Student seeks stories to shift Bradford narrative

A university student is encouraging children to submit their writing as part of anthology of works celebrating Bradford.

David Ben Eke is preparing for his second book after publishing Blooming Under Bradford Skies, which was released last year featuring 22 short stories and poems about the city.

He said he hoped the project, aimed at children aged between five and 17, would help them discover their creative voices and change the narrative about Bradford.

"If these kids really want to become authors, it's about making them understand the realities of it. So we all have dreams, we all have wishes, but it's the people who actually go after them that end up achieving their dreams," he said.

Bradford University law student Eke, who is president of the university's Creative Writing Society, has plans to release two editions of the book.

One will feature short stories of up to 500 words or one poem from children aged five to 11, and the other stories of up to 1,000 words, or up to two poems, by those aged 12 to 17.

He first got the idea for a children's anthology when a friend, who had read Blooming Under Bradford Skies, showed him some writing her seven-year-old child had done.

"To see the big words this little seven-year-old was using. I don't even know the meaning of this word. But that showed me that there is talent," he said.

"So now I'm focusing on young people, especially since Bradford has one of the youngest populations."

Eke is funding the project, which will be self published using a £1,400 grant he received from creative organisation The Leap.

He hopes to hold creative writing sessions with school pupils next year and is already planning a third edition in 2027, eventually becoming an annual project.

Eke, who moved to Bradford from Nigeria aged 17, said the aim of the books was to "change the popular narrative about Bradford".

"The only way we can change it is through storytelling - by us actually coming together as people living in Bradford to intentionally shift the narrative," he said.

"We know the bad stuff already, so let's tell the good stories."

Blooming Under Bradford Skies featured stories from people aged 18 to 80 with a variety of backgrounds and religions.

"There are many writers in Bradford, many talented people in Bradford, but a lot of them don't even share their talent, a lot of them don't share their work, so I'm happy that after the first book about three of them now have gone on to start working on novels," said Eke.

"One of the writers said 'because of you now I'm bolder to share my work' that gave me more purpose to do this for younger people because Bradford has one of the youngest populations in the whole of the UK.

"So if the young people here don't feel confident enough to share what they have, then the UK is going to be in a lot of trouble in the coming years."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.