Cancer sufferers and people with disabilities will benefit from the new Lord Mayor of Bradford’s Appeal.

Councillor Naveeda Ikram began her year-long appeal in City Hall, hours after she became the country’s first female British Muslim Lord Mayor.

Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Bradford hospice and disabled people’s charity Bradnet are this year’s recipients.

Coun Ikram said: “I’m delighted to have chosen two charities whose work helps and supports local people. Money raised from my charity appeal will stay in Bradford to support the wonderful work carried out in the district by Marie Curie Hospice Bradford and Bradnet.”

Marie Curie’s hospice in Maudsley Street promotes quality of life for people with cancer and other illnesses and provides free support for their families. It has an in-patient unit with 16 beds, a day service department and offers some services in patients’ homes.

Elaine Hill, the hospice’s manager, said: “It’s an absolute honour for our Bradford hospice to have been chosen as a beneficiary for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal during what is our tenth anniversary year.”

Bradnet, which is based in Laisterdyke, aims to enable disabled people to have the ability, confidence and self-esteem to make choices and to access health and social care services, leisure and recreational services, and gain and retain employment.

Asif Hussain, Bradnet’s executive director, said: “We’re delighted that the Lord Mayor has chosen Bradnet as one of the charities she will support during her year of office. Not only will it help us by providing additional funding for the services we provide to local people but, perhaps more importantly, it allows us to raise our profile and make people aware of the work we are already doing in the community.”

Coun Ikram said she was looking forward to being “a positive and active ambassador” for the district as Lord Mayor alongside her husband Saqib Salam Shah as consort.

  • Read the full story in Wednesday's T&A