An inspirational mentoring project has helped transform hundreds of 'rock bottom' lives in Bradford one year after it started thanks to lottery funding.

With two more years still to run before the money stops, the Positive Change programme run by The Hidden Homeless Ltd, now plans to widen its work out of the Bradford district to include Leeds.

Its chief executive officer Gary Staniforth, 47, secured £220,000 of Big Lottery's Reaching Communities funding to help the city’s vulnerable and homeless and says the money is being well spent.

In its first 12 months the project, which runs a six-week life-coaching and mentoring programme, has worked with more than 200 people so far, 70 of whom have already successfully completed it and made positive changes to their lives.

People on the course have battled different demons from alcohol and drugs to being repeat offenders, said Mr Staniforth who himself once lived rough on the streets before turning his life round, getting qualifications to give housing advice to others.

The project's group life coaching sessions run by Nina Farquharson involve sharing personal stories - some of their experiences are turned into written words, a singing group has also started and will perform at Positive Change's first anniversary celebrations on Thursday, December 18 at Carlisle Business Centre, Manningham.

The event will hear testimonies from service users. Clients are referred to the project for help from outside agencies, it is now working with 30 of them and there are plans to work with successful clients to train as life-coaches and mentors themselves to go on to help others make changes and make better lives.

"We have connections right through the third sector now - working with the probation service, social services, homeless, drug and alcohol teams - our outcomes are fantastic.

"Anyone who completes the course we are inviting them back on to the next course so they can help inspire others to make life-enhancing changes. We have people come to us with depression, low self-esteem, no confidence and we've seen that change to them being focused, having drive, looking forward to a future and starting to love themselves. It's about setting goals, building up a future and letting go of the past."

The project runs over six weeks, with two hour sessions every seven days.

To find out more go to hiddenhomeless.co.uk