A POLICE-LED scheme designed to give a helping hand to vulnerable people in Bradford city centre will continue this year after proving successful in its first three months.

Reach Out for Bradford, which supports individuals affected by housing, clothing, and drug and alcohol issues, was established last October, with initial plans to trial the project in the run up to Christmas.

A host of other local agencies and charities have since got behind the scheme, which is coordinated by the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), and a team of volunteers will now continue to provide weekly support to those at risk of committing crime and anti-social behaviour.

Sergeant Mike Bonner, of the City Centre NPT, said there had been a "real energy" among the growing number of volunteers involved in the project, which has also received the backing of many local business owners.

"Reach Out for Bradford is now established within the supportive network of the city centre, and will be running every Wednesday into the New Year," he said.

"We continue to have further interest from support agencies within the city centre, who will be coming on board to extend the breadth of support available.

"We have had real success on a weekly basis since our inception, making real changes in people’s lives by providing housing for those in need, and drug and alcohol interventions."

Alongside NPT staff, those volunteering their time, decked out in the project's distinctive purple hoodies, have included representatives from Horton Housing, Change Agents, Bradford Day Shelter, ARCH futures, West Yorkshire Finding Independence, The Piccadilly Project, Out Reach, and wardens from Bradford Council.

In the first three months of the project, volunteers have provided individuals with clothing and food vouchers to prevent them resorting to begging, arranged numerous drug, alcohol, and legal high interventions, and organised housing and medical support for those in need.

The team, which regularly consists of about 20 volunteers, will meet for two hours on Wednesday mornings, 10am to 12pm, to target designated areas of the city centre and continue to work with the "most hardened" offenders.

"I am sure that residents and business users will have noticed the decrease in anti-social behaviour around City Park, and this is partly attributable to the success of the scheme, along with other enforcement actions taken by the city centre team," said Sgt Bonner.

"We are seeing an increasing number of volunteers week-on-week, as the project goes from strength to strength.

"It is about reaching out to individuals, reaching out on specific issues, but more than anything, we're reaching out to Bradford, allowing people to rebuild their lives through the support of the Reach Out for Bradford network."

For more information on the project, visit the City Centre NPT Facebook page.