The Shipley-based Hale project has been declared one of the top ten voluntary organisations in Britain and has won an award for its innovative health work.

Health Action Local Engage-ment is a healthy-living project working across Shipley, Bingley, Baildon, Windhill and Wrose.

It has been selected from more than 350 applicants as having demonstrated “an energetic commitment to the health and well-being of their communities” for the Impact Awards.

The awards are run by GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with The King’s Fund, a charity which seeks to understand how health systems in England can be improved.

The awards have been running since 1997 and are designed to recognise and reward charities that are doing excellent work to improve people’s health.

The project has also been awarded £25,000, which it intends to use to buy an outreach bus to provide information about sexual health and healthy eating throughout the area.

Project manager at Hale, Natasha Thomas, said: “We are delighted that we are one of the top ten in the country and have been awarded £25,000 – and we could still be the overall winner.

“It’s wonderful to gain recognition from such a prestigious organisation as the King’s Fund and it has undoubtedly reinforced the motivation within the team.”

The project was set up in 2003 and became an independent charity in 2008, with funding from Bradford and Airedale NHS, Bradford Council and the National Lottery.

Its aim is to improve and sustain the health and well-being of local people and communities by working with all ages and backgrounds. Hale currently runs nutrition, sexual health, oral health and mental health activities.

All of Hale’s work aims to be fun and creative, enabling people to make positive life-changing choices.

Hale also works closely with GPs, medical staff, social workers and other voluntary organisations.

The top ten charities chosen for the Impact Awards will each receive an award of £25,000 with the overall winner awarded an additional £10,000.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Science Museum, in London, in April.

For more information about the project go to haleproject.

org.uk or contact (01274) 271088.