Bradford Bulls have stepped up their campaign to help the city's children pass through life drug free.

The club, in association with Bradford Council, has launched its Bulls Study Centre to provide youngsters with drug awareness advice.

As well as drug information, the centre, based at Bulls' HQ in Odsal Stadium, aims to give top tips to children on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and installing high self-esteem.

Cash for the scheme, which could involve up to 3,000 children aged eight to 18 from throughout the district's schools, has come from the Government's Standard Funding budget.

Bulls development services manager Steve Fairhurst said the move was part of the club's commitment to the community which has supported it so loyally over the years.

He said: "We have always been involved with rugby league development among the youngsters with Bradford Council. The board wanted this to evolve to the community as a whole. Because children know that much more about drugs these days at a much earlier age it may well be that they're closer to trying them.

"The centre hopes to provide alternative activities for the youngsters, but also to give them the confidence and self-esteem to make them stronger to deal with the situation, should it arrive."

Former teacher Glenda Allister is the centre's co-ordinator and worked for Bradford Council as a personal and social education teacher for ten years. She said: "I hope the children become involved in the centre in the sense that it has got a lot to offer them, but also in the years to come we can keep reminding them and building on what they have learnt through contact with their schools."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "The Bulls Study Centre is a step towards schemes such as those involving soccer clubs throughout the country. The Bulls are certainly giving themselves an opportunity to build in a very important area."

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said he fully supported the scheme. He said: "The Bulls epitomise the success that Bradford now enjoys and for children to be involved with them will be a big incentive for them."

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