A fighting fund has been launched in a bid to save a community organisation which has had its Council grant axed.

Baildon Community Link is hoping firms and residents will contribute to the fund and help turn its new headquarters into a thriving community centre.

Chairman Dr Mike Bromley launched the Baildon Community Link Development Fund to safeguard the group's future during a packed public meeting at the former school canteen in Cliffe Avenue.

In November Bradford Council announced that the group, which has been providing advice and counselling services to people in the district for 14 years, would not be getting the £48,000 in voluntary sector funding it had asked for.

The bombshell came just days before Baildon Link's long-awaited move to the now refurbished building - partly funded by the Council.

The cut means the organisation has to put its expansion plans on hold and make its co-ordinator, secretary and community worker redundant on March 31.

Social Services have agreed to let Baildon Link use the former Sandal School kitchen building rent-free for at least a year and the group's management committee has vowed to keep the building in community use for as long as possible.

Dr Bromley said an estimated £4,000 a year is needed to keep the building in use.

It is hoped the money can be found through gifts, fundraising events and by hiring the premises out to community and commercial ventures.

He said: "The building has the potential to become a really good community centre, which has been needed for many years, but to do that we need money, volunteers - and groups to use the building.

"The large turn-out at the meeting shows the people of Baildon really do care about this building and we hope they'll go a step further and help out."

Volunteers are needed for a host of tasks including fundraising, management, counselling, caretaking, office duties and helping out in the kitchen and maintenance.

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