Local charity Age UK Bradford District has opened a new community hub in Idle supported by £15,000 raised by staff at Yorkshire law firm Gordons.
Idle is the first of six new hubs to open in the Bradford area over the course of the summer. Others are due to be launched soon in Allerton, Wrose, Queensbury, Shipley and Keighley.
The facilities offer a range of functions – information, help and support, advice, activities and shopping – which focus on needs identified by older people across the district.
They have been made possible thanks to support from local people and donations from local businesses including Gordons, which has been raising funds for Age UK Bradford District as its official charity partner since 2020.
Gordons colleagues generated the funds last year through initiatives such as Age UK’s Abbey Dash, a 10k race from Leeds city centre to Kirkstall Abbey and back, cycling events, a quiz and auctions.
When Covid-19 struck, staff from the firm raised £1,500 in donations within the first week of lockdown and a further £1,000 by sponsoring each other to complete tasks as part the nationwide 2.6 Challenge to support charities during the pandemic. In addition, the firm also donated 70 Christmas hampers and staff wrote letters to people who Age UK Bradford District were supporting.
Mark Rounding, chief executive for Age UK Bradford District, said: “These hubs are a huge step forward for Age UK Bradford District and they will change the lives of people who use them. The developments simply would not have been possible without the generous support of everyone at Gordons and our other corporate partners.
“Covid-19 has brought new challenges for charities but to be able to open these new facilities at this time is a testament to our supporters. The team at Gordons have been brilliant in continuing to raise funds through the pandemic.”
Age UK Bradford District has been helping older people for more than 25 years. It has 30 dedicated staff and more than 300 volunteers helping deliver services to the whole of the Bradford metropolitan district including Bingley, Keighley, Ilkley and Shipley as well as surrounding villages and rural areas.
Gordons partner, Anjon Mallik, added: “We are incredibly proud to have played a part in enabling Age UK Bradford District to open its new community hub in Idle.
“Our fundraising initiatives are always great fun and they have helped to bring our people and their families together over the last 15 months. However, it is also very rewarding to be able to make such a difference to an excellent charity like Age UK.
“Over the past ten years we have raised more than £175,000 for chosen charities operating within Yorkshire and we will continue to give our people the platform to raise funds for good causes.”
