A MUSLIM charity has marked the opening of its first base in Bradford with an inter-faith walk to raise awareness of the international refugee crisis.

The Al Khair Foundation has turned the former Craven Heifer pub, on Manchester Road, into its regional headquarters, running a charity office and recording studio for its own TV channel from the site.

The organisation started as an Islamic school in London in 2003 and has since developed into an international aid relief group, providing support to victims of major disasters in Kashmir, Haiti, Pakistan, Japan, and Nepal.

Over the past decade, the foundation states it has supported about a million people worldwide with donations of more than £50 million.

Fundraising officer Alam Ghafoor said the Grand Walk, which took in a route from Bradford to Leeds today, was the kind of event that the foundation would be looking to organise over the coming months.

“We had a really good response, it was a very positive and unifying day,” he said.

“We had a core group of around 30 people from different faiths, and we stopped at various points on the route, such as the Sikh Temple on Leeds Road.

“There was lots of positive feedback, and it was about raising awareness of what is being done to help the refugees.”

The new office will be open every day, and Mr Ghafoor said open days will be held for people to find out more about how to get involved in the work of the charity, including opportunities for volunteering.

“As well as international appeals, we want to work with communities in Bradford, and we will be working with local homeless and refugee projects,” he said.

“We are here to help anybody and everybody, and the aim is to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”