ONE of Bradford's oldest charities is marking its 125th anniversary with a new scheme to help the lives of some of the district's most underprivileged children.

The Bradford Cinderella Club, which was founded in 1890, has "ring-fenced" £250,000, raised by the charity over the last 30 years, for a new 'Cards for Care' scheme, which will provide sustained help to some of the area's worst affected children.

The charity has helped hundreds of thousands of children over the past 125 years through one-off treats and entertainment, but is now switching some of its focus to the new scheme.

The scheme was announced at the charity's 125th annual meeting tonight at the Dubrovnik Hotel in Oak Avenue.

By working with schools, vice-chairman Terry Pearson said the charity will initially be looking for 100 children who live in squalor to provide them with the basic amenities to live a good life.

He said: "We are targeting the dire cases where they literally have no soap to wash before they go to school, and have to care for themselves and siblings because their mother might be a drug addict.

"That is just one example we have heard from the city's schoolchildren, which shows it's a massive problem in Bradford as it's a underprivileged area."

In his opening speech at the meeting, the charity's president Jim Saville paid tribute to the work of the charity over the last 125 years, and laid out the plan for the 'Cards for Care' scheme.

He said: "On hearing about appropriately needy children, the club will issue a cash card to the applicant to be used on behalf of that child over a period of time that may last throughout their whole school life.

"They will be able to use the funds for things most people take for granted, such as new clothes, toiletries and food.

"This will not be cheap, and the club has ring-fenced £250,000 to fund this scheme over the next decade whilst at the same time continuing our core task of helping all underprivileged children."

Alongside the new scheme the charity will continue providing one-off treats for children, which range from selection boxes to residential visits.

Mr Pearson said: "We have identified about 20 children for the new scheme so far and will continue to look for more children in need through the teachers, carers, youth leaders and social workers who are our eyes and ears on the ground.

"This is the largest financial commitment this charity has ever made, and hopefully it will help to make the lives of the most underprivileged just that bit more pleasant."

Anyone who knows of a child in need of the 'Cards for Care' scheme should contact the Cinderella Club on 01274 643118.