Young Bradford bands are competing for a slot at this year’s Leeds Festival.

Open to secondary schools and colleges in the region, Centre Stage is aimed at giving young bands a platform while fundraising for Martin House Children’s Hospice.

A round of heats this month will be followed by a final held at the O2 Academy in Leeds in July. The winning act will play at the Leeds and Reading festivals this summer.

Since its launch in 2009, Centre Stage has gone from strength to strength. More than 100 acts have competed, raising more than £100,000 for Martin House. The first winner was Penguin, followed by Bradford band The Mexanines in 2011, and last year’s winner was Glassbody.

Artists must be under 21-years-old, with at least one band member at school or college in West or North Yorkshire. All the acts competing must organise their own fundraising, with the support of Centre Stage organisers, in aid of the hospice. They must raise at least £500 by this month’s heat finals and at least £1,000 by July’s final.

“It’s young people helping young people,” says Mike Heaton, drummer with Bradford band Embrace, who helped to launch Centre Stage in 2009 and has been a supporter ever since.

“It’s the fourth year, and it’s looking bigger and better than ever. After the massive success of last year, with more than £50,000 raised for Martin House, I’m really looking forward to being involved again.”

He adds: “For new bands and solo artists, this has got to be the best competition to be in. There’s the main prize of playing at Leeds and Reading festivals and there’s loads more for the runners-up, too. So far the competition has had three amazing winners. I can’t wait to see what this year brings as the amount of local talent out there is astounding.”

The heats will take place at The Wardrobe, Leeds, on April 23, with acts including Traffic Wire, Walking With Wolves, King No-One, Icarus and Forgetting Yesterday; April 24, including Never Ending Reason, The Puppeteers, Roman Bison, Albion and Chemical Child; and April 25, including Liquid Brick, Quentin’s Basement, Frequency, SimpleSight, Headwire and Yo Preston.

There are still a few places left, for new entries.

Embrace was formed in 1990 and topped the charts with debut album The Good Will Out. They scored a hat-trick of number ones with subsequent albums Out Of Nothing and This New Day, and recorded the official England World Cup 2006 song, World At Your Feet. They have recently returned to the studio to record new material.

Mike, who also runs a drum school and mentors young bands in the region, says Centre Stage offers up-and-coming acts an “amazing opportunity” to showcase their talents.

“It’s a chance to really show what they can do, in a credible battle of the bands competition. The final is a proper full-on gig, staged by a professional crew, at one of the country’s most respected touring venues,” he says.

l For more about Centre Stage, ring (01937) 844569, or visit martinhouse.org.uk.