of Gold fund will allow us to support a number of smaller initiatives around the district, making a big difference in the process. We hope to receive lots of applications for grants from groups across Bradford.

“We’re really looking forward to the launch of the Appeal and we hope to make a big success of it this year.

“So remember if you are in the Broadway on Thursday please stop by and see us, grab a leaflet and a few snaps with me and Brad Bear.”

Ian Ward, General Manager at The Broadway, Bradford, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting the launch of the Lord Mayors Appeal. Each year this scheme sees worthy charities showcased and this year is no different. It’s always a pleasure to welcome the Bradford Bear to the Centre as he’s definitely a favourite of our shoppers.”