The National Literacy Trust in Bradford

The National Literacy Trust is proud to celebrate the ongoing impact of our Arts Council England (ACE) investment in Connecting Stories which leverages our unique place-based approach to improve literacy levels in disadvantaged communities through reading for pleasure and the power of stories.

As promised in our last #LetsCreate?#ConnectingStories post, over the coming weeks we will celebrate our community and publisher partnerships that are supporting us to increase levels of reading enjoyment and creative engagement across the country and the ongoing impact of our Arts Council England partnership in each of our community areas.

Bradford

Bradford, a vibrant city with a youthful population and a rich cultural scene, will be the UK City of Culture in 2025.

Since 2014, our local team in Bradford has been a driving force in engaging children and families to tell their stories through books and exploring their creativity. One of our most successful initiatives has been the Bradford Bus, which is key to supporting communities through Connecting Stories, delivered in partnership with ACE and our publishing partners.

In 2020, consultations with community groups and local leaders highlighted a lack of access to opportunities for communities to engage with literature and creative activities, particularly in the city’s most deprived wards.

Following consultations with local leaders, over 70 community groups and 180 primary school children from six schools, the Bradford Bus was born with the aim of being more than just a library. From the beginning, the bus has been a space for families to share stories, participate in workshops and celebrate their own creativity.

Launched in October 2021, the Bradford Bus festival brought 11 authors and artists to different community venues, engaging over 1,400 children in storytelling and book-gifting activities. Since then, the bus has welcomed over 10,000 children and partnered with publishers including Walker Books to give over 25,000 books in an effort to increase book ownership in the home.

Walker Books supported our work in Bradford by launching their bestselling title "Nura and the Immortal Palace" in the city. Recognising the book's relevance to Bradford's Muslim communities, they provided funding for the Bradford Bus, donated books and even hosted a free author visit by Maeeda T. Khan from the US.

Maeeda has become an inspiring figure to many young women in Bradford because of shared Pakistani culture and traditions. Childhood stories involving jinns (mystical creatures) were a shared childhood tradition between the author and the young Pakistani/Kashmiri secondary school groups.?

We are extremely grateful to Maeeda and Walker Books for their support of our work in Bradford and dedication to championing diverse and representative voices in literature.

Community-led initiatives are key to engaging different communities and our peer volunteer network, Literacy Champions, work tirelessly in their communities to reach local people and involve them in programmes including our Bradford Bus.

The first pilot of Literacy Champions was established in Bradford in 2017, with funding from Morrisons .

A peer network of community Literacy Champion volunteers, who were trusted voices within their own communities, were recruited, including professionals from local organisations who were already working with the most vulnerable people. The volunteers were supported by training and resources but their work as Literacy Champions was largely self-directed in response to the needs and relationships?of their respective communities.

One of the most significant and exciting successes of Literacy Champions in its very first year was the programme’s ability to mobilise key members of the community who had not previously seen themselves as agents of change, but who then gained the confidence to make a difference in their area.

Today, community engagement and empowerment remains the central pillar to the success of our work in Bradford.

The National Literacy Trust, through its network of local teams, is making a significant difference in communities across England. By working alongside local partners, galvanizing communities and leveraging the power of storytelling, we are fostering a love of reading and empowering children and families to explore their creativity.