A Bradford mental health charity is almost ready to make a house its home.

The Bradford branch of the Soteria Network has raised £20,000 over the past two years and its first house could open in the next six months.

The house, which could be somewhere in the Shipley area, would be a home for people in mental crisis and they would be supported by a team of mental health professionals and volunteers, with little or no medication.

One of Soteria’s supporters is Shipley actor Steve Huison who says the scheme would be an alternative to people getting caught up in the mental health system – it has been running in America for 30 years and has an 80 per cent recovery rate.

Enough funds have also been raised to start training people, but Mr Huison, who played Coronation Street’s Eddie Windass, said more funds will continue to be needed.

“We will need about £27,000 a year to run the house but we are ready to go with the launch,” he said.

Tonight, Mr Huison is hosting his fourth cabaret in Saltaire in aid of the charity, which will include Corrie stars Shobna Gulati, who plays shopkeeper Dev’s wife Sunita, and actress Debbie Rush, who was Mr Huison’s on-screen former wife.

Others set to entertain are Baildon singer Tony Levy and world-travelled accordionist Pearl Fawcett-Adriana.

Tickets, which cost £8.50, are available at Fanny’s in Saltaire or on the door at the Caroline Street Working Men’s Club where the cabaret will take to the stage. The price includes a free curry.

To find out more about the Bradford Soteria Network go to soterianetwork.org.uk.