A BRADFORD-based early education charity has appointed a new chief officer.

Dom Furby MBE, former CEO of Calderdale SmartMove, took on the role at BHT Early Education and Training in November last year.

He received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 for his charitable works which included raising more than £100,000 with the cheeky ‘Red Hot Dates’ calendar.

This raised funds for The Fire Fighters charity and several local and national charities.

In his new role, Dom wants to ensure that the important work that BHT does is recognised district and county-wide.

He has already arranged for a percentage of proceeds from a Paradox Orchestra concert, celebrating 50 Years of Pink Floyd, to go to BHT.

Dom said: “It is an honour to come back to work in an area that I was brought up in, the charity has been going 20 years this year and we will be doing several events to celebrate the amazing work all the team at BHT do across our community.”

Chloe Storr, deputy language development programmes manager at BHT, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Dom into our organisation.

"Dom comes to us with a great level of skill and expertise and a huge burst of enthusiasm, and we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”

Now in its twentieth year, BHT delivers a wide range of services across the Bradford district to educate the earliest years.

These include Better Start Imagine, a free book gifting scheme for 0-3s as part of the international Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; Owlets, a language and speech development programme to support families with 0-3s; story and rhyme time sessions at Bradford Libraries; language support delivery in schools and more.

BHT also runs Pippins Nursery based at the Holme Wood Children’s Centre, which boasts a Forest School on site and incorporates Music, Movers and Shakers – a specialist early years music programme. There are also language development workers on site to support nursery children in their speech development.

These projects can be delivered thanks to funding from organisations such as Better Start Bradford, Family Hubs and the  Start For Life programme.