A BRADFORD fundraising organisation has appointed six new board members as it continues work linking businesses with local charity groups to benefit the community.

Bradford District Community Foundation, which operates under the name GiveBradford, has operated in the city since 2017, and last year distributed more than £1.5 million to support people in Bradford.

As it continues its growth in the district, six new board members have been appointed to act as trustees and oversee the foundation’s work.

Sasha Bhat, Steve Hartley, Amijd Hussain, Azim Kidwai, Sharon Orr and Roohi Collins have joined the team, bringing a wealth of experience from the public, private and third sectors to the foundation.

Over the last 12 months, the foundation helped distribute emergency funds during the pandemic, helping charities with their Covid response, the No Child Cold campaign, and other programmes to tackle inequality.

Key programmes providing investment into grassroots groups include the Sir Ken and Lady Morrison Fund, Bradford Council’s Youth Fund, Provident’s Manjit Wolstenholme Fund, and many more.

Steph Taylor, the executive lead for GiveBradford, said: “In 2012 the BDCF charity ran out of funds, was made dormant and transferred to Leeds Community Foundation which agreed to establish a fund for Bradford.

“Both charity’s boards have decided to make BDCF active again after a legacy gift was left for the benefit of communities across Bradford: thus providing resource for Bradford to set up independently, while maintaining the income streams and expertise and regional opportunities provided by remaining linked to Leeds Community Foundation.

“It’s been a year of great challenge and opportunity for GiveBradford.

“As the largest independent funder in the district, we knew we had a role to play in securing and distributing funds quickly to where they could make the most impact and our ability to do this with local people at the forefront really came under the spotlight.

“I’m proud to say this year we’ve distributed more funds than ever before, reached new community groups addressing inequalities across the district and made great progress against our aim to provide wherever possible unrestricted, flexible funding.”

New board member Azim Kidwai added: “I am sure my fellow trustees would agree that we are all unanimously ambitious in our desire to create opportunities for all across the District.

“Building on the amazing work of GiveBradford, since its launch over four years ago, we look forward to providing strong governance.

“I am proud and excited about the future of GiveBradford; its ability to provide a deeper understanding of need and direct funding to where it is needed, supporting thousands of people across the District.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Deb from the Immanuel ProjectDeb from the Immanuel Project

One group supported by GiveBradford during the pandemic was the Immanuel Project, serving food to the homeless and vulnerable.

Deb, from the project, added: “Thanks to our faithful team, every week, over three days, we served 500 meals and this continued throughout the whole of lockdown.

“With GiveBradford Resilience Funding, we were able to buy everything we needed and in doing so, have supported many of the city’s most vulnerable people over a particularly difficult time.”