The Lord Mayor’s Appeal in Bradford has now raised more than £1 million for good causes over the last decade.

A number of charities have benefited from the annual civic appeal in the last ten years, including Marie Curie, Macmillan Nurses, Nell Bank, Manorlands Hospice, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Bradford Burns Unit, Born In Bradford, Alzheimer’s Society and Bradford Disability Sports and Leisure.

To mark the milestone, on Monday, July 19, the current Lord Mayor of Bradford Peter Hill is to host a celebration attended by a number of former Lord Mayors, along with representatives from the charities they supported, as well as volunteers, businesses and community groups.

There will first be a special lunch in City Hall, followed by awareness stalls for 12 of the charities set out in Centenary Square.

Any registered charity can put itself forward to be considered as a beneficiary of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, but the final choice is made by the incoming Lord Mayor.

This year the Lord Mayor’s Appeal is raising money for a new outdoor play area at Nell Bank Centre, Ilkley.

The Lord Mayor said: “This is a fantastic achievement and goes to prove what fundraisers keep telling us, that Yorkshire is the most generous region. On behalf of all former Lord Mayors I would like to thank the people of the district for their support and generosity.”

THE PATH TO £1m

In 2000, Marie Curie Bradford Hospice benefited from Harry Mason’s appeal by £83,010; in 2001 Stanley King raised £104,669 for Brainwave; in 2002, Macmillan nurses and the Prince’s Trust split £73,482 raised by Ghazanfer Khaliq; in 2003 Richard Wightman raised £130,688 for Candelighters; in 2004 Nell Bank and the Bradford Outward Bound Association benefited from Allan Hillary’s appeal by £102,008; in 2005 Irene Ellison-Wood raised £69,949 for Manorlands Hospice and Arthritis Research Campaign Bradford; in 2006 the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Bradford Burns Unit benefited from £95,973 raised by Valerie Binney; in 2007, Choudhary Rangzeb handed over £97,818 to Born In Bradford and Bradford Disability Sport; in 2008 the Ear Trust and Bradford Cancer Support Centre benefited from Robin Owens’s appeal by £110,562; in 2009 Howard Middleton raised £83,793 for the Alzheimer’s Society, Bradford; and in 2010 Little Heroes and Bradford & District Senior Power benefited from the £64,433 raised by John Godward.