Bradford Council for Mosques has celebrated its silver jubilee by starting two new projects.

One is to help women to be more mobile while the other is to ensure Muslim children understand the rights and responsibilities of growing up in Britain.

At a celebration at the Khidmat Centre on Spencer Road more than 300 people heard how the organisation has grown from humble roots in 1981 to representing the interests of 120,000 people in the city and more than 15 mosques.

Saleem Khan, chief executive of the Khidmat Centre, said: "The story of Bradford Council for Mosques is in fact the story of the Bradford Muslim community."

Yusuf Sidat, general secretary and treasurer, said the Council for Mosques was formed by senior members of the Muslim community who wanted to bring people together.

During its 25 years the organisation has worked to push for Halal school meals and burials in line with Muslim traditions, as well as improving relationships between faith groups and providing a comprehensive range of facilities and services for a wide range of users.

The Khidmat Centre, which opened in 2004, is a testament to the work that the Council for Mosques is promoting, said Mr Sidat.

It provides somewhere for elderly members of the community to meet, exercise and improve IT skills or get help from service providers like social services.

Mr Khan said the new project Driving into the Future was a way for the council to help women in a practical way.

The initiative is providing training for 30 people to become driving instructors.

Ishtiaq Ahmed, press officer for the Council for Mosques, said he hoped women would be attracted to this initiative.

He said: "By enabling 30 women to become driving instructors it not only means that they can teach other women but it means that they will be bringing in another income into the household and will be empowered because they are working for themselves and the flexibility that comes with that. One of the things is that women are very much house-bound and dependent because they are not mobile. If they were mobile they would be able to play a more active role in the community."

Dr Ingrid Roscoe, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, who attended the celebration, said: "I am very happy to launch this project and I wish every success with it."

The second initiative which will be rolled out next month is called Naisha, which means "to give good counsel".

It has been developed with leading Islamic Scholars and is aimed at teaching young Muslims their roles and responsibilities as British citizens according to Islam.

The project has received praise from Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly. Naisha will initially be piloted in five or six Madrassahs before being rolled out across the district.

Awards were also handed out to volunteers who have helped the Council for Mosques over the past 25 years including President Sher Azam who was one of the original signatories of the constitution in 1981.

e-mail: sunita.bhatti@bradford.newsquest.co.uk