Youngsters with Down

syndrome and their families are celebrating after a £98,510 Big Lottery Fund boost.

More than 100 children, parents, families, carers and professionals in the district will benefit from the cash which has been awarded to Down Syndrome Support Group Bradford over three years.

Group co-ordinator Dr Wendy Uttley, whose eight-year-old son has Down syndrome, said: "This secures the next few years for the group. It will raise awareness and we hope to empower parents because there is so much out there for these children but a lot of parents don't know about it."

The grant has enabled the group to move into its first office in Heights Lane, Bradford, and £15,000 of the money will cover its rent for the next three years.

Dr Uttley, who set up the group with four families in 2000, has worked from home for the past five years.

"We now have about 100 families," she said.

"Now we have a visible presence in the town with a library with a lot of resources for parents."

About £24,000 of the grant will be used to pay for two independent therapists to work for a full day once a month to deliver speech and language training to parents and children at the Salts building in Shipley.

Dr Utley said: "Over the next three years the group aims to develop speech and language provision, work with Education Bradford, improve heath care professionals' understanding and most importantly, raise the level of awareness and understanding of people born with Down syndrome who happen to look different and learn differently."

The grant also covers the cost of a part-time co-ordinator for the group and will pay for conferences.

Two world leaders in the field of Down syndrome, Dr Margaret Woodhouse and Dr Patrick Sheehan, will speak at a conference on Hearing and Vision at the Dubrovnik Hotel, Oak Lane, Bradford, on February 5.

A family conference is also being planned for families of children, aged up to eight, on education and behaviour, where parents can find out more about early literacy and numeracy; speech and language; and behaviour.

Down Syndrome Support Group Bradford holds monthly sessions at Haworth Road Methodist Church, day trips, information and training and an early development group for infants.

To contact the group call Dr Uttley on (01274) 496573, email: downsgroup@tiscali.co.uk or visit www.downsupportbradford.ik.com.