MORE than 60 Afghan families attended a celebration event to mark their first steps towards a new life in the UK.

Bradford-based national charity QED Foundation is supporting 280 newly arrived men and women who are Afghan nationals and are currently staying in bridging hotels in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

The event was held at Mumtaz in Leeds where 30 students were presented with certificates.

The programme is supported by the European Union Fund for Migration and Integration.

Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, chief executive and founder of QED Foundation,  presented certificates to 30 learners who have completed a specially designed training course.

He said: “We are delighted with the progress made by our students and look forward to seeing them find work and settle into their new communities.

“It has been a privilege to help them find their feet in the UK and we wish them every success in the future.”

QED Foundation offers tailor-made support to men and women who have left Afghanistan since the end of the war because they worked on behalf of the UK government, or their lives were in danger.

Learners are given their own tablets so that they can access online resources and receive support from QED Foundation staff if they move elsewhere in the UK.